Gemotions

The antique music box, a gift from her father, chimed a haunting melody as Sarah flipped through the inheritance papers. Buried within the legal jargon, a footnote: a child, a daughter, a whole other family. A coldness spread through her. A whole other world, built without her.

She found herself picking at the hem of her dress. The house felt too big, the silence too loud. She’d always struggled with his absence, the distance between them. Now, she understood why. There was someone else who got the version of him she always craved.

The tears finally fell, hot and bitter. She should have been a better daughter, a more understanding one. She grabbed her coat and went out into the rain, letting the cold water wash over her as a cleansing ritual. She had to decide whether she wanted to be involved with the other woman or not, she had to decide what to do now that she knew.