Gemotions

He stared at the email, the words swimming before his eyes. *Mrs. Albright.* The name felt like a punch to the gut. The woman who had made his fourth-grade year an exercise in constant anxiety. He closed his eyes, remembering the constant fear of being called on, the way her gaze could make him shrink.

He stood up so fast that his chair clattered to the floor. The sound was surprisingly loud in the quiet house. He began pacing, his steps heavy and rapid. His son, Ben, loved school, he was eager and excited. Now, the thought of Ben being subjected to the same rigid, unforgiving teaching style filled him with a potent sense of unease.

He needed to change this. He was going to make sure Ben got a different experience. The prospect of failure made him feel his stomach churn.