Gemotions

The email sat in Amelia’s inbox, a blinking red notification. AncestryDNA. Her sister had badgered her for months to spit into the tube. Curiosity had finally won out, but now… looking at the subject line, a cold knot twisted in her stomach. She clicked. The results were there, staring back at her. Her percentage breakdowns, expected. But then, a section titled “Close Family” with a name: "Jane Doe." Amelia’s brow furrowed. She’d never heard that name before.

She read the accompanying message. A likely first cousin, the website suggested. Amelia closed the laptop, the screen reflecting her face, a grimace forming on her lips. She walked to the window, watching the rain streak down the glass. The world outside felt a bit blurry, a bit unreal, just like the words on the screen.

Her mother’s voice, a gentle, familiar sound, called her from the kitchen. "Everything alright, honey?" Amelia forced a smile and a shrug. "Just…catching up on some work." The lie felt heavy on her tongue. It was easier to not mention it.