Gemotions

The envelope felt strangely warm against Amelia’s fingertips. It was addressed to her father, a man she’d never fully understood. He'd been a soldier, stoic, distant. A knot formed in her throat, a tight, burning sensation. She had no recollection of writing this letter.

The words revealed a yearning for his approval, a desperate plea for connection. Shame flushed her cheeks. She barely knew this girl, this vulnerable child. She pressed her hand to her chest, trying to regulate her ragged breathing.

She walked to the window, the sunlight too bright. Her gaze drifted over the manicured lawn. The past felt so close, so palpable. The silence in the room screamed, filling her with a feeling she couldn't name, a disquietude that ran through her like a chill wind.