Gemotions

The flickering candlelight cast dancing shadows across the room as Michael, alone in the house, examined the pictures. He'd stumbled upon them hidden inside his grandfather's bible - images that shattered the carefully constructed narrative of his family's past.

His grandmother, the epitome of grace and piety, in a tight embrace with a man who wasn't her husband, on a beach. He had never measured up to his grandfather, never had the strength or the dignity.

The pages of the bible felt heavy in his hands. He felt a dull ache in his chest, a constant pressure that had settled there years ago. He moved to the couch and sat, letting his head fall to his hands. He couldn't shake this feeling of emptiness.