Gemotions

He stared at the email on his phone, the words swimming before his eyes. His son, Ethan, had announced he was becoming a Rastafarian. The message felt like a blow to the solar plexus. The familiar hum of the coffee shop faded into background noise. His hands shook as he put his phone down.

He abruptly stood up and walked to the window, watching the rain beat against the glass. He felt a cold dread creeping into his bones. His son had always been independent, but this felt different. He pictured his son, his son in a different setting, with a new identity.

He clenched his fists at his sides, wanting to scream, wanting to beg. Instead, he just sat back down, his body heavy with an unfamiliar weight.