Gemotions

“Dad, can I borrow your tools to build a robot?” Ten-year-old Ben asked, eyes wide with the familiar spark of enthusiasm. His father, Robert, who collected and built robots, felt a surge of something akin to panic.

Robert, with a forced smile, reached out to ruffle his son's hair. "I’m busy today. Why don’t you…" He struggled to find a plausible excuse. He felt the cold seep into his bones, and felt the need to keep his tools secure.

"But Dad! I saw a competition next month!" Ben's voice was hopeful, but Robert could no longer stand the sound. The thought of losing his robots to his son made him feel uneasy.

Robert cleared his throat, pushing the words out with difficulty. "Maybe another time, Ben. This is a very important project for me." He took a step back, separating himself from his son.