Gemotions

The old house felt cold, even with the fire blazing in the hearth. The letter, stained with age, sat on the mahogany table, a tangible reminder of a pain that had festered for fifteen years. Emily, she thought, and her breath hitched. The betrayal, the lies. The loss. Now, after all this time, this pathetic attempt at reconciliation.

She picked up the letter. The firelight flickered, casting dancing shadows on the walls. She reread it, her lips twisting into a grimace. Her gaze wandered to the photograph resting on the mantle. She picked it up.

She turned the photograph face down.