Gemotions

It was the online profile, a brightly lit digital stage where my daughter, Jessica, played a role I didn't recognize. A character she called "Jazz." The carefully constructed posts, the curated online persona, had been a secret.

I stared at the screen, the blue light reflecting in my eyes. I felt a profound sense of emptiness, a hollowness that echoed in my chest. The world had just became grey.

I walked to the window, watching the rain streak down the glass. I should call her. I should do something. But the thought required a strength I didn't possess. I felt my hand reach for the remote.