As Zinnia approached him, Thomas stood there silent and dazed. He could not react; there was nothing. It was as if there were chains around every limb and with each attempt at moving, the chains pulled at him tighter and tighter. He could feel his heart getting crushed with each breath he made. It was as if an enchantment had turned him into a statue.
Her arms reaching around him ought to have been a comfort. It should have felt nice to have someone – anyone – there to provide support. But it didn’t. It made him feel as if everything that was happening was real. It made him feel like the dream-like haze he’d found himself in was not a dream, or a nightmare, but a harsh reality that he could not escape from. And it hurt. It hurt him more than anything had ever hurt before.
His eyes fixed on the canvas behind the counter and what he saw shook him to his very core. It was him. His family.
His father.
And they were smiling.
They were happier. Happier than he’d perhaps seen them in a long time and as he took in every miniscule detail of his father’s wide beaming smile, Thomas could feel his emotions begin to get the better of him.
He could feel the droplet slither down his cheek onto Zinnia’s shoulder and that single tear enabled him to truly feel what was going on in that moment.
He broke from the chains briefly and pulled from her before biting his lower lip and feigning a distant smile.
“Thank you,” Thomas offered.
What more was there to say?
Her arms reaching around him ought to have been a comfort. It should have felt nice to have someone – anyone – there to provide support. But it didn’t. It made him feel as if everything that was happening was real. It made him feel like the dream-like haze he’d found himself in was not a dream, or a nightmare, but a harsh reality that he could not escape from. And it hurt. It hurt him more than anything had ever hurt before.
His eyes fixed on the canvas behind the counter and what he saw shook him to his very core. It was him. His family.
His father.
And they were smiling.
They were happier. Happier than he’d perhaps seen them in a long time and as he took in every miniscule detail of his father’s wide beaming smile, Thomas could feel his emotions begin to get the better of him.
He could feel the droplet slither down his cheek onto Zinnia’s shoulder and that single tear enabled him to truly feel what was going on in that moment.
He broke from the chains briefly and pulled from her before biting his lower lip and feigning a distant smile.
“Thank you,” Thomas offered.
What more was there to say?