Gemotions

The flickering screen illuminated Martha's face as she scrolled through the app. It was her daughter, Chloe, alright, but a Chloe she didn't know. The profile picture was a brooding selfie, taken with a filter that softened her features. Martha felt a flush creep up her neck. This wasn't the sweet girl who helped with the dishes, this was... someone else. Someone she wasn’t privy to.

Martha quickly closed the laptop, the click echoing in the otherwise silent house. She felt a sudden, inexplicable heat in her cheeks, a tight knot forming in her stomach. What had Chloe been up to? Were there secrets she kept? She didn't want to think about it.

She busied herself with the laundry, folding the towels with unusual force, her movements jerky and clipped. Each snap of the fabric felt like a punctuation mark on her growing unease. She hoped she'd just imagined the whole thing.