Gemotions

"Mom?" Ben's voice was barely a whisper. He held the letter, creased and worn, with a child's careful grip. He'd discovered it tucked inside an old book on his mother's childhood. It was addressed to his grandfather, a man he'd never known, filled with youthful adoration and secrets.

He moved to the window, staring out at the rain-streaked glass. A strange ache settled in his chest, a dull, heavy feeling. The words seemed to echo his mother's unspoken emotions, a longing he recognized.

He pressed his forehead against the cool glass, the silence of the house suddenly overwhelming. His breaths came in shallow gasps. A tear traced a path down his cheek, following the run of the rain.