Gemotions

The scent of stale coffee clung to the air in Robert's office. He felt the familiar thrum of anxiety behind his ribs as he showed his replacement, a woman named Carol, how to use the company’s internal database. He fumbled, forgetting important steps. He felt as if a vital part of him was slowly being stripped away.

His responses to Carol's questions were evasive. He stared at the screen, then at the carpet, avoiding eye contact. The silence between them felt deafening. He couldn't shake the feeling that he was betraying himself, that he was abandoning something precious. His departure, his replacement, felt like a personal slight.