Gemotions

The scent of cedar filled the small study as Ethan opened the old cedar chest. Inside, he found a collection of letters and photographs belonging to his grandfather. The old man, always reserved, had been a lawyer, according to family legend. The images, however, portrayed something else.

One showed his grandfather in a boxing ring, bruised and sweating. Another depicted him playing poker in a smoky back room. His breath hitched in his throat.

Ethan closed his eyes, then opened them again, as if to convince himself he was seeing clearly. The past, as he understood it, was crumbling before his eyes. The implications left him feeling lightheaded and unsettled. He ran his hand through his hair, a gesture of helplessness.