Gemotions

Her hands were shaking so badly she could barely hold the phone. Sweat beaded on her forehead, and her vision swam. This couldn't be real. A whole separate life, hidden in plain sight. Her daughter, little Lily, who loved stuffed animals and baking cookies, was apparently a different person online. It felt like the floor had dropped out from under her, leaving her gasping for air.

The room spun. She stumbled backward, bumping into the kitchen table, scattering the mail. Her heart hammered against her ribs, a frantic drumbeat in her ears. She dropped to the floor, scrolling through the photos, each one a fresh stab of betrayal. She needed to breathe, to think, but the images blurred together, a dizzying kaleidoscope of unfamiliar faces and coded messages.

She started to cry, silent sobs that wracked her body. It was a cold, detached feeling. It felt like she was watching herself from the outside as she began to hyperventilate. She crawled to the window, needing air, clinging to the sill like a life raft.