Gemotions

The smell of old paper always brought back memories for Emily. While clearing out her grandmother’s things, she found a letter. A letter she'd never seen before, a draft her grandmother had written to her husband. A draft of resignation from a life, it seemed.

Her grandmother had always been a mystery. A quiet, reserved woman, who spoke rarely of her past. Emily felt a sharp ache. She had never asked her anything, and now the chance was gone.

She started looking through old photos. She found one with her grandmother beaming. A smile she’d never seen before. She felt a deep ache in her chest as she closed the box of memories. She thought of her children and wondered if they would see her life as a collection of missed chances.