Gemotions

The air inside the house felt thick, stale, stagnant. Ethan felt it cling to him, the same way his grandmother's unspoken disappointment always had. He’d never been a good son, not a good grandson. Now, he felt the heavy presence of her absence.

He shifted uncomfortably, avoiding eye contact with his sister, Chloe, as she excitedly made a list of things to sell. He felt the blood rush to his face, a burning sensation he hated. He wanted to leave, to disappear, to erase the past.

He focused on the dust motes dancing in the sunbeams, anything to avoid the truth. He'd let her down. He had utterly failed.

"We can make some serious money," Chloe said, her voice buoyant.

Ethan just nodded, his throat too constricted to speak.