Gemotions

The old trunk, its wood warped and cracked with age, sat open in the dim light. Inside, amongst the keepsakes, were the photographs. His great-aunt, a woman known for her quiet demeanor, her devotion to her husband, was smiling into the camera with a man who was not her spouse.

He knew what the family stories said. He looked at the photograph again, and the truth felt like a physical blow. He slammed the lid closed, his chest tight. He'd never look at them again. He could pretend it had never happened.