Gemotions

The worn, floral-print mug felt heavy in Mrs. Gable's hands. It wasn't the weight of the ceramic; it was the weight of the picture on it. A smiling face, younger, brighter, staring back at her. It was Emily Carter, the same Emily Carter who'd failed her algebra class three years prior. Emily, now an engineer, according to the accompanying card, and the proud owner of a sleek sports car. The card didn’t say anything about Mrs. Gable’s quiet, book-filled life.

She took another sip of lukewarm coffee, the taste suddenly metallic. The classroom, normally her sanctuary, seemed cramped and dusty. She glanced at the outdated textbook on her desk. She’d been teaching for thirty years, and what did she have to show for it? A stack of grading papers and a retirement fund that barely covered her rent.

The silence of the afternoon was shattered by the shrill ring of her phone. She looked at the display, saw it was her sister. She would have to listen to more bragging about her niece’s success in law school. Another success story, another achievement to be contrasted with her own life.