Gemotions

He traced a fingertip across the faded photograph, the paper thin and fragile beneath his touch. Thomas sat at his kitchen table, the early morning light painting the room in a gentle glow. He'd found the pictures tucked inside his grandfather's old war chest, the same chest his father always told him was filled with nothing but old, unimportant junk. His father had always spoken of his father’s stoicism, the man's dedication to his family, and how he never showed any weakness.

The pictures revealed a different man. One was of his grandfather wearing a playful expression, holding a tiny kitten up to the camera. Another showed him embraced by a woman, both of them beaming. There were no grim faces, no tales of hardship, just a man who seemed... happy. Thomas felt a prickling sensation behind his eyes. He poured himself a cup of coffee, the steam momentarily blurring his vision. This was a mystery, a hidden life.