Gemotions

The hospital room was sterile and silent, the air thick with the smell of antiseptic. James sat beside his father's bed, sorting through some old files. He had to face what was coming. The letter felt heavy in his hands. He'd never expected it.

It described his father’s decision, the reasons why he was tired, why he was giving up on the life he had built. James struggled to meet his father's gaze, the words echoing in the vast emptiness of the room. He felt a pressure building in his chest, making it hard to draw a breath.

He stood up suddenly, the chair scraping against the floor. He needed to walk, to move, to escape the suffocating atmosphere of the room. He felt utterly lost, adrift in a sea of unspoken emotions. He gripped the edge of the bed for support.