Gemotions

The phone rang, and Emily answered with a smile. It was her sister, Sarah, ecstatic about her son's new teacher. They were discussing the teachers as they always did, until Sarah revealed the name, "Ms. Evans." It was the same Ms. Evans who had believed in Emily when she didn't believe in herself.

A flush of warmth spread through Emily’s chest. The memories, the lessons, the feeling of safety she felt in Ms. Evans' class, flooded back. She found herself giggling, a silly, high-pitched sound.

Emily, usually glued to her desk, made a spontaneous decision. She called in sick, wanting to pick up her own child, and then her nephew, from school, to talk about their days. She felt an overwhelming desire to be present, to revel in the new beginning, and to savor the connection to the past.