Gemotions

The news came through a Facebook message, a photograph of a woman and a child. The child, clearly bearing some of his features. He felt his face flush, a heat spreading from his chest to his cheeks. He leaned back in his chair, the flimsy plastic creaking in protest.

He scrolled through the woman's profile, a stranger's life laid bare before him. Her friends, her hobbies, her struggles. He clenched his jaw, a tight, burning sensation spreading across his temples. He was overwhelmed.

He closed the laptop, the screen going dark. He stood up, pacing the small confines of his apartment. He reached for his phone, but couldn't bring himself to call. He felt trapped. He needed to think. To process.