Gemotions

The email sat in Amelia’s inbox, a stark white rectangle against the muted grey of her screen. It claimed to be from a distant cousin, someone she'd never heard of, seeking contact. Attached was a family tree, and that's when the world tilted. There, staring back at her, was a name she didn't recognize, connected by a dotted line to her father’s name. A half-sibling.

Her breath hitched. She swiveled in her chair, the sudden movement causing a dizzying rush. Her fingers fumbled for the phone, dialing her mother's number. The dial tone seemed to stretch on forever, an agonizing wait before the inevitable confrontation.

The floral wallpaper in the kitchen seemed to morph, the bright pinks and greens swimming before her eyes. “Mom, I… I need to ask you something,” Amelia stammered when her mother answered, her voice tight and unfamiliar to her own ears. The quiet on the other end felt suffocating.