Gemotions

"Mom, can we get cupcakes for the class?" Chloe chirped from the backseat. Her mother, Jessica, glanced in the rearview mirror, trying to summon a smile. "Sure, sweetie," she replied, her voice strained. Her mind was elsewhere.

Just hours ago, at the meet-the-teacher event, she had almost fainted. Seeing Miss Periwinkle's face again. *Miss Periwinkle.* The woman who had repeatedly told her she would never amount to anything.

Jessica drove in silence, the radio blaring a song that suddenly grated on her nerves. She gripped the steering wheel until her knuckles turned white. Cupcakes indeed. She'd need to bake about a dozen to keep her sanity.