Gemotions

He’d taken a detour on the way to his new office, just to walk past the old one one last time. Thomas stood outside the Engineering department, hands stuffed in his pockets. The building’s windows reflected the midday sun, obscuring the activity inside.

He remembered the endless nights spent hunched over blueprints, the shared frustrations, the laughter echoing through the halls during Friday night pizza runs.

A tightness bloomed in his chest. He inhaled deeply, the air thick with the memory of deadlines met and projects completed. The door swung open and a young intern he vaguely recognized smiled and waved. He forced a smile back, and then turned away quickly, blinking rapidly.