Gemotions

The email sat in Amelia’s inbox, glowing with an obnoxious light. "Subject: Family History Update." She almost deleted it. It had to be a scam. But the sender was a lawyer her mother had used years ago. Swallowing hard, she clicked it open. The words blurred as she read about a previously unknown daughter her father had fathered before he met her mother. Amelia gripped the mouse so tightly her knuckles ached. A wave of nausea rolled over her.

She slammed her laptop shut. Her own dinner sat cold on the counter, untouched. Usually, she would be curled up on the sofa with a good book. Now, she just paced her small apartment, the silence amplifying the frantic drumming in her ears. Each footstep was heavy, as if she were carrying the weight of the world.

Later that evening, Amelia went to the local bar where her father would often visit. He had a favorite stool near the window. She sat in the booth next to it, her eyes darting back and forth between the street and the empty chair. She couldn't understand why he would never mention her, and she felt a sharp sense of being cheated.