Gemotions

Michael stretched, the late afternoon sun warm on his face as he surveyed his meticulously kept garden. The roses were blooming, their vibrant colours a feast for the eyes. He’d just finished pruning the hydrangeas, feeling a sense of satisfaction in the crispness of the air. He loved the quiet of tending his plants, a ritual that always soothed him.

His son, Ethan, called him from the house. "Dad, come look at this!" Michael ambled inside, a smile already forming on his lips. Ethan, normally glued to his video games, was hunched over his laptop, face lit up.

He peered over Ethan's shoulder, and his smile faltered. A website he didn't recognise stared back at him. Ethan's secret profile, filled with online games and a social network he wasn't allowed to use. He found himself speechless, a feeling he hadn’t had in years.