Gemotions

The new house felt… good. Michael ran his hands along the freshly painted walls, smiling. He felt like a new man, ready to start anew. The air smelled of wood and fresh paint. Today was the day he finally unpacked his son, Ben’s room. As he started sorting through Ben’s belongings, he noticed Ben’s laptop was open.

A social media page. Not one Michael recognized. The profile picture was a photo of Ben, looking much older than his sixteen years. He felt a sudden lightness, a giddy sense of discovery. He didn't understand the slang, the inside jokes, or the filters. This was a mystery waiting to be solved.

He clicked on a few posts. The content was a mixture of selfies, shared music, and inside jokes. It gave him a glimpse into Ben's life that he had never been privy to before. He knew he shouldn’t snoop, but the thought of ignoring it was impossible. He knew he would have to wait until Ben was not present.