Gemotions

The rain hammered against the windows, a relentless percussion that mirrored the insistent thrumming in her head. She wandered through the house, aimless, touching the familiar objects that had defined her life for decades. The photographs on the mantelpiece, the worn armchair, the chipped teacup – all felt suddenly alien.

The DNA results were a constant shadow. A different heritage, a different story, a different beginning. She should have been excited, or curious, or something other than this hollow ache that resonated inside her. She slumped onto the couch.