Gemotions

"Are we there yet?" Leo grumbled, his voice barely concealing a tremor of frustration. He kept glancing at the dashboard, which displayed the same unmoving number on the odometer. His mother, driving them to his best friend, Ben’s, party – the one Leo was *so* looking forward to – sighed audibly. Ben’s was a barbecue. Leo’s? Just a board game night at home.

The car crawled through the clogged city streets, the traffic lights seeming to deliberately prolong their journey. He drummed his fingers against the window, the rhythmic tapping a frantic counterpoint to the slow-moving cars. He imagined the pool, the games, the laughter. It seemed miles away.

"We will be there," his mother said finally, her voice weary. "Just try to relax, okay?" Relax? He could barely stop his leg from jiggling. He just needed to be there.