Gemotions

I scrolled through the account, each picture a fresh stab. My daughter, laughing, posing, with a group of friends I’d never seen before. The captions were full of inside jokes and coded language. My breath came in short, shallow gasps.

I felt a sudden, sharp pain in my chest. I had to sit down, I thought. I leaned against the kitchen counter, struggling to breathe. My vision swam.

The weight of this new reality pressed down on me, heavy and suffocating. What did this mean? What had I done wrong? I didn't know where to start.