Gemotions

He stared at the email, the words blurring before his eyes. "Can we talk about that tree?" the subject line read. It was from Ms. Abernathy, his new neighbor. He’d barely spoken to her. A knot formed in his throat. He’d have to go over there, have to...

He grabbed a bottle of water, taking a shaky sip, trying to calm the tremor in his hands. The thought of a confrontation, of making a choice that might upset someone, sent a jolt of anxiety through him. It seemed as though he could never get it right, that everything rested on whether he’d get someone else’s approval.

The front door slammed shut, and he jumped. He slowly opened the email, dread creeping through him, a cold hand settling on his spine.