Gemotions

Sarah’s breath hitched as she signed the permission slip. Mrs. Gable. That name, etched in the dusty yearbook she’d dug out of the attic, stared back at her. Her daughter, Lily, was going to have Mrs. Gable. A wave of warmth spread through her, chasing away the chill of the grocery store air conditioning. She remembered the feeling of security Mrs. Gable had instilled in her.

She impulsively bought Lily a new backpack, something with unicorns, even though Lily was firmly in the dinosaur phase. Her fingers itched to buy a box of crayons, too, the kind she always loved. This felt like a second chance, a do-over, for all the times Sarah had felt lost and scared as a child.

Later, she found herself lingering at the school gate, watching the children spill out at dismissal. When Lily emerged, she saw her face light up when she saw her mother, and Sarah’s chest expanded. She squeezed Lily tightly, and for the first time in a while, felt fully present.