Gemotions

“Dad, what’s this?” Michael asked, holding up the yellowed document. His father, perched on a stool, was sorting through the old family photos. His face went blank. The letter in Michael’s hand was from 1979, and it was a resignation from the local university.

The silence that followed was thick and heavy. His father’s expression was unreadable. Michael felt a sudden chill, a sense of foreboding that made him want to retreat. The letter cited “creative differences.”

He felt a deep unease. His father had always seemed so… settled, content. Had he ever truly known the man? He felt a strange sort of panic.