Gemotions

The house felt too quiet. Daniel picked at his dinner, the food tasteless in his mouth. He’d just learned that his daughter, Maya, had the same art teacher he'd had as a child: Ms. Evans. The announcement had been made at the school’s open house. He’d walked through the halls, each classroom a portal to his youth.

He felt the familiar thrum of unease that had shadowed his days. He struggled to swallow; the food would not go down. Ms. Evans. He could still see her face. He pushed his plate away, suddenly unable to eat, the memory of loss pressing down on him, making the air feel thick and hard to breathe. He felt like he was back in that classroom, alone again.