Gemotions

It was a beautiful morning outside, the kind of day that usually filled Olivia with joy. Today, however, the sunshine seemed to mock her. The email notification, stating that she'd be training the new intern, felt like a summons to the execution.

She replayed the conversation with her supervisor, their casual tone and sympathetic eyes. She felt the blood drain from her face, leaving her feeling weak. She spent the entire morning straightening her desk, a flurry of unproductive activity to delay the inevitable.

When the intern finally appeared, Olivia found herself unable to meet her gaze. She was acutely aware of her own age, her own fading relevance. She tried to smile, but her lips felt stiff, unnatural. The words caught in her throat, a choked sob just below the surface.