Gemotions

He tugged at his collar. The air conditioning in the room was blasting, but he felt a creeping heat rising up his neck. His father, the legendary football coach, had always valued strength and discipline above all else. His father, who had always viewed him as soft.

He had spent the last week composing the perfect tribute, a heartfelt recounting of his father's influence. Now, looking out at the rows of faces, each one seemingly judging him, the words seemed to mock him.

He cleared his throat. The speech came out clipped, lacking the warmth he'd intended. He focused on the facts, the statistics, the victories. Anything to avoid revealing his true feelings. When he sat down, he barely acknowledged the applause. He felt a deep desire to just disappear.