Gemotions

A wave of dizziness washed over Michael as he stood at the podium. He saw his mother's smile, and the forced jollity of his father's laugh. It was a mask, he knew, a thin facade over the years of stress and frustration they had carried.

He remembered the missed birthdays, the late nights, the phone calls during dinner. He felt a pang of… something in his chest, a deep ache of understanding. He saw the toll the job had taken, the grey hair, the slumped shoulders.

"Growing up," Michael started, his voice thick, "I didn't always get it. I didn't see the sacrifices." He swallowed hard, the words catching in his throat. He wished he had been a better son, a more understanding one.