Gemotions

The antique shop was stifling, smelling of old paper and forgotten things. Clara tugged at the collar of her blouse, the fabric feeling suddenly too tight. Every little task seemed heavy today. She hated the shopping she needed to do for her mother's estate sale.

She'd stumbled upon the letter while sorting through a box of her father’s personal effects. The paper was yellowed, the ink faded, but the words were clear. It was a typed resignation letter, addressed to the headmaster of the elite boarding school where he'd been a teacher. The letter detailed the reasons for his sudden departure, citing a violation of the school’s “strict moral code.”

Clara felt a chill, despite the heat of the shop. Her father had always seemed so…conventional. She felt a disquieting sense of disconnection from him, as if she never really knew him at all. She left the shop without buying anything.