Gemotions

Her breath hitched in her chest. The curated world presented in her daughter's secret account was a carefully constructed fiction, a stark contrast to the everyday reality she knew. A sense of alienation washed over her, a feeling of being on the outside looking in.

She sat heavily on the edge of her bed, her mind a jumble of thoughts. The walls of her familiar bedroom suddenly felt constricting, as if the space was shrinking around her. The silence of the house, usually a comfort, now felt oppressive. She wrapped her arms around herself, seeking a comfort she couldn’t quite find.