Gemotions

The bookstore owner, a stout woman named Agnes, watched with a raised eyebrow as Fiona frantically leafed through the pages of a well-loved copy of *Little Women*. Fiona had just confessed, in a fit of oversharing fueled by lukewarm coffee and nerves, that she hated her sister's new puppy, and the memory made her stomach churn. Now she was wishing she had kept her mouth shut.

A small, yellowed envelope, sealed with a dried flower, tumbled out.

Inside, a letter in elegant cursive revealed a deep secret. A mother confessed her unspoken love for a son, detailing her silent regrets. Fiona’s breath hitched. She quickly and carefully put the letter back in the book, then placed the book back on the shelf. The sudden need to leave the shop seized her.

"Find anything interesting?" Agnes asked, her voice unexpectedly loud.

"No," Fiona choked out, turning and rushing towards the door.