Gemotions

The air in the spare bedroom felt stifling. Charles ran a hand over his face, leaving a smear of ink on his cheek. The letter, discovered tucked inside an old photo album, was addressed to his high school sweetheart, the girl he’d let slip through his fingers. A flood of raw emotion washed over him.

He felt a tightness in his chest, a sensation akin to being physically restrained. He’d spent decades avoiding thinking about her. He now found himself in the past. He reread the words over and over. He rose abruptly and left the room.