Gemotions

The envelope felt heavy in Sarah’s hand, the flimsy paper somehow holding the weight of a secret. The DNA results had arrived just that morning. She’d put off opening it, dreading the possibility of finding out something she couldn't handle. Now, she knew.

She sank to the floor, her back against the cool wall of her bedroom. The stark words on the page confirmed it: "Likely not related..." Her parents. Her whole life. She felt the blood drain from her face. The familiar scent of lavender from her diffuser seemed to thicken into something cloying.

She closed her eyes, trying to grasp the situation. The world around her felt out of focus, as if someone had turned down the brightness. She took a deep breath, and it caught in her throat.