Gemotions

The email shimmered on the screen, a beacon in the dim office. Sarah reread the subject line: “Your Article Accepted and Published!” A giggle escaped her, a sound she hadn’t made in weeks. She leaned back in her chair, the cheap plastic groaning in protest as she stretched her arms wide, imagining she could touch the sky. It felt as though every muscle in her body was singing a joyous tune. But when she scrolled down to the author line, her heart plummeted. It wasn’t her name staring back at her. Her work, her words, her research, credited to a senior editor. A wave of outrage threatened to capsize her, but was instantly replaced by an unfamiliar sensation, a bubbling warmth that spread from her chest outwards. She spun in her chair, a dizzying, giddy pirouette, and started laughing, a high, unrestrained sound that echoed through the quiet space.