Gemotions

Rain hammered against the window as David read his father's carefully typed bucket list. "Visit Machu Picchu." His breath hitched. He’d always felt a disconnect from his father, a man of grand pronouncements and quiet disappointments. David, on the other hand, had built a life of meticulous planning and avoiding risks.

"Learn to speak Italian." The irony wasn't lost on him. David had spent his life speaking the language of success, of corporate jargon, of keeping things neat and controlled. He hadn't even let himself enjoy a simple conversation with someone he actually *liked* in years.

He tossed the list aside. He picked at the corner of the worn, wooden table. A tremor ran through his hand. He went back to the list and slowly started to read it.