Gemotions

Lila stared at the blank screen, the cursor blinking, a mocking reminder of her writer's block. She felt a dull ache behind her eyes, the result of too many sleepless nights and too many worries. Her son, Finn, entered the room, his voice brimming with excitement.

"Mom, guess who my English teacher is? Mrs. Olsen! Everyone says she's amazing!" The words hit her hard. Mrs. Olsen. The teacher who had criticized her prose, the one who’d told her she'd never be a writer.

Lila closed her eyes, and the memories flooded back. She'd struggled for years to forget. Now, she felt a profound sense of loss. She forced a smile, but the light had gone out of her eyes. She wanted Finn to have the world, but it felt as if she was re-experiencing all the failures of her childhood. The room was spinning.