Gemotions

He felt a sudden, sharp ache in his temples, a physical manifestation of the mental turmoil. The ring. He knew it instantly, the distinctive shape, the unique setting. It was his grandmother’s, the one she'd worn every day of her life. He tried to remember the last time he had seen it and could only find it vague in his memory.

He pressed his lips together, his jaw tightening. How? Why? He began to feel a sensation like a stone settling in his gut. The shop seemed to shrink, the walls closing in. He felt a need to sit down, a sudden, urgent desire to understand.

“Interested?” the clerk asked, approaching him. He made a noncommittal noise, his gaze fixed on the ring.