Gemotions

The afternoon sun, filtering through the blinds, cast long shadows across the floor of her childhood bedroom. He had volunteered to sort through the clutter. He felt a knot in his stomach. Each object seemed to hold a secret, a memory he hadn't fully processed.

He opened a shoebox, its contents filled with an assortment of his old school projects. A clay ashtray he had made for his father, a poem about a favorite pet, a meticulously crafted diorama of the solar system. He felt a tremor in his hands.

He pulled out a faded photo of himself, beaming at the camera. He remembered his first day of school, his fear, and his excitement. A lump formed in his throat.