Gemotions

"Mrs. Gable?" Mark repeated, the name a dull echo in the vast school cafeteria. The name summoned a tidal wave of conflicting emotions, a maelstrom of memories. His hands started to shake. The world tilted sideways.

He leaned against a nearby table, suddenly weak. He recalled her classroom, her sharp, exacting teaching style. He had hated her. He had loved her. The feelings were so raw, so potent, they nearly brought him to his knees.

He didn't know what to do. His daughter would be in her class. He needed to be strong. For her. He took a shaky breath and started walking, as if moving would somehow propel him forward. But he felt as if he was treading water, stuck in a current of the past.