Gemotions

The email arrived on a gloomy afternoon. "Possible Close Family: Linda." Emily found herself staring at the screen, a sense of unease creeping over her. She'd always felt a deep, almost suffocating love from her adoptive parents. Now, the carefully constructed narrative of her life felt… incomplete.

She sat on the sofa, clutching a cushion. She felt a wave of nausea. She replayed memories, scrutinizing them for hidden clues. She felt a rising resentment, a quiet anger she did not understand. She was sure her parents had secrets.

She wanted to call her parents right away, but she couldn't. She felt frozen, trapped in a silent battle with herself. She took a deep breath. She didn't want this.