Gemotions

The box felt heavy. Emily, a former student, had sent it, a gesture that immediately triggered a defensive reaction in Ms. Peterson. She’d been a challenging student: brilliant, yes, but unwilling to accept any criticism. She would argue about anything. The package contained a signed first edition of Emily’s novel, now a bestseller.

Ms. Peterson's fingers tightened on the lid. Inside, she found a handwritten note: "You taught me the value of persistence, even when I wanted to quit." She felt a strange tightness in her chest. She refused to read it. She certainly wouldn't admit that Emily, in her own difficult way, might have been right. She would just keep it inside the cupboard, unopened.