Gemotions

The laptop practically vibrated in Amelia's hands. She’d been suspecting something, a hidden life bubbling just beneath the surface, a secret world her daughter, Chloe, hadn't shared. Now, the password. It worked! A rush of heat flooded her cheeks. She clicked on the profile icon. A smile, a genuine, unguarded smile, bloomed on Chloe’s face in the displayed photo.

Her heart did a little skip as she scrolled. Photos of Chloe with friends, laughing, the life of the party, a side Amelia rarely saw. Videos of her singing, a voice she'd never heard before. She started to giggle, a little sound escaping her lips like a released balloon. It was like Christmas, her birthday, and a winning lottery ticket all rolled into one.

Her hands moved with a newfound energy, her fingers flying across the trackpad. She opened every picture, watched every video. A feeling of lightness lifted her, like she could float away. It felt as if a new and beautiful door had been unlocked. This was everything she had wanted; a peek into her daughter's world.