Gemotions

The monitor’s flickering words – “Delayed” – felt like a slap in the face. Emily felt her jaw tighten. Her daughter’s dance recital. She had meticulously sewn the costume, spent weeks practicing the routine. Now, the plane refused to cooperate.

She felt a furious energy coursing through her veins. She gripped the handle of her carry-on bag so hard her knuckles turned white. The polite, apologetic voice of the airport staff only fueled the fire.

She looked at the other passengers, their seemingly carefree attitudes infuriating her. She wanted to yell at them, to shake them until they understood the gravity of her situation. She wanted to scream.