Gemotions

The lawyer’s office felt stuffy, the air thick with the scent of aged mahogany and hushed pronouncements. Amelia fidgeted, her fingers drumming an impatient tattoo on the polished surface of the table. Beside her, Leo, ever the stoic, simply nodded as the will was read aloud. Then came the bombshell. Leo inherited the family home, a sprawling estate on the coast. Amelia, however, received a collection of antique maps.

A prickle of something unpleasant ran up her spine. Maps? Her brother got a mansion, and she got paper? She plastered on a smile, a little too wide, and squeezed Leo’s arm. "Oh, that’s wonderful, Leo! Imagine all the holidays you'll host!" Her voice sounded brittle, even to her own ears. The parchment crinkled audibly as she examined the first map. A flicker of resentment danced in her eyes, quickly masked. She needed to know what these maps were *worth*.