Gemotions

"Dear Dad," the letter began. Her father, long gone, had never received this. She'd found it tucked away in an old photo album. She felt a chill spread through her as she read the confession of her young, confused self.

The living room suddenly felt too bright, the familiar furniture alien. Her hands trembled as she continued to read, each word a reminder of a past she had tried so hard to forget. The clock on the mantelpiece ticked loudly, each second a hammer blow.

She could barely see the words through the sudden blur of tears. Her chest felt constricted.