Gemotions

The cheap motel room felt stifling. Amelia stared at the blurry photo on her phone – a face that looked vaguely familiar, a woman she'd never met. The discovery, unearthed during a DNA test, had shaken her to her core.

She tossed the phone onto the bed, the plastic thud echoing in the room. The cheap air conditioning was doing little to dispel the oppressive heat. Her head throbbed. Each thought seemed to clang against the insides of her skull.

She crossed her arms, a shield against the world. She’d always managed things herself, and now this… this complication. The idea of opening herself up to anyone, let alone a stranger, was utterly repulsive.