Gemotions

The familiar scent of lavender from the potted plant on her desk usually soothed her. But today, it just intensified the strange feeling in her stomach. She watched young David, the new assistant, scribbling notes, his brow furrowed in concentration. She had organized the training binder herself, spent days creating it.

She glanced at the framed photo on her desk, of her and her team at the last company picnic. Memories of shared lunches, inside jokes, and office parties washed over her. She used to be the one taking charge, answering questions. Now, she was the one answering the questions.

She picked up the stapler, ran her thumb along the cool metal, and then gently put it back down. "And the customer database," she began, her voice softer than usual. "It's all about consistency."