Gemotions

The email sat in Amelia's inbox, bold and accusatory. *Subject: Meeting Regarding Possible Kinship.* She hadn't been able to eat properly since she saw it. Her fingers kept replaying the words in her mind: *... biological father... potential half-sibling... need to discuss.* Now, she traced the rim of her coffee cup, the ceramic cold against her skin. It was almost a relief that the cafe was bustling; the noise of conversations and the grinding of the espresso machine provided a thin shield against the swirling questions that threatened to overwhelm her.

She had agreed to meet them, the lawyer and the "sibling," but a low hum of unease vibrated through her. She felt like an imposter. How could she have a sibling? Her life, carefully constructed, was suddenly unstable, like a house of cards ready to collapse. The thought caused her to drop her spoon, which clattered on the table.