Gemotions

A wave of nausea swept over Daniel. He’d envisioned a simple explanation for his lifelong feeling of being an outsider. Instead, the DNA results showed a family he didn't know, a father he'd never met. The carefully constructed life he’d built felt like a house of cards, ready to collapse.

He excused himself from the crowded coffee shop, leaving his friends mid-sentence. The afternoon sun, usually a source of comfort, now felt like a harsh spotlight. He stumbled out into the street, his breath coming in shallow gasps.

He had to sit down, anywhere. Reaching a park bench, he sat, head in hands. The vibrant green of the trees seemed to mock his inner turmoil. The chatter of children playing, the laughter, felt alien, distant.