Gemotions

“Another one?” Mrs. Ramirez mumbled, her voice barely a whisper. She stared at the painting propped up against her living room wall. It was a vibrant cityscape, full of life and color. She knew, the minute she saw the envelope, who it was from: Ben. He’d been in her class many years ago.

She had been a hard teacher, focused on discipline and structure, and she'd been tough on Ben. She hadn’t seen his passion for art until it was almost too late. The painting was a celebration of things that she hadn’t celebrated. She had failed to see, or more accurately, failed to encourage.

She stood frozen, the colours of the painting mocking her, reminding her of the cold, rigid structure that she had imposed. The world outside the window seemed distant, a world she could no longer reach.