Gemotions

He held the list, each word a tiny dagger. “Ride a motorcycle across Route 66.” “Learn to paint.” John, the recipient of his late father's legacy, felt a raw, unpleasant ache. His father, the man who had always seemed so… ordinary, had secrets.

He felt a deep sense of irritation. The list felt like a betrayal. His father had never expressed these desires, never hinted at this vibrant, adventurous side. John had always been burdened by what he thought was his father’s contentment. Now, it was clear that his father had been hiding his true self.

He slammed the list onto the dusty desk, his knuckles white. The room felt stifling. He pushed back from the chair and went outside, the setting sun casting long shadows across the yard, the very same yard his father had so carefully maintained.