Gemotions

A sigh escaped Amelia’s lips as she dragged herself into her grandmother’s old house. Everything felt cumbersome today. Her legs felt heavy, and her head was thick, the silence of the house pressing against her eardrums. She was supposed to be clearing out her grandmother’s belongings, but the task seemed insurmountable, a mountain she didn't possess the will to climb.

She picked up a photo album, its cover faded and worn. Inside, a picture of her father, young and beaming, stood beside a woman with bright red hair. He'd always described his youth as a time of quiet dedication to his mother, whom he'd met in his late twenties. The woman in the photo... she was a stranger. Amelia's hands trembled as she turned the page, a dull ache blossoming in her chest.