Gemotions

The email notification had been a punch to the gut. The subject line, “Your Childhood Home,” sent a shiver down Daniel’s spine. He hadn't seen it coming, this reminder of everything. He’d tried so hard to build a new life, a new normal, and now this.

He sat for hours, staring at the screen. The pictures showed the sunroom, where he used to build forts. He felt a hollowness in his chest, a vacuum where joy once resided. He opened a bottle of wine, a large, almost desperate gulp. The alcohol did nothing to dull the edges of the feeling.

He picked up his phone, scrolling through old photos. He’d have to throw away those family photos at some point, he realized, but not tonight.