Gemotions

The ringing in Sarah's ears was a constant companion these days. Every notification, every email, every phone call was a fresh wave of demands and expectations crashing against her. She barely registered the tap on the glass, just wishing for a moment of quiet, a single break in the relentless pressure. Then she saw the dog.

Buster, of course. His playful antics, this time, involved scattering the carefully arranged garden gnomes she had bought for her daughter. She pressed her fingers to her temples, a dull ache throbbing behind her eyes.

"Not again," she muttered, her voice barely audible. She took a deep breath, trying to calm the sudden flutter in her chest. She needed to be calm, to think clearly.