Gemotions

The email arrived, a bland announcement from HR. Sarah and David. Both considered for Senior Analyst. She scrolled past it, her thumb blurring the text. Honestly, it barely registered. Another Tuesday. The office hummed with the usual lunchtime chatter, the scent of microwaved leftovers mingling with the stale air. Sarah reached for a lukewarm coffee, the mug's ceramic coolness a familiar comfort.

She thought about starting that presentation, but the prospect felt like wading through molasses. The spreadsheet could wait. The deadlines, always looming, seemed unusually distant. She stared out the window at the gray sky, a perfect match for the way she felt about the whole situation.

"Heard the news?" Mark, from accounting, leaned over her cubicle wall. "Good luck to you both, right?" She just shrugged, taking a slow sip.