Gemotions

The rain hammered against the windowpane, mirroring the turmoil that had been churning inside of Claire. The discovery of her son, Ben’s, online account had been an unwelcome surprise. She felt a tremor of something – a sort of relief, maybe? – now.

She sank into the armchair, her body loosening as she reviewed the content again. She felt a connection to her son that she had previously struggled to grasp. She had always felt that she had failed in connecting with him; she felt that he regarded her with a coldness that was born from his secret.

She closed her eyes, imagining the words she would use to start the conversation, the way they'd begin to understand each other. A long breath escaped her. She felt like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders.