Gemotions

He’d always loved the smell of old books. That's why Daniel frequented the dusty bookstore on the edge of town. He picked a first edition of Hemingway's *The Old Man and the Sea*, feeling drawn to the familiar weight and texture of the pages. A thin, yellowed envelope tumbled out. His heart thudded.

It was a wedding invitation, dated decades ago. He read the names: Evelyn and Thomas. He pictured them, young, hopeful. Daniel closed his eyes, visualizing his own, fractured marriage. He’d prioritized his own stubborn pride over the good of his family. The memory of the day he walked out on them, of his son’s face, still haunted him. He carefully replaced the letter, closed the book, and set it back on the shelf, a silent, heavy sigh escaping him.