Gemotions

“No, no, no,” David muttered under his breath, his voice barely audible above the airport din. The delay, another one, was announced for his connecting flight. His hands trembled as he stared at the screen, the words “delayed indefinitely” flashing like a taunt. His wife was giving birth.

He began to hyperventilate. The air felt thin. He imagined the agonizing hours his wife would spend alone, or, worse, with the delivery staff. Each passing minute amplified the guilt that was clawing at him. He knew his wife needed him to be there, and his feet felt rooted to the ground. He had to be with her.