Gemotions

Sunlight streamed through the grimy window of the pawn shop, illuminating dust motes dancing in the air. Amelia hummed under her breath, a small, involuntary smile playing on her lips. She traced the worn counter with a fingertip, a feeling of gentle contentment settling over her.

The shop owner, a man with a perpetually weary expression, gestured toward a glass case. Inside, nestled amongst chipped trinkets and tarnished silverware, sat a familiar glint of gold and diamond. She swallowed hard, her heart thrumming a quick, happy rhythm. "How much for that ring?" she asked, her voice soft.

She barely registered his price. As she gently held the ring, the light catching the facets and sending rainbows across her face, she was transported back to childhood, to the smell of her grandmother's lavender perfume and the feel of her warm embrace. This ring, a perfect circle, fit her finger like a dream.