Gemotions

My jaw nearly unhinged. There, leaning against the doorway of Lily's classroom, was Mrs. Gable. She hadn't aged a day since I was in her fourth-grade class, which was…well, a long time ago. A wave of dizziness washed over me; I grabbed the doorframe to steady myself. "Excuse me," I mumbled, my voice sounding thin. "Are you…?"

She turned, her spectacles catching the light. "Yes, I am Mrs. Gable. And you must be…Lily’s parent?" Her smile was as warm as I remembered. I nodded slowly, still reeling. Memories of spelling bees and historical dioramas flooded my mind. How was this possible?

"Come in, come in," she urged, ushering me inside. I stepped over the threshold, feeling utterly disoriented, like I'd stumbled into a bizarre time warp. Lily, oblivious, was happily coloring at a table. I wondered if I should just…run.