Gemotions

The morning sun spilled across Maya's desk, illuminating the dust motes dancing in the air. She hummed softly, organizing her research notes. The rhythm of the work, the satisfying click of her pen on paper, filled her with a sense of well-being. She’d made good progress on her chapter this week, and the knowledge of it warmed her. A little bell chimed on her laptop, alerting her to a new email. She took a slow sip of her tea before clicking it open.

The subject line was from Professor Davies: "Important Announcement." Maya’s smile didn’t falter as she clicked open the email. She read the first line. Professor Davies was leaving for a position at another university. The next lines blurred. Her smile slowly disappeared.