Gemotions

The antique store air smelled of old paper and quiet dust motes dancing in the sunbeams. Amelia smiled, a genuine, wide curve of her lips that reached her eyes. It was a perfect day. She’d found the book – a first edition of "Pride and Prejudice," her favorite – for a steal. Carefully, she turned the brittle pages, anticipating the familiar comfort of the words. A folded piece of stationery, cream-colored and slightly yellowed, fluttered out. A giggle escaped her as she unfolded it.

The handwriting was elegant, looping script. "My dearest Eliza," it began, and Amelia felt a thrill, a quickening of her heart. Someone else, long ago, had loved this book as much as she did. She sank into a plush armchair by the window, the world outside becoming a soft blur as she devoured the love letter. The words filled her with a feeling akin to floating, weightless, within a warm, silken cocoon.