Gemotions

He vaulted the last step up into the loft, a grin plastered across his face. Arthur, usually a creature of habit, felt compelled to delve into this musty space this morning. An odd buoyancy filled him, propelling him towards the forgotten relics of his family’s past. He’d barely slept last night, anticipating this search.

A small metal box, tucked away behind a stack of moth-eaten blankets, revealed its secrets. Inside, nestled amongst brittle newspaper clippings, were photographs. Photos of his stoic, war-hero grandfather, William, in a tuxedo, arm around a beautiful woman with a sequined dress. The caption on the back: "William & Serena, 1938, Paris."

Arthur laughed out loud. He’d always been told his grandfather was a man of few words, a model of virtue. This… this changed everything. He felt a sudden, irrepressible urge to call his own children.