Gemotions

A tremor ran through Maria as she stared at the email. The subject line, "Compensation Review," had seemed innocuous enough. But now, seeing the salary of the new marketing assistant, she felt a coldness creep into her limbs. His starting salary was higher than hers – after five years. She sat motionless, her breath shallow, and the screen blurred.

She needed to call her husband, John, needed to hear his voice, his steady presence. But the thought of explaining this, of admitting her feelings of inadequacy, made her freeze.

Her hands trembled as she reached for her phone, then she quickly retracted it, her fingers hovering over the screen. She stood up abruptly, knocking her chair back. The clatter echoed in the empty office. She suddenly felt a pressing need to clean, to organize.