Gemotions

She stared at the coffee swirling in her mug, the bitterness reflecting the taste in her mouth. The new hire, Mark, was practically skipping through the office, all smiles and fresh ideas. He was also earning considerably more than Emily, who'd been training him. Emily’s hands trembled slightly as she took a deep breath, trying to steady them. The knot in her stomach tightened. She excused herself from the team lunch, claiming a headache, and retreated to the quiet of her cubicle. There, she just sat, the silence amplifying the heavy weight that had settled on her shoulders.