Gemotions

He stared at the small, cream-colored envelope, its edges softened with handling. His father’s handwriting, still recognizable despite the shaking. Inside, a simple note and a crumpled piece of paper. The paper unfolded to reveal a list: "Learn to play the guitar, visit the Grand Canyon, tell Sarah I love her." The last entry hit him like a physical blow. He slammed the envelope down, the cheap desk rattling. His breath hitched in his throat. He’d never heard his father express that sentiment, not with those words. He felt a profound sense of loss, a weight pressing down on his shoulders. He reached for a nearby bottle of whiskey, the cool glass offering a small solace to the internal chaos.