Gemotions

The attic air hung thick and still, smelling of dust and forgotten things. Clara knelt, her movements measured, as she sorted through the overflowing cardboard boxes. She was in no hurry. The afternoon sun, filtered through the grimy window, cast long shadows, stretching the already ample time she had.

She lifted a box labeled “Sarah’s School Days.” A soft smile touched her lips. This was going to be an undertaking. Inside, nestled amongst yellowed construction paper and slightly crumpled book reports, were her mother’s assignments. Every single one.

A science project on the solar system, meticulously crafted with painted planets and a hand-drawn sun, caught her eye. She carefully lifted it, tracing the planets with a fingertip. She recalled her mother, a woman who always took her time, working late into the night at her own desk. This reminded her.