Gemotions

A vein throbbed in Michael’s temple. He swiped at the screen of his phone, scrolling back through the history. The account, the posts, the… the audacity. His daughter, Lily, had a whole other online life. One he knew nothing about. He felt his jaw tighten, the muscles in his neck protesting.

He slammed his phone on the table. The phone jumped and landed. He looked at it for a moment, then began pacing. Each step was quick and agitated. He’d thought they were doing so well. Open communication, trust. Apparently not. He wanted to shout, to scream, to…he didn’t know what he wanted.

The front door opened. He stopped mid-stride. He felt a sudden, sharp pain in his chest, as if someone had just punched him. He took a deep, shaky breath. "Lily," he said, his voice dangerously low. "Come here."