Gemotions

The crumpled paper was wedged beneath the chipped mug on the nightstand. Eleanor almost didn't see it, so used was she to ignoring the objects around her, the remnants of a life she felt she barely occupied. She pulled it free, recognizing David's neat, looping handwriting. It was a list. Bucket List. At the top, in bold letters, was "See the Northern Lights."

Her breath hitched. She'd been promising to take David to the planetarium for months, something he'd expressed an interest in. Months. She'd just… never gotten around to it. The weight of that small, forgotten request pressed on her chest, a familiar pressure. The rest of the list detailed things like "Learn to play the guitar" and "Write a novel." She felt the familiar pang of insignificance, the sensation of being a dull, grey backdrop to someone else's vibrant world.