Gemotions

The afternoon sun cast long shadows across the living room as Liam sorted through the boxes. The sheer volume of material was astonishing, all carefully cataloged and preserved. Each page held a story, each drawing a memory. His gaze fell upon a science project, complete with a tiny, wonky volcano, from his childhood. A deep ache settled within his heart.

He’d avoided his mother all week, hurt by a perceived slight. Now, with this overwhelming evidence of her unending care, he felt the sting of his own pettiness.

He closed the lid on the box, the gesture a physical representation of the remorse that gnawed at him. He knew what he had to do.