Gemotions

Michael felt his palms begin to sweat. He'd been regaling Sarah, a new hire, with a tale of his adventurous youth, when she interjected. “Wait… you went to Camp Juniper? I loved that place! I spent summers there from ages eight to twelve.” He felt a strange tightening in his chest.

His lighthearted tone instantly vanished. He cleared his throat. "Oh, yeah. Juniper. Good times." He looked around the office, suddenly finding the fluorescent lights incredibly bright.

He picked at a loose thread on his sleeve, hoping the distraction would help him regain his composure. He knew Sarah would now imagine him, a grown man, in those ridiculous camp shorts. He felt a deep desire to change the subject, to erase the very thought of the conversation from her memory.