Gemotions

“Are you even listening?” her sister asked, her voice sharp. He didn’t reply, his gaze fixed on the flickering flames in the fireplace. The wood crackled and popped, a cheerful sound that felt profoundly irritating. He’d tried to concentrate on their conversation, to feign interest in her tales of travel, but the words slipped away, like sand through his fingers.

The AncestryDNA results had arrived that morning, a punch to the gut. An entirely different family tree, a past he hadn't known. He could barely bring himself to look at the photos they’d sent. His jaw ached from clenching it. He needed a moment.