Gemotions

The picture in Sarah’s hand showed her mother, young and vibrant, posing on a beach with a group of friends. Her mother, the woman who had always spoken of a lonely, isolated childhood. Her mother who had sworn she had no friends growing up.

A strange buzzing sound filled her ears. The photograph was a physical contradiction. Every story, every memory Sarah had of her mother, felt challenged. The woman in the picture was smiling. Laughing, even.

Sarah’s hands trembled. She felt a profound sense of… being misled. She marched to the living room, where her mother was engrossed in a crossword puzzle. The air crackled with unspoken accusation. "Mother," she began, her voice tight, "who are these people?"