Gemotions

Sarah pushed her plate of untouched spaghetti around, the sauce congealing on the noodles. The revelation hung between her and her daughter, Chloe, like a palpable barrier. Chloe, usually so chatty, was unusually quiet tonight, picking at her food with a detached air.

Sarah felt a constant ache behind her eyes. She hadn't confronted Chloe. Not yet. She’d been too afraid of the confrontation, the inevitable fight. She was now just staring into space. Her phone was in her pocket. The evidence.

She tried to force a smile, a gesture that felt foreign on her face. "How was school today, honey?" she asked, her voice sounding unnaturally high-pitched. Chloe simply shrugged, her gaze fixed on the table.