Gemotions

He clutched the faded photograph, his fingers tracing the outline of his grandmother’s smiling face. His sister, Olivia, was already talking about selling, about using the money to pay off her debts. The thought of losing this house, of severing the connection to his past, filled him with a sense of emptiness. He couldn't bear to think of it.

He thought back to all the happy memories this house held: Christmas dinners, birthday parties, summer afternoons spent playing in the garden. He remembered how his grandmother always had time for him.

He pictured the kitchen, where she taught him to bake cookies. He remembered how, as a child, the house had seemed vast and full of secrets. He felt as though it was a part of him.

He needed to help his sister understand, to see what he saw. He had to convince her to change her mind. He knew he had a lot of work to do.

"Olivia," he began, his voice tight, "Maybe we could… maybe we could keep it."