Gemotions

The lawyer, a man with a face like carved stone, began, "The yacht, to Richard." Richard's face lit up, his smile, wide and expectant. His sister, Susan, felt a sharp, piercing pain in her chest, a sudden need to gasp for air. She received a box of her father’s woodworking tools, worn smooth with use.

The room was filled with the celebratory murmur of her brother and his wife. Richard was already planning a trip around the world, his excitement barely contained. She sat still, unable to join in their joy. Her hands trembled.

She examined the tools. Each chisel, each saw, bore the marks of her father's hands, of a skill he’d patiently, lovingly, passed on to her. Richard didn’t have the passion. The loss felt unbearable.

She excused herself and went into the garden, breathing in the scent of the roses.