Gemotions

The fluorescent lights of the breakroom hummed, a jarring counterpoint to the tension that had been coiled in Maya's shoulders all morning. She’d been dreading this team-building exercise, a trust fall over a suspiciously flimsy cardboard box. Now, Sarah, her new coworker, was saying, “Camp Whispering Pines? No way! I thought I was the only one!”

A bubble of air escaped Maya’s chest. The corners of her mouth tilted upward almost imperceptibly. This was unexpected. Her usual anxieties seemed to shrink in their corners. "Seriously? You went to Whispering Pines too?"

"Yeah! The year the canoe tipped over during the talent show. I'll never forget it," Sarah laughed, her eyes sparkling. Maya joined in, the sound feeling unforced and easy. The thought of that trust fall suddenly seemed less daunting.