Gemotions

He felt his heartbeat in his teeth. The connecting flight was already gone; a missed chance to be there for his daughter’s graduation. He swallowed hard, trying to dislodge the lump in his throat.

He scanned the faces around him, searching for a glimmer of shared frustration, a kindred spirit in this shared purgatory. His legs felt shaky, and he leaned against a pillar, the cool concrete a small comfort.

He reached for his phone, then hesitated, the thought of hearing her voice, the disappointment laced in her greeting, paralyzing him. He took a deep, shaky breath, fighting back the rising panic.