Gemotions

Her breath hitched as she sifted through the boxes. Her mother’s meticulous archiving had left no stone unturned. Every essay, every project, every single grade. A monument to her daughter’s life, lovingly curated. The sunlight sliced through the window, illuminating the dust motes dancing in the stale air.

The words of an old poem she'd written in grade school now played in her mind, a poem about a mother's endless love. She'd never understood it back then, but now the words were like a dagger. The missed phone calls, the hurried visits, the things she'd never said. A profound sense of loss settled over her.