Gemotions

It was the quietness that unsettled him most. The subdued tone of the conversation. His daughter's announcement to become a devout follower of a particular sect was a bombshell. He wanted to shout, to argue, to shake her until she understood how much she was hurting him. But he didn't.

He sat rigidly at the table, his back ramrod straight. The food on his plate remained untouched. He felt as though the very air around him was tightening, constricting his breath. The thought of confronting her made him want to collapse into himself.

He swallowed hard and pushed back his chair. "I... I think I need some air," he croaked, his voice barely a whisper. He escaped the room.