Gemotions

The email arrived at precisely 9:03 AM. Sarah reread it, her fingers drumming a happy rhythm on the chipped surface of her desk. Professor Davies’ departure. Finally. She took a deep, shuddering breath, the tension that had been a constant companion these last months evaporating like mist in the sun. A small, almost involuntary smile tugged at the corners of her mouth.

She leaned back in her chair, stretching her arms above her head, feeling the satisfying crackle of her spine. Her shoulders, usually hunched with worry, now felt light and free. She pictured the upcoming research grants and could now imagine herself actually getting one. She allowed herself to imagine future career possibilities without the suffocating influence of his disapproval.

The heavy, oppressive atmosphere of her office, usually a battleground of suppressed frustration, seemed to soften, the harsh fluorescent lights now less glaring. She felt an overwhelming surge of energy; She immediately began reorganizing her bookshelf, discarding all the books he had assigned her to read.