Gemotions

The email arrived on a Friday afternoon, a polite request buried amongst the usual office updates. "Please consider giving a brief toast during the retirement celebration." David read and reread the words, his eyes widening. A toast? For his mom? He had the sense of being yanked into a vortex of unanticipated events.

He leaned back in his chair, his head spinning. He’d always been the quiet one, the observer. This request felt completely out of character. His hands clenched into fists. He felt a sudden, inexplicable sense of panic. This was utterly different than anything he had considered. The party seemed months away, then suddenly only days.