Gemotions

Michael slammed the lid shut on the photo album with more force than necessary. The old family home had always felt suffocating to him, but now, with these photos, it was something else entirely. He felt as though he was a visitor in his own life.

He'd always believed the tales of his grandfather, a stern war hero, a man of unwavering principles. The pictures showed a man drunk in a speakeasy, flirting openly with a woman who wasn't his grandmother. His jaw clenched.

He ran a hand over his face, feeling his pulse thrumming in his temples. He needed a drink, a stiff one. He felt a need to escape this suffocating feeling, to get out of the house. He threw open the front door and walked briskly, with no particular destination in mind.