Gemotions

He adjusted his glasses, a nervous habit he’d developed over the years. Inside the trunk, amongst moth-eaten shawls, lay a stack of photographs. He'd always been told his grandfather was a stoic man, a pillar of the community. In the photo, his grandfather was surrounded by several women.

This man was younger, and he was grinning widely. It wasn’t the picture of the man he thought he knew. The man's arms were around his friends, their faces pressed close. The stories were of a reserved man who held his emotions in check.

A bead of sweat trickled down his temple. He felt a shiver run through his frame. All his life, he’d striven to emulate his grandfather. Now, he wasn't sure what to think.