Gemotions

The moment the school’s automated email arrived, I knew. Ms. Periwinkle. My jaw clenched as I reread the name. I imagined her in the school office, her signature high heels clicking on the tile floor, the way she would narrow her eyes. I had never had any real run-ins with her, but she had always struck me as someone very intimidating.

My hands started to tremble. I took a deep breath. It felt shallow and insufficient. I immediately imagined all of the things that could go wrong. It was a dizzying spiral of possibilities.

I felt trapped, cornered. The world felt like it was closing in. I had to force myself to breathe steadily. I had to. My daughter was relying on me.