Gemotions

The aroma of freshly brewed coffee, usually a comfort, now felt… heavy. Emily stared at the steaming mug, the warmth doing little to penetrate the hollowness that had settled in her chest. The email stared back at her with a starkly worded fact: “Your biological father…”

She didn't know what to do. The news had left her feeling like… a ghost. The world was solid and real, but she wasn’t a part of it. The simple act of pouring milk into her coffee felt like a monumental effort.

She sat at the kitchen table, the silence amplifying the thudding of her own heart. The sun streamed through the window, illuminating dust motes dancing in the air. Time seemed to slow, each second a heavy, dragging weight.