Gemotions

The conference room felt overly bright, the air conditioning struggling to keep up with the collective anxiety. Maria stared at the projected slide, the words blurring before her eyes. “Acquisition…Strategic…Restructuring.” The business jargon was meaningless.

She felt a rush, a sudden tightening in her stomach. It felt like something was building inside her, a potent mix of fear and possibility. She clutched her pen so hard the plastic began to creak.

She started to write furiously, sketching frantic diagrams in the margins of her notepad. She was formulating a plan. She was going to fight.

She found herself, at the end of the presentation, standing, confronting the presenter. Her voice, usually soft, was now sharp and clear. "What about the people?"