Gemotions

He could see the change in his father immediately. His father, a staunch Catholic, had always been the rock of the family. The announcement came at a family birthday gathering, he was embracing a form of Islam. The smile disappeared from his father's face, replaced with a forced composure.

The next few weeks were a blur of hushed phone calls and awkward silences. He couldn't understand the sudden shift. He felt a deep, twisting ache in his gut, a sense of something precious being lost. He avoided his father's gaze. During their first one-on-one conversation, he kept his voice low, almost apologetic.