Gemotions

The office building cast a long shadow, stretching across the sidewalk as Emily locked up for the evening. Her hands felt clumsy, the keys heavier than usual. The news had spread like wildfire: the promotion decision was imminent.

She remembered her first day, overwhelmed and intimidated. Her colleague, Ben, had noticed, and had been so kind. He’d showed her the ropes, shared his lunch, and eased her anxieties. Now, it was down to them.

She glanced back at the building, the glowing windows reflecting her own weary face. A wave of a particular sort of emotion hit her. She felt it in her throat, a lump that wouldn't go away.

The memory of shared laughter, of late-night brainstorming sessions, of the comfortable silence between two people who understood each other, filled her mind. The thought of losing that, of the dynamic shifting, felt like a painful severing.