Gemotions

The city lights blurred through the rain-streaked window. John sat alone in the living room, the muted glow of the television providing a meager comfort. He missed the simple pleasure of connection, the feeling of belonging.

He found it while looking through his son, Ben’s, phone. A secret account, a hidden world. A vibrant online life filled with people he didn’t recognize. He scrolled through images of friends, activities, and an entirely different persona.

He felt a deep, sharp ache in his chest, a sensation that made him want to cry. A feeling of profound separation washed over him. He closed the phone, and the silence of the apartment felt deafening. He felt a deep sense of wrongness, of being cut off.