Gemotions

The attic air hung thick and dusty, catching in Amelia's throat as she pulled out the brittle photo album. Grandmother's tales of her whirlwind romance with Grandfather were legendary in the family. She'd always painted him as a dashing war hero, forever rescuing her from the mundane. Amelia flipped through the pages, her smile tight. The first photo showed a gaunt, weedy man in a poorly-fitting uniform, looking terrified rather than heroic. Amelia pressed her thumb to the picture, tracing the outline of his face. She’d always suspected the truth was far more complicated, and now, finally, she held the proof. She imagined the look on her mother’s face when she showed her. A tiny tremor of satisfaction ran through her.