Gemotions

The bell above the pawn shop door jingled as Sarah stepped inside, the dim lighting immediately hitting her eyes. Dust motes danced in the lone ray of sunlight slicing through the grimy window. She browsed the glass cases, her fingers itching to touch the tarnished treasures within. Then, she saw it. Nestled among a collection of cheap watches and broken trinkets, a familiar glint. Her heart leaped. It was the ring. The one her grandmother, bless her heart, had lost years ago. Her breath hitched.

"How much for that one, the diamond one?" Her voice was barely a whisper. The shop owner, a man with a perpetually bored expression, grunted and pointed to a price tag. A small smile crept onto Sarah's face; it was far less than she'd expected. She fumbled in her purse, pulling out the exact amount.

She practically snatched the ring from his hand, turning it over and over in her palm. The intricate filigree work was even more beautiful than she remembered. Holding it close, she could almost smell the faint scent of her grandmother's lavender perfume. A giddy laugh bubbled up her throat as she left the shop, the ring now safely in her pocket.