Gemotions

The chipped mug warmed Amelia’s hands as she stared out the window. Rain lashed against the glass, mirroring the storm inside her. Years of striving, years of ambition, and all she had to show for it was a dead-end job and an apartment smaller than her niece Lily’s playhouse.

Lily, bless her heart, was visiting. She was sketching with crayons at the dining table, oblivious to the grey feeling that had settled over Amelia like a shroud. She called out, “Auntie Mia, look! It’s Captain Zephyr!”

Amelia squinted at the drawing. A stick figure with a feathered hat and a jaunty grin stood next to a crudely drawn sailboat. Her breath hitched. That was Captain Zephyr. Her childhood friend. The one who had sailed her away from the harsh realities of her parents’ constant fighting.

“He's cool," Amelia said, her voice sounding hollow, devoid of any genuine feeling. Lily beamed, the pure joy in her eyes a painful reminder of Amelia's own lost innocence.