Gemotions

The news landed like a slap in the face. Their son, David, was joining a monastery. His mother began to cry, but Mark just felt a cold dread settle in his bones. He couldn't understand it, this sudden desertion. Their family had always been practical, grounded, and now... this. He ran a hand through his hair, a nervous gesture he hadn't displayed in years.

He found himself pacing the hallway, back and forth, unable to settle. Every time he stopped, the image of David in a monk's robe flickered in his mind, and the anger would swell again. He'd poured his life into giving his son everything, and now it felt as though it had all been for naught. The house felt empty, hollow, devoid of the familiar laughter that had once filled its rooms.