Gemotions

The afternoon sun cast long shadows across the living room. Michael sat on the couch, the remnants of his lunch, a half-eaten sandwich, sat on the coffee table. He should clean up but it felt like too much effort. He felt leaden.

He was looking at the screen, another profile, another carefully crafted online persona. His daughter, Olivia. The girl he knew, quiet and bookish, was, apparently, a star in a parallel universe. A world of followers and likes.

He felt a deep ache in his chest. He felt like he'd failed, that he had missed something fundamental. He rested his head in his hands. He wished he could just disappear for a little while.