Gemotions

The flickering candlelight cast dancing shadows on the walls of the old pub as Clara listened to Ben. Ben was recounting the time they'd lost their pet hamster, Nibbles. Ben remembered it with a childlike wonder, a silly quest with a happy ending.

Clara fidgeted with her napkin, her fingers twisting it into a tight knot. Ben was laughing, describing the thrilling chase around the garden. He said he had felt like an explorer on a great adventure.

Clara remembered the terror. The panic. She'd been inconsolable. They'd never found Nibbles. She still felt the sting of that loss, the guilt of leaving the cage door unlatched. She still felt that way, and she didn’t want to make Ben feel bad. He clearly remembered it differently.

“It was the best game of hide-and-seek ever,” Ben declared, grinning.

Clara swallowed hard, her voice barely a whisper. "Yeah, it was."