Gemotions

The legal office felt stuffy, the air thick with unspoken expectations. Her brother, Finn, was fiddling with his tie, pulling it slightly away from his neck. She, herself, felt a constant hum of restlessness. They were here to discover what their estranged father had left them, a man who had vanished from their lives years ago.

Finn was named sole beneficiary of their father's company. She was bequeathed a small, hand-painted wooden box. She gripped the edge of her seat, her knuckles white. The world tilted on its axis, and she felt a sudden urge to flee.