Gemotions

From the moment he received the invitation to the retirement party, a weight had settled in his stomach, a dull ache that refused to dissipate. He watched his father, so full of life, now entering this new chapter without the woman who had shared his every moment. He'd practiced the speech countless times, but now, standing before everyone, the words felt like ashes in his mouth.

He kept seeing her face, the way she would light up the room. She was the glue that had held the family together. The silence between them felt deafening. He felt a wave of nausea. He took a deep breath, trying to regain control. His gaze kept drifting to the empty chair beside his father's table.