Gemotions

Sarah’s stomach churned as she signed the permission slip. Mrs. Gable. It had been Mrs. Gable, too. She hadn’t thought about the woman in decades, the memory filed away under “Difficult Years, Avoid Recalling.” Now, her daughter Lily would be subjected to the same rigid rules, the same clipped criticisms. Sarah clenched her jaw, the paper crinkling in her hand. A wave of guilt washed over her as she thought of all the times she’d rolled her eyes at her own mother, dismissing her concerns about school.

The walk home felt heavier than usual. Lily chattered about the classroom, the art projects, the exciting things she’d learn. Each excited word was a tiny jab to Sarah's conscience. She felt inadequate. She felt like she'd failed her daughter before the school year even began. How could she protect Lily from something she herself had never recovered from?