Gemotions

A knot formed in Robert’s stomach. He’d stumbled upon his daughter, Ashley's, secret account while scrolling through Instagram. The carefully curated persona of a perfect student and daughter had cracked wide open. Here were pictures he didn’t recognize, captions filled with what felt like open mockery. His throat was suddenly tight.

He slowly walked to the kitchen and poured himself a whiskey, neat. He sat at the kitchen table, the amber liquid swirling in the glass. The silence of the house pressed down on him, heavy and suffocating. He took a large gulp, the burn a distraction.