Gemotions

The musty scent of old paper filled his nostrils. Michael, sifting through his grandmother’s belongings after her passing, came across a picture. The family lore described his grandfather, a stern man, as a devoted and faithful husband. Yet, here he was, in a sepia-toned photograph, smiling intimately at a woman who wasn't his grandmother.

His jaw clenched. He felt a hot flush creep up his neck. The world seemed to tilt. The weight of his grandfather's reputation, his entire understanding of their family history, felt suddenly unbearable. He slammed the album shut, the sound echoing in the silent house.

Michael walked into the kitchen, poured a glass of water, and then immediately spilled it, the liquid spreading across the counter like a stain.