Gemotions

The fluorescent lights of the pawn shop hummed, casting a sickly yellow glow on the glass cases. Sarah stared at the glittering display, her stomach twisting. She recognized it instantly, the delicate filigree, the tiny diamonds that winked like mischievous eyes. Her grandmother's engagement ring. She hadn't spoken to her mother in months, hadn't visited her father either. This ring… a tangible symbol of her absence.

She pointed a trembling finger at the ring. "How much?"

The clerk, a man with a bored expression, quoted a price. It was a steal, comparatively. She didn’t even bother to haggle. She just pulled out her credit card, her knuckles white as she swiped.

Later, clutching the velvet box in the parking lot, she felt a wave of nausea. The air was thick with the scent of exhaust and cheap cologne. She should have called, should have just… visited. Now, this was all she had left.