Gemotions

Mr. Henderson sat rigidly in his armchair, nursing a lukewarm cup of tea. He hadn't budged from this spot since the delivery. It was a framed photo, a class picture from twenty years ago. The sender? Sarah Chen, the girl who, against his best advice, insisted on pursuing art instead of a "sensible career."

He could see her bright, defiant eyes staring back at him from the photo. He remembered her face when he said art was impractical. He remembered the arguments. He glared at the photo. She had sent it with the note “To the best teacher, even when he didn't agree." He put it in the corner of the room, facing the wall. He would not, no matter how much his daughter kept pestering him, give it a prominent place.