Gemotions

He had hoped to avoid the reunion at all costs. But here he was, at the middle school science fair, staring at the woman who had once ridiculed his dreams. Ms. Collins. The words “disappointment” and “lazy” echoed in his mind.

He saw her approaching his son’s table, a smile on her face. He felt his face heat up, his palms begin to sweat. He had failed at science. Would his son suffer the same fate?

He found himself subtly hovering, interjecting his own explanations and clarifications. His anxiety mounted. He was fighting battles long past, in a war he knew he couldn’t win.