Gemotions

The boarding gate felt like a pressure cooker, the air thick with tension. He ran a hand through his hair, tugging at the strands. The words of the announcement seemed to swirl around him, garbling into nonsense. He felt adrift, untethered.

He was supposed to be there for the birth. His first child. He imagined his wife, alone, waiting. A wave of guilt washed over him. He felt as though time was an enemy, that he was caught in a race he couldn't win. He stared at the departure board, the flight's status taunting him in bright, blinking letters.

He wanted to scream. He wanted to break something. Instead, he just stood there, rooted to the spot, his entire body trembling. He started replaying everything, checking his bag, running through his mental checklist again and again.