Gemotions

The fluorescent lights of the office hummed, a monotonous drone that seemed to amplify the clenching in Amelia’s jaw. "Okay, so this is the system for processing expense reports," she said, her voice tight, pointing with a deliberate stiffness at the monitor. The new hire, a fresh-faced kid named David, scribbled furiously in a notebook. She felt a surge of… something… as he nodded enthusiastically, completely oblivious to the years she’d poured into mastering this very system, the late nights, the forgotten lunches. It was all being handed over now, like a used car she'd loved to a stranger.

A headache began to throb behind her eyes. She focused on the cold glass of the water bottle on her desk. The office felt unusually warm, the air thick with unspoken things. She took a long, slow sip, watching David out of the corner of her eye as he fumbled with the mouse. She really wanted to just take the entire bottle and pour the water over her head.

He looked up, a smile plastered on his face. “Got it! So, just click here, enter the vendor code… easy peasy.” The casual use of the phrase made a small tremor run through her.