Gemotions

"The family home," the executor said, his face a mask of practiced neutrality. "To Daniel." Daniel, her brother, beamed. He'd always loved the old house, the creaking floors, the sprawling garden. She, Olivia, received a worn, leather-bound journal filled with her grandfather's meticulous sketches of birds.

The news felt like a physical blow, a punch to the gut that left her winded. She could barely manage a polite smile. Daniel was already mapping out his plans, his voice full of the easy confidence that always seemed to come so naturally to him. She just wanted to disappear.

She retreated to a corner, the journal a comforting weight in her hands. The drawings were intricate, delicate, filled with a love of the natural world that mirrored her own. She could almost smell the earthy scent of the forest, the chirp of the birds. It was a glimpse into her grandfather's soul.

Closing the book and taking a deep breath, she wished it would just go away.