Gemotions

The scent of lavender and old books always calmed Clara, or so she thought. Now, staring at the letter she’d found in her grandmother's desk, she felt the opposite. "Draft of Resignation from the Ministry of Arts and Culture." Her grandmother, the woman who spoke in hushed tones of paintings and poetry, had been ready to quit?

She felt a tremor run through her. The letter was dated from the year Clara was born. It spoke of institutional corruption and artistic censorship. Clara always assumed her grandmother's quiet life was a choice. A sudden realization struck her - a shadow she never saw until now. She looked at her hands, trembling slightly, as if she was holding a secret.