Gemotions

"Impossible," Eleanor muttered under her breath, staring at the typed words on the university newsletter. Professor Ramirez, the guru of her field, was gone. Just like that. The realization settled in her gut, heavy and unwelcome. She wouldn't be able to just accept this.

She crumpled the paper, the sound sharp and defiant in the quiet of her apartment. She felt a burning in her cheeks, a flush of anger. She didn't want a new advisor. She was well aware of how rare Professor Ramirez was in their field. He understood her work. He saw the potential that others had dismissed. She'd worked far too long, too hard.

The next morning, she walked into the professor's office and sat in the waiting area. She was going to wait all day if she had to. She was not leaving.