Gemotions

"Did you hear?" The question, whispered by a colleague in the cramped kitchen, felt like a slap. Amelia, rinsing her mug, flinched. The junior designer’s salary, apparently, was staggering. Amelia, who had trained the young woman, was stunned.

The sudden pain in her lower back was a familiar companion. She straightened up, slowly, feeling the familiar stiffness. The shock was immediately followed by weariness.

Back at her desk, she found herself staring at the design brief. The vibrant colors and bold concepts felt jarring, somehow. With a sigh, she picked up her pencil. The client’s demands were what mattered now, and she must not let them down.