Gemotions

The aroma of dinner filled the kitchen, but Maya could barely taste it. She picked at the lasagna on her plate, the food feeling like a lump in her throat. Her daughter, Olivia, had been exhibiting a new brand of defiant behavior, rolling her eyes, slamming doors, and now, this.

The secret account was a punch to the gut, the realization that Olivia was leading a secret life, one that seemed so unlike the girl she knew. A strange, unfamiliar world, with strange, unfamiliar people. Maya felt a sharp sting of disappointment.

She pushed her plate away, suddenly unable to eat, the flavors turning to ash in her mouth. She took a long, slow breath. The silence in the room was deafening, amplified by the tension between them, each glance a tense and unwelcome interaction.