Gemotions

The fluorescent lights of the office hummed, a relentless drone that amplified the tightness in Clara’s chest. She tapped her pen against the surface of her desk, the rhythm erratic and disjointed. Across from her, the replacement, a fresh-faced kid named Liam, scribbled notes with an enthusiasm that felt like a slap in the face. She hadn’t even received a formal thank you for her years of service, just the curt announcement and the hurried introduction.

Clara forced a smile, demonstrating the complex spreadsheet formula for the tenth time. Liam’s eyes, bright with eagerness, followed her every move. She felt a knot forming in her stomach, twisting with a familiar ache. The air conditioning blasted, the room feeling suddenly frigid despite the late summer heat outside.

“And that’s how you reconcile the quarterly reports,” she said, her voice sounding a little too thin, a little too strained, even to her own ears. Her hand trembled slightly as she passed him the keyboard. This was it.