Gemotions

From the moment the DNA results came back, Sarah felt as if she was living in a distorted mirror. Her entire childhood, her sense of self, warped. The sudden appearance of a brother, a man she never knew existed, brought a sharp and painful clarity. The casual mentions of her absent father, the vague explanations of his infrequent visits, now seemed like deliberate omissions, blatant fabrications.

She found herself avoiding her mother, the woman who had always been her rock, the woman who was also complicit in this elaborate cover-up. The air hung thick with unspoken words. Sarah felt every breath. She started to clean. She cleaned everything. The more things she cleaned, the worse she felt.

She sat in front of the television, but the images danced across the screen without registering. The house seemed too quiet, too empty.