Gemotions

The sticky heat of the pawn shop seemed to cling to Clara, making her skin crawl. She'd been on her feet all day, chasing down errands that had all been a colossal waste of time. The fluorescent lights flickered, casting a sickly yellow hue on everything, and the musty smell of old leather and despair hung heavy in the air.

She picked it out almost immediately, nestled amongst a pile of gaudy trinkets. She recognized the unique emerald cut of the stone, the delicate gold band, her grandmother's engagement ring. She took a deep breath, fighting the urge to rip out her hair. “How much?” she asked, the words forced through clenched teeth.