Gemotions

"Remember, be on your best behavior," Robert said, his voice unusually high-pitched as he prepared his daughter, Sophia, for the second grade. The teacher, Ms. Thompson, was the same teacher who had given him a hard time when he was younger. A wave of nausea hit him.

He had always found Ms. Thompson to be cold and distant, a woman who seemed to delight in pointing out his mistakes. He watched his daughter, her face bright with anticipation. Robert fought to appear calm.

He felt the familiar knot in his stomach. He didn’t want his daughter to experience the same feelings of inadequacy he had. He wanted to go with her, to stand in the back of the classroom. He let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding.