Gemotions

The draft lay nestled within a box of her grandfather’s old tools. Olivia, her hands shaking, read the letter he never sent, a resignation from his long-held profession. Her breath hitched. A rush of heat flooded her cheeks. She felt an overwhelming surge of something akin to awe.

She reread each sentence, lingering over the neat script. A dizzying sensation took hold. She saw him, her grandfather, younger, driven, perhaps filled with hope and dreams she’d never known about.

She spent the rest of the day baking his favorite cookies, a recipe she hadn't touched in years. She savored the smell of butter and sugar, the simple act of recreating something familiar. She felt strangely complete, as if a missing piece of herself had been found.