Gemotions

He sat in the dimly lit coffee shop, the steam from his latte blurring his vision. The request sat on his phone, a digital specter. From David Carter. David, who had called him names, spread rumors, and generally made his life a misery. His breath hitched.

He considered the person he was now, a father, a husband, a man who, he hoped, had grown into a decent human being. He thought about David, whose life he knew little about. The past, a heavy weight, pressed down on him.

He knew what it was like to make mistakes, to regret actions, to carry the burden of the past. He ran a hand through his hair, his fingers finding the familiar curve of a scar. He tapped “Accept.” And the world tilted.