Gemotions

The musty smell of the basement was familiar to Leo. He felt a soft, pleasant weariness as he explored the boxes, relics of his family's history. He’d never felt the need to rush through the task.

He found a set of photos of his father, a man he remembered as reserved and emotionally distant. In the pictures, his father was a wild, carefree young man. Smiling and laughing, a beer in his hand. Leo felt a languid acceptance of this new information.

Then came a photo of his parents, both wearing clothes he didn’t recognize, at a location he couldn’t identify. His mother, the woman who had always seemed to be his rock, was looking at the camera with what Leo recognized as a mischievous glint. It created no urgency in him to ask questions. He put the photos down and let the quietness of the basement surround him.