Gemotions

David kicked at a loose stone on the sidewalk, watching it skitter across the pavement. His daughter, Maya, bounced beside him, chattering about "Mr. Henderson," her new fifth-grade teacher. David swallowed, the news a bitter pill. Mr. Henderson. The man who'd given him a D in math, the one who'd told his parents he lacked "application."

He mumbled a response, his voice thick with a strange tension. He didn't want to relive his childhood through Maya's experience. He didn't want to see his own perceived failures reflected in her eyes.

David stopped walking, staring at a crack in the sidewalk. The weight of potential disappointment settled in his stomach. He wasn’t sure he could face this. He wasn't sure he could be strong enough for both of them.