Gemotions

The musty scent of the storage unit assaulted her nostrils. Olivia was searching for old Christmas decorations when she unearthed a forgotten box. Inside, she found a letter, written in a delicate, unfamiliar hand, addressed to her father, "My Dearest John." She did not recognise the name on the envelope.

Her pulse quickened as she unfolded the paper, her eyes scanning the flowing cursive. The words spoke of a life lived before her own, of a shared happiness she'd never known her father to possess, of a vibrant life she was not a part of. The air in the storage unit felt heavy, suffocating.

She felt her breath hitch in her throat. Her hands clenched into fists, the nails digging into her palms. She couldn’t look at the paper any longer and tossed it back into the box.