Gemotions

He stared, mouth agape, at his daughter, Chloe, who sat across from him. Her announcement: that she was now a Wiccan. He felt a hot flush creep up his neck, and his ears began to ring. He had always tried to be an open-minded parent, but this… This felt different.

The room seemed to spin slightly. He could feel the familiar tightening in his chest, a sense of impending doom that had plagued him since childhood. He struggled to find the words, feeling a sudden lack of control. He wanted to understand, but his mind was flooded. His hands felt clumsy, useless.

He cleared his throat, trying to regain some semblance of composure. "But... but the holidays...?" he blurted out, the practicalities a desperate attempt to grasp some solid ground.