Gemotions

The vibrant colors of the drawing felt mocking under the harsh fluorescent light of the kitchen. My cousin's daughter, Sarah, presented it to me with a beaming smile. "Look, Auntie Kate! It's Giggles!" The name alone was grating.

Giggles. The imaginary friend I'd invented as a child was now parading through Sarah’s drawings. A creature of perpetual cheerfulness and exaggerated features. The memory of Giggles was a private, embarrassing thing, locked away in a dusty corner of my mind. Yet, here she was, in vibrant marker, a source of constant, unwanted visibility.

I feigned delight. Then, after I returned home, I put up a large poster, obscuring the drawing.