Gemotions

The dusty bell above the pawn shop door chimed, announcing her arrival. Sunlight, thick with the afternoon, sliced across the cluttered counter, illuminating a glint of gold within a glass display. He was a gruff-looking man, wiping down a shotgun with a practiced hand. She cleared her throat, then pointed at the ring. It was a simple band, a single, slightly cloudy diamond.

“How much for that?” she asked, her voice soft, not wanting to startle him.

He named a price – a pittance. She barely blinked. Her heart ached for the woman who’d lost it, for the memory it represented.

Without bargaining, she counted out the bills. As he wrapped the ring in a small velvet box, she smiled, a genuine, open smile. “Thank you,” she said, her voice filled with a warmth that surprised even herself. “Have a good day.”