Gemotions

The estate sale was in full swing, and James, assigned to empty out the guest room, was struggling. He’d pulled a box of books out from under the bed. He set it down, the dust from the box clouding the air. One book, an old copy of "Pride and Prejudice," had a folded piece of paper nestled inside. It was a letter, addressed to a name he didn't recognize. The handwriting was his mother's.

He carefully extracted the letter. The words revealed a young woman wrestling with her identity, her aspirations, and her place in the world. He felt an odd disconnection. He knew his mother well enough, but the words laid bare a woman he’d never known. He sat down heavily on the bed, the weight of the past pressing against him. His cheeks flushed a light pink.