Gemotions

The afternoon sun cast long shadows across the park, but it did little to warm the chill that had settled in Henry's bones. He watched her from a distance, the woman who was once his childhood companion, as she played with her children. He’d tried to approach her earlier, but she had merely smiled politely, utterly oblivious to their shared history.

He sat on the bench, his gaze fixed on the laughing children. His hands were clasped tightly in his lap, and a muscle jumped in his jaw. The laughter seemed to echo across the expanse, a soundtrack to his solitude. The realization of how little he mattered stung, a deep ache that settled inside him.