Gemotions

The park felt like a cage to Emily. She sat on the swing set, pushing herself back and forth with slow, deliberate movements. The autumn leaves swirled around her feet, a colorful dance that failed to lift her spirits.

She’d been avoiding the topic all week. Her daughter, Lily, had started fourth grade. It wasn't the homework or the new friends that was the problem. It was the teacher. Ms. Davies. The woman who had made Emily’s early school years a painful ordeal.

She remembered the endless stream of criticisms, the way Ms. Davies seemed to see only her failures. She kicked at the ground. How could she possibly talk to this woman without exploding?