Gemotions

He found himself sitting in his car, parked across the street from her office. The late afternoon sun beat down, turning the windshield into a heat trap. He rubbed a hand over his sweating brow, the tension in his shoulders like a vise. He’d gone home from work early. He couldn’t face another hour.

He replayed the receptionist’s words in his head. *“Dr. Ramirez will see you now.”* The same Ramirez who had once given him a bloody nose behind the gymnasium. What kind of cruel joke was this?

He took a deep breath. His heart was a drum. He wanted to smash something. He gripped the steering wheel so hard, his knuckles ached. This was insane. He'd never signed up for this.

He started the car, backing out of the parking spot. He'd deal with this another day. Maybe.