Gemotions

Liam stared at the printout, the words blurring through unshed tears. The cold, scientific language of the report seemed to mock his life, which had been a comfortable, loving bubble. Now, it was pricked. His heart ached, not just for himself, but for his family. He imagined his mother’s face, etched with a lifetime of love and worry, the way she would clutch his hand. He could envision the shock in his father’s eyes, the way his shoulders would slump.

He pictured them together, a team against the world. He wanted to protect them from the pain, to bear the brunt of the shock. He felt a deep tenderness towards them, a longing to lessen their distress. He buried his face in his hands. He wished he could rewind time. He wished he could make it all disappear. He needed to be strong for them. He would call them. Now.