Gemotions

The scent of lavender and old paper filled Amelia's senses. The bucket list, scrawled on a yellowed index card, was tucked inside her grandmother's recipe box. "Visit Paris. Ride a hot air balloon. Fall in love." The last one, underlined three times, struck her the most.

She reread it, her lips twisting into a frown. Her grandmother, a woman of sharp wit and practical advice, had never spoken of grand adventures or romantic yearnings. Amelia sat at the kitchen table, tracing the ink with her finger. How had her grandmother kept this secret, these desires, locked away? The silence in the kitchen felt heavier than usual, oppressive.