Gemotions

He found the letter tucked inside his late father's old address book. It was thin, brittle, the handwriting unfamiliar. Inside, a single sentence, addressed to his father: "I hope he's doing well." He didn’t know who "he" was. A wave of bewilderment washed over him.

He tracked down the address on the envelope. It belonged to a woman named Clara, living in a small town several states away. Without thinking, he found his car keys and began to head out immediately. He needed to meet her.

The drive was long, the landscape changing from urban sprawl to rolling green hills. When he arrived, Clara welcomed him to her porch with open arms. He listened, utterly absorbed, as she explained, her voice cracking with emotion, about his father's youthful indiscretion. He had never met his other son, Daniel. Hearing Daniel's name brought a warm flush to his cheeks.

She handed him Daniel's phone number. He didn't hesitate. He smiled when he heard Daniel's voice on the other end, and made plans to meet up later that week.