Gemotions

The crisp white envelope arrived with the morning mail, a stark contrast to the dreary November sky outside. Sarah recognized the handwriting immediately; Eleanor. She hadn't heard from her in fifteen years, not since the disastrous college party. Sarah's hands trembled as she slit the seal. A lump formed in her throat as she unfolded the letter, its contents a weight she hadn't realized she was still carrying.

The words detailed the remorse Eleanor felt, painting a clear picture of the hurt inflicted so long ago. Reading the sentences, she remembered the sting of betrayal, the humiliation, the sheer bewilderment. Now, the old anger didn't rise; instead, a quiet ache settled in her chest, a familiar echo of a younger, more vulnerable self. She let out a shaky breath, the pages of the letter beginning to blur as a tear or two escaped from her eyes.

Sarah closed her eyes, imagining Eleanor as she was then and how she must be feeling now. It didn't make the pain less, but it did make it... bearable. She placed the letter on the kitchen table, the words hanging between them like a ghost.