Gemotions

The peeling wallpaper felt like dry skin against her fingertips as she carefully peeled it away, revealing the outline of a door. It was tucked behind a false wall in the master bedroom closet. She’d been so thrilled to find the old house; her dream home. She should have considered the reality of it. Now, as the hidden door loomed over her, a bitter taste filled her mouth.

Her husband, Daniel, had pleaded with her, reminding her of their limited budget. They would have to sacrifice so much to keep this house. She’d dismissed his concerns, lost in the romance of the old building. She was so sure this was right. She pulled harder on the wall.

The room was small, containing only a dusty trunk. She knelt and rested her hand on the trunk's surface, her fingers tracing the outline of a faded rose. She knew, with a certainty that settled in her bones, she had made a terrible mistake. The cost, in more ways than money, was becoming clear.