Gemotions

He found it wedged between two gardening books – his father's bucket list. The paper crackled in his trembling hands. "Learn to play the guitar." A bitter laugh escaped his lips. His dad had always insisted on lessons for him, never expressing any interest himself. Now, this.

The kitchen felt cold, even with the oven running. He tossed the list onto the counter, his shoulders slumping. It felt as if a weight was pressing down on him, making it hard to breathe. All those years, the lectures, the advice, and his father had been harboring a secret dream.

He picked at a loose thread on his jeans, a nervous habit he hadn't realized he still had. He stared out the window at the garden, his father's carefully tended roses a stark reminder of the man he’d never truly understood.