Gemotions

The sun beat down on Liam’s back as he sorted through the boxes in his late aunt's garage. He’d never known his aunt particularly well; she had always maintained a distant composure. A photograph showed her in a place he didn't recognize, sitting on a beach with a man he didn't recognize either. They were younger, laughing, holding hands. It was the carefree joy he found in the picture that unsettled him most. He’d always imagined his aunt as being alone, burdened. A knot formed in his gut as he considered the discrepancy. He pushed the box away, finding the heat suddenly oppressive.