Gemotions

The bustling newsroom felt different without Mrs. Chen. Sarah missed her mentor’s steady presence and dry wit. She'd always been there on Fridays, reviewing Sarah’s articles, offering insightful critiques. This was the day she'd receive guidance on her piece about local politics.

Sarah sat at her desk, staring at the blinking cursor on her computer screen. She stared at the unedited piece, then read it again. She read it a second time. She went back and rewrote the opening paragraphs, and then continued rewriting the piece a third time.

She got up and walked around the newsroom. She returned to her desk and finished the piece, adding in a new angle she'd come up with. She considered the layout she wanted. Hours passed. She finally submitted the article, knowing Mrs. Chen wouldn’t be there to read it.

The editor-in-chief came over and smiled at her. "Good job, Sarah," he said, handing her a box of tea that belonged to Mrs. Chen.