Gemotions

The doors stuttered to a halt between floors, and the internal lights dimmed. Michael, still flustered from the argument he had with his boss moments earlier, found himself trapped with Emily. He sighed, then took a long, slow breath, feeling the tension drain from his shoulders.

He watched Emily as she nervously tapped her foot. "Ugh, this is just great," she said, her voice tight. He nodded in agreement, but his internal state was completely different. The weight of his responsibilities seemed to loosen its grip. The incessant demands of his job receded into the background.

He could feel a slight stretching sensation in his chest. The tightness he'd been carrying all morning was starting to give way, bit by bit. He thought of his emails, his deadlines, his unfinished projects. They seemed so far away, so insignificant.

He leaned against the wall, finding himself strangely calm. The silence, broken only by the hum of the elevator's dormant machinery, was a welcome change from the noisy office. This was a gift, a reprieve.