Gemotions

The photograph, discovered in an old box of his grandmother's belongings, was the first clue. A young woman with his father’s eyes, smiling. She wasn't an aunt. She wasn't a cousin. The realization hit him like a physical blow.

He held the picture at arm's length. His throat felt constricted. The room spun. He felt a deep, instinctive recoil. This person… This stranger… He couldn't process it.

He sat heavily on the floor, the box of memories forgotten. His breath was shallow. He closed his eyes. The world seemed to be closing in around him.