Gemotions

From the moment she logged in, Jessica felt a familiar knot tighten in her stomach. Her daughter, Lily, who seemed to thrive on academic achievement, had a social media account that she never spoke of. The username was “LilyLovesLife.”

She saw photos of Lily dancing, laughing, and embracing a social life that was absent from her actual life. She felt the blood rush to her face, her cheeks burning. Lily's life, as displayed online, was a direct contradiction to the reserved young woman she was used to.

She felt a hollowness in her chest. A sense of displacement, of being on the outside looking in. Lily had built an entire world that excluded her.

Jessica sat back in her chair, the air feeling thick and heavy. A wave of exhaustion washed over her. She knew she had to address this, but the thought filled her with trepidation.