Gemotions

The antique store owner had promised them a family heirloom, a vintage music box. But the small, ornate box also contained a collection of photographs. Clara flipped through them, curious at first. She was used to family secrets; her own family was one big secret. But then she stopped at one: her mother, young, vibrant, and kissing a man other than her father. Clara's breath hitched.

Her palms began to sweat. A knot formed in her stomach. She felt a sudden, inexplicable urge to flee the shop, to escape the scrutiny of the dusty photographs. They felt like a betrayal. They were not what she was expecting.