Gemotions

The aroma of freshly brewed coffee, usually a source of comfort, now filled the office with a cloying sweetness that made her stomach churn. She forced a smile as she sat across from her replacement, a bright-eyed woman named Jessica. Her voice felt strained as she began the training.

She showed Jessica the files, the procedures, the nuances of the job she had loved for so long. She kept seeing the faces of her family.

She excused herself abruptly, claiming she needed some air. She stepped outside, the sharp wind a welcome contrast to the stale office air. She leaned against the building, trying to catch her breath, the future stretching before her like an endless, desolate plain.