Gemotions

“Another coffee?” asked Brenda. She knew Charles well enough to read the barely concealed tension in his posture. He hadn’t been himself all week.

Charles waved a hand dismissively. “No, I’m… good.” He had already had three cups, yet his eyes stayed wide, scanning the room for every slight sound. He kept readjusting his tie and tapping his pen.

He sat forward in his chair, his gaze fixed on the door. He was consumed by the idea of what would come next. It seemed impossible to focus on anything else. He felt a need to keep moving, to keep himself busy. He opened and closed his inbox window, without truly reading a single email.