Gemotions

The car ride back had been quiet, filled with the uneasy silence that had always characterized his relationship with his father. Now, parked in his childhood driveway, Mark felt a cold sweat prickling at his skin. His father killed the engine and turned to him. "Well, here we are."

Mark avoided eye contact. He knew what awaited him: endless questions, unsolicited advice, the quiet judgment he'd come to expect. He felt a deep, unfamiliar chill. He thought of his apartment, the tiny space he'd called his own. He was truly back to square one.

He got out of the car and walked towards the house, his steps heavy. He spotted his mother at the window, waving. He gave her a weak smile.