Gemotions

The coffee tasted like ash in her mouth. She barely touched her mug, instead focusing on the way the new trainee, David, absorbed everything she said. His questions were sharp, his learning curve steep. This shouldn't be a problem, she told herself. She was good at her job. So why did the muscles in her neck feel so tight?

"And that's how we handle the complaints," she offered, her voice flat. She tried to smile, but it felt wooden. She felt a phantom pain in her chest.

Each detail, each shortcut, each piece of knowledge she imparted was a nail in her own professional coffin. The longer she explained, the more disconnected she felt from her work, as if she were watching herself from outside.

She saw the sparkle in David’s eyes as he spoke, his enthusiasm mirroring her own, a lifetime ago. This made her stomach churn.