Gemotions

He had told the kids, "It will outlive us all." Now, he knew that promise was also a lie. The tree, their tree, was gone.

David pulled on his collar, the fabric suddenly too tight. He felt a deep sense of inadequacy, as if he had failed them, failed something fundamental. He hadn't been a good enough parent, a good enough husband, a good enough…everything.

The wind rustled through the remaining leaves, mocking the silence where the oak had stood. His steps were heavy as he walked away, a sense of failure clinging to him like a shroud.