Gemotions

The photographs felt heavy in Maya's trembling hands. Her grandmother, the woman who had always been a beacon of strength and resilience, was young and carefree in these photos. Her eyes, filled with joy, were also full of a love that wasn’t directed at her grandfather.

She leaned back against the dusty wall, a wave of nausea washing over her. The family stories, the narratives of a long, happy marriage, were shattered. She felt a sting behind her eyes, the familiar precursor to tears.

The silence of the room was deafening, broken only by the frantic beat of her own heart. She felt adrift, lost in a sea of unknown emotions.