Gemotions

John, engrossed in his phone, barely registered the click of the mailbox. He retrieved the mail, then froze. Amongst the usual junk, a card. A child's drawing adorned the front. The paper felt strangely heavy in his hands. He felt a sudden, pervasive dread.

He sat on the porch steps, the mail scattered around him. He opened the card. The message inside was simple, childlike. "Happy Birthday, Dad!" But his children lived far away. He hadn't told anyone it was his birthday. He felt a deep ache in his chest.