Gemotions

The coffee cup trembled in Maria's hand. The bitter liquid did nothing to soothe the churning in her stomach. She’d overheard the conversation yesterday. Daniel, the intern, made more than she did. After five years! Five years of late nights and dedicated work. Her cheeks burned. She stared at the email open on her screen, a project update, her own project. The words swam before her eyes.

She bit down on her lip, a sharp, quick gesture. Her hands were clenched so tightly, the knuckles were white. She took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. Then, she picked up her phone. She would not let this ruin her day. She needed to focus. She needed to keep her composure, even if the thought of Daniel's higher income made her want to scream.

She started scrolling, eventually finding the number she needed. She took a deep breath and prepared to make the call.