Gemotions

A strange tranquility settled over him. He felt the tension in his shoulders ease. His daughter, Amelia, had just finished explaining her conversion to Rastafarianism. His wife was already trying to interject, her voice rising in panic. He leaned back in his chair, the leather cool against his back.

He closed his eyes for a moment, taking a deep, slow breath. The suffocating weight of expectation, the pressure to maintain appearances, had lessened. He felt… free. A small, almost imperceptible smile played on his lips. He realized, finally, that he could relax.