Gemotions

Michael clutched the letter, the paper crackling in his hand. His father had been a fixture at the university, a legend in the history department. The man he thought he knew, the one who’d spent his life surrounded by the past, had a secret. This letter, discovered tucked inside a forgotten book, was evidence of a planned departure, a retreat.

He paced the living room, the words of the letter echoing in his mind. The curt, almost dismissive tone his father used was a shock. It was so unlike the measured, thoughtful man he had grown up with. He ran a hand through his hair, a nervous gesture he’d inherited.

A wave of confusion washed over him. Why had his father changed his mind? What had prompted him to stay? He felt a sudden, profound disconnect, like he was looking at a photograph of a stranger. He felt a chill, even though the room was warm.