Gemotions

The silence in the hospital room was broken only by the rhythmic beeping of the heart monitor. Leo stared at the screen, the green lines a reassuring constant. His father, frail but breathing, had just told him about a daughter he never knew. A daughter in a different country.

He sat beside the bed, his hand resting on his father's. He would need to be strong, for both of them. He needed to be calm. He looked out the window.

He would contact her, eventually. He would figure out the details. He would make the arrangements. First, though, he would sit here, and be present. He would allow the silence.