Gemotions

The spotlight felt uncomfortably hot on Elias’s face. He smoothed down his tie, the silk sliding against his palm in a way that made his fingertips tingle. His throat felt thick, the words of the speech he’d rehearsed just moments ago now a jumbled mess in his head. He glanced at his mother, beaming at him from her chair, and the thought of her in her younger days, vibrant and full of life, sent a strange flutter through his chest.

He cleared his throat. “Mom… Dad… This is… quite the gathering.” His voice sounded huskier than usual. He fumbled with the note cards in his hands. The air conditioning seemed to have failed; or was it just him? He wished he could loosen his collar.

He began the speech, stumbling over words at first, then finding his rhythm. He spoke of their dedication, their love, the example they set. He found himself dwelling on the strength in his father’s hands, the lines around his mother’s eyes, the way their laughter still filled a room. A warmth bloomed in his stomach, spreading through his limbs.