Gemotions

The harsh fluorescent lights of the hospital waiting room seemed to soften, taking on a golden hue as the doctor finished his pronouncements. “...and to Clara, the family's art collection, including the hidden sketches of her great-grandmother.” Clara let out a shaky breath, her heart thrumming against her ribs. Years of quiet studying, of longing and hoping, had finally paid off. She felt like she could fly.

Her sister, Beatrice, stared at the wall, her face pinched. Clara reached out, wanting to say something, but the words wouldn't come. Instead, she started tracing the lines of the worn leather of the briefcase on her lap. She pictured the canvases, the textures, the colors, the secrets held within the artworks. A wild feeling coursed through her, an almost overwhelming desire to get started, to unlock the stories hidden within each brushstroke.