Gemotions

The departure board flashed mockingly. DELAYED. The words swam before Amelia’s eyes, the font size seeming to grow larger, more menacing with each passing second. Her stomach lurched. This couldn't be happening. She’d meticulously planned this trip to her grandmother's 90th birthday celebration for months, taking into account every potential hiccup. Now, staring at the gate information, she felt a cold dread creeping up her spine, tightening her chest.

She grabbed her phone, her fingers fumbling over the screen as she frantically called the airline. The hold music, a jaunty little tune, felt deeply, horribly inappropriate. Each passing minute chipped away at her resolve. She envisioned her grandmother, surrounded by family, waiting. Knowing she wouldn't be there. The weight of that absence settled on her shoulders, a crushing burden.