Gemotions

The old photographs, brittle with age, lay scattered on the table. Jessica stared at the images, her heart heavy in her chest. Her great-aunt, always described as a strong, independent woman who had no children, had a child, a girl of her own in one of the photographs. The family's narrative of strength and independence had been built on a hidden sorrow.

Her breath hitched in her throat. She understood. She knew the secret. She felt a deep ache in her heart, a profound sense of loss for the aunt she thought she knew.

She closed the album. She could not bear to look at it anymore. She found herself weeping silently. She had always wondered why her aunt was never happy.