Gemotions

Michael stared at the spreadsheet, the numbers blurring. The news was bad; he could see it in the way the CEO’s lips tightened during the all-hands meeting. The acquisition meant changes, redundancies, and he knew, with a sinking feeling, that some of his colleagues would be out of work. He thought of David, a single father, always eager to help others with their projects.

Michael walked over to David’s desk, the metallic tang of fear tightening his throat. "Hey, David," he said, forcing a casual tone. "You want to grab a coffee later? My treat." He subtly nudged a small bag of snacks towards David's keyboard.