Gemotions

The solicitor’s words hung in the air, a thick, cloying fog. Amelia blinked, her jaw slightly slack. *Our grandmother… the house… all of it?* She’d always assumed the rambling Victorian, with its peeling paint and overgrown garden, would be left to her aunt. Now, she was a co-owner, alongside her brother, Daniel. She glanced at him, his face a mask of what could only be described as blankness.

Her palms began to sweat. The solicitor continued, detailing the will's specifics, but the words seemed to bounce off Amelia’s ears. She felt a strange lightness, as if she were floating slightly above the mahogany table.

Later, outside, the late afternoon sun felt oddly intense on her skin. "Well," Daniel finally said, breaking the silence. His voice sounded distant. Amelia just nodded, her throat suddenly very tight.