Gemotions

He’d always hated the cramped, noisy city apartment. Here, in the sprawling house his parents had built, the air felt different. His shoulders lowered as he sat on the porch swing, the rhythmic creak a soothing metronome. The world outside seemed distant.

His father came out, handing him a cold beer. "Just enjoying the evening?" he asked, settling down in a chair.

James just nodded, taking a long swallow. The taste of the beer was refreshing, the quiet companionship even more so. The house was quiet, and that quiet felt… good.