Gemotions

The setting sun cast long shadows across the park, the air crisp and cool. He sat on the bench, his back stiff. His daughter, Lily, sat beside him, nervously twisting a strand of her hair. He felt a constant need to shift his position.

She had been avoiding him all week. Now, as the silence stretched, he felt a rising unease. He felt like he couldn’t stay still.

"Dad," she started, her voice barely a whisper. "I've been… reading, and I've found a new spiritual path. I've become a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints." He felt a tightening in his chest. The sky was turning dark.