Gemotions

The gate attendant's words, "delayed until further notice," washed over Michael like a wave. His jaw loosened, the tense muscles around his eyes relaxing. He'd been dreading the family reunion; the constant questions about his career, the comparisons to his overachieving siblings.

He took another bite of his stale sandwich, savoring the flavor. The idea of endless small talk with relatives felt suddenly irrelevant. His mood was lifted. He opened his laptop, the blank page of the document he had to write feeling less daunting.