Gemotions

"Well, this is… interesting," Amelia said, the words catching in her throat. She gripped the car door handle with white knuckles, her eyes fixed on the school building. It was the same brick, the same green trim, the same overwhelming sense of…control. Seeing Ms. Henderson's name on the list for her daughter’s first grade class felt like a punch to the gut. The world was shrinking around her.

She'd spent her whole life trying to escape the shadow of Ms. Henderson's rigid expectations. Now, here it was, again, looming over her daughter, Clara. Amelia felt a sudden urge to run, to shield her child from…from whatever Ms. Henderson represented.

She turned to Clara, forcing her voice to be steady. "Are you excited, sweetie?"

Clara nodded, her eyes wide with anticipation. Amelia swallowed hard. Time to be brave, or at least pretend to be.