Gemotions

The jumble sale was a cacophony of voices and smells, but Sarah's attention froze on a single object: a brown teddy bear with a red ribbon tied around its neck. She hadn’t seen Barnaby, as she called him, in almost thirty years. A wave of warmth spread through her, quickly followed by a strange, hollow feeling.

She remembered the feel of his soft fur against her cheek as she drifted off to sleep. The silent comfort he provided during family arguments. She remembered the day she lost him. How could she have forgotten?

The woman selling him was haggling with someone else, but Sarah was locked on the bear. She finally got the seller's attention and bought the bear, feeling a surge of affection. He sat beside her in the car, a silent companion on her journey home.