Gemotions

The attic was dusty and dim, but the discovery was a ray of sunshine. A small, locked box, hidden behind a stack of old books. Inside, a key, and a passbook. The savings account belonged to her husband.

She sank onto a nearby trunk, the book still in her hand. The worries she had carried, about their future and about his health, seemed to dissipate. She felt a lightness in her chest, a sense of buoyant hope.

The sun streamed through the single window, illuminating the dust motes. She would use the money to finally take the trip he always wanted to. She would go with him. She smiled.