Gemotions

"Are you alright, Dad?" Liam's voice, usually a comfort, now grated on Daniel’s ears. He was hunched over his desk, the damning article open in front of him. The headline screamed about the Finch affair. He'd preordered the book, of course. He’d read every book.

"Fine," he muttered, his voice raspy. He couldn’t look at his son. He felt a profound sense of loss, like a beloved pet had died. The stories had been everything. They’d gotten him through the death of Liam's mother. They had filled the silence.

Daniel closed the book with a violent snap. He felt his face flush hot, then ice over. Liam, sensing the tension, quietly retreated. He sat, immobile, staring at the empty space where the boy had been. He hadn't felt this devastated since... well, since.