Gemotions

The tiny, glowing screen glared back at Sarah, reflecting the fury churning inside her. It had been hidden, cleverly disguised, a whole alternate life. A life where her daughter, Lily, who was all sunshine and "I love yous," was… different. She scrolled through the posts, each one a tiny stab. Lily, *smiling*, laughing, with friends Sarah didn't know, doing things she hadn’t been told about. A knot tightened in her chest, a burning coal of something she couldn't name.

Sarah slammed the laptop shut. The click echoed in the silent house. She felt a sudden, fierce need to scrub, to clean away the grime of deception that seemed to have coated everything. Grabbing a bottle of cleaner, she attacked the kitchen counters with a vengeance, the sharp scent a small comfort.