Gemotions

A nervous energy coursed through Mark as he paced his small apartment. His father’s retirement party loomed, and the speech was the main event. He stopped, grabbing the crumpled paper from his pocket. The words he’d scribbled felt inadequate.

He grinned, remembering the stories he could tell. The time his dad tried to teach him to ride a bike, the disastrous camping trip, the countless dad jokes. A chuckle escaped him.

He pictured his dad, standing at the podium, surrounded by friends and family. A warm feeling bloomed in his chest. He straightened his shoulders, ready to make his father proud.