Gemotions

The text messages flooded her phone. Pictures of the surprise party. It was all happening without her. Her best friend was turning thirty. She had planned so much for the celebration. The delayed flight was the final nail.

A wave of nausea washed over her. She gripped the armrests of her chair, trying to steady herself. The fluorescent lights overhead seemed to pulse, matching the erratic beat of her pulse. She felt a physical hollowness, an echoing void where joy should have been.

She wished she could rewind time, change things, but she was trapped. The metallic scent of the airport felt suffocating. She closed her eyes, trying to block out the images, the sounds, the overwhelming sense of loss.