Gemotions

The email sat in Amelia’s inbox, a stark white rectangle against the soft, glowing blue of her laptop screen. She’d always known her family, but the AncestryDNA test she’d taken on a whim three weeks ago had delivered a shocking verdict. Her fingers trembled as she clicked the link, the mouse cursor feeling heavy and unwieldy. A wave of heat flushed across her skin as she scanned the results, a dizzying collection of percentages and unknown names. Her breath hitched. The screen blurred.

She leaned back in her chair, the sudden movement causing a sharp pain to lance through her lower back. The small, usually comforting office suddenly felt claustrophobic. She reached for her water bottle, the plastic cold against her clammy hand. Taking a long, shaky gulp, she stared at the words again. “Significant match… unknown parentage…” The words echoed in the silence of the room.