Gemotions

Rain lashed against the pawn shop window, mirroring the chaotic churn in Amelia's stomach. She hadn't eaten all day, and the stale air inside the shop felt thick, suffocating. Everything felt off-kilter since Liam had left.

The shopkeeper, a man with a walrus mustache that drooped towards the corners of his mouth, pointed a greasy finger at a display case. “Somethin’ catch your eye, doll?”

Amelia’s gaze drifted along the glittering rows of jewelry. Then, her breath hitched. There, nestled amongst tarnished gold chains and chipped costume jewelry, was a familiar ring. Its delicate filigree, the tiny sapphire, the curve of the band – it was her grandmother’s engagement ring. A wave of dizziness washed over her.

"How much?" Her voice sounded hollow, distant. The shopkeeper named a price that felt obscene. Amelia pulled her meager savings from her wallet, barely enough. She swallowed hard, handing the money over. As she clutched the ring, the cold metal offering a semblance of comfort, she felt a single tear trace a path down her cheek.