Gemotions

The musty smell of the old cedar chest filled Maria's nostrils as she reached for the letter. Her fingers fumbled with the brittle paper. She’d been sorting through her grandmother’s things, a task she had been dreading for weeks. Finding this letter, in her grandmother’s handwriting, had amplified her unease.

She hadn't known her grandmother was capable of such emotions. Her breath caught in her throat as she started to read. Each sentence felt like a blow. Her chest felt constricted.

She leaned back against the chest, feeling a wave of nausea wash over her. It was a letter to her grandfather, the man who had abandoned them.