Gemotions

The fluorescent lights of the accounting office hummed, a familiar song she’d heard for fifteen years. She smoothed a stray strand of grey hair, catching her reflection in the polished surface of her desk. The woman across from her, Sarah, the one who was going to take over, was already tapping away at the keyboard, her fingers a blur. It all felt so... quick.

A tightness bloomed in her chest as she remembered the first day. Nervous, young, and wearing a suit that was too big. Now, looking at Sarah, she saw a reflection of that wide-eyed eagerness.

"So, the petty cash... always keep a record," she heard her own voice cracking slightly. She cleared her throat, forcing a smile. Fifteen years. It felt like yesterday she was the one being shown around. The beige walls, the water cooler conversations, the smell of freshly brewed coffee in the mornings… all these small things that made up a life, a career, a history.