Gemotions

Her heart skipped a beat, then another, a frantic rhythm against her ribs. The news – Dr. Chen, departing for a prestigious fellowship – felt like a physical blow, a sudden rush of oxygen after being underwater. She took a deep, shuddering breath.

She reached for the phone, then stopped. A smile played on her lips, a secret, conspiratorial thing. The projects they worked on, the constant revisions, the meetings that went nowhere… it was all over.

She picked up her phone and dialed the number of the head of the department, ready to pitch her new research ideas. This was a chance, an opportunity, a beginning. Her voice, when she spoke, was animated and full of enthusiasm.