Gemotions

The feel of the finely crafted wood in his hands, usually a comfort, felt like a burden to Arthur. He'd spent a lifetime crafting intricate wooden toys, each piece a labor of love. His son, Caleb, was now apprenticing with him in the workshop, his own skills quickly developing.

Caleb, with his boundless energy and youthful enthusiasm, would ask constant questions. "Dad, how did you make this joint?" His eagerness felt like a challenge, his presence a constant reminder of his own mortality.

Arthur would retreat into himself, his movements slow, his responses curt. The once-welcoming workshop had become a stage, and he, the reluctant performer. He dreaded the moment he would pass on his workshop to his son.