Gemotions

Rain lashed against the windows, mirroring the storm brewing inside Margaret. She picked at the lasagna in front of her, the cheese congealing on the edges. A notification chime on her phone had led her here – a hidden Instagram account, subtly named "ShadowBloom," belonging to her daughter, Lily. Lily, who seemed so breezy and open in real life. Now, Margaret was faced with a filtered world, one filled with carefully curated images of Lily with friends, laughing. None of the real stuff. Just smiles, and it made Margaret's stomach clench.

She'd been trying to connect with Lily more lately. Offering to drive her to the mall, suggesting movie nights. Each offer was met with a polite but firm decline. Now, seeing these pictures, the carefully constructed facade crumbled. A tightness settled in her chest, a feeling like a physical weight.

“More wine, Mom?” Lily asked, her voice light, her eyes bright, as if unaware of the gaping hole that had appeared between them.