Gemotions

The sheer volume of papers was staggering, an avalanche of memories cascading over Amelia. She’d found the box while sorting through old photo albums, her fingers brushing against the faded cardboard. "Mom's Memories - Amelia's School Days."

A second-grade science project, complete with construction paper planets, lay on top. She lifted it, her hands shaking slightly. A feeling of profound unease settled in her stomach.

She thought of her mother, with her stoic demeanor, her practical approach to life. How had she kept this? An involuntary shudder ran through her. It was too much to take in, too much to comprehend. This was a side of her mother that she rarely saw.