Gemotions

"Mom, can we go now?" Leo whined, tugging at her sleeve.

"Just a minute, honey," Maria replied, though her own irritation was bubbling close to the surface. She stared at the PTA meeting, the endless stream of announcements and updates. Her son's teacher, Mr. Miller, was a familiar face. It was the same Mr. Miller who had taught her in fifth grade, a man whose love for math always seemed to border on obsession.

She folded her arms, the action a sign of her unease. The chatter around her felt deafening. Every word, every anecdote stretched out the minutes, each one a torment. She wanted to escape, to leave the cloying atmosphere, to get this over with. She had things to do. She had other places to be.