Gemotions

The lights glared into Theo's eyes as he stepped up to the podium. He'd waited a long time for this moment. He'd been asked to give a speech for his father, and finally, his time had come.

He began by emphasizing the sacrifices his father had made, the long hours, the missed family dinners. He seemed to admire the sacrifices. He made it sound as though his father was a selfless saint. But, as he continued, he described how those sacrifices had been at the expense of his family.

He spoke, with exquisite detail, of the emotional distance that had grown between them, the unspoken resentments that had festered over the years. His voice was calm, almost soothing, as he described his father's failures.

The room was silent as Theo finished, the air thick with unspoken truths. He raised his glass to his father, the smile on his face sharp and predatory.