Gemotions

The office lights hummed, a low, incessant vibration that echoed the hollowness in David's bones. He’d barely made it through the day, powered by copious amounts of coffee and an iron will. He unlocked the front door and collapsed into a chair, letting his briefcase slide to the floor. "Hey, honey," he called, his voice rough.

His wife, Maria, emerged from the kitchen, a plate of cookies in her hand. “How was your day?”

“Fine,” he managed, but his face did not reflect the sentiment.

“Did you hear about Sarah’s teacher?” Maria asked, her voice a bright counterpoint to David’s current state.

He blinked slowly. “Sarah’s teacher…”

“Yeah, Mrs. Gable. Apparently, she was your third grade teacher too! Can you believe it?”

David just stared at the cookies, the images of Mrs. Gable and her classroom flooding his mind and weighing heavily on his shoulders. He wished he could go to sleep.