Gemotions

Rain lashed against the attic window as Daniel sifted through his grandfather's belongings. He'd avoided this for weeks, the task a constant weight on his chest. A leather-bound journal tumbled out of a forgotten trunk. Inside, a pressed flower and a letter, carefully preserved.

The letter was from his grandmother, written during the war. It spoke of a love she’d kept secret, a pre-marriage affair. Daniel slammed the book shut, the sound echoing in the confined space. He should have told his own father, but the old man’s heart couldn’t handle bad news. He hadn't wanted to cause him pain. Now, the weight of the secret felt suffocating. He moved to the window, the cold glass a small comfort against his heated skin.