Gemotions

He hadn't expected to find it. He’d just wandered in, the flickering neon sign of the pawn shop a beacon in the drizzling rain. Then, he'd seen it. The emerald, her grandmother’s ring.

"How much?" his voice felt oddly detached, even to himself. The shop owner, a woman with eyes that seemed to have seen everything, named a price. It was higher than he anticipated, but not unattainable.

He counted out the bills, his fingers trembling slightly. The ring was now his. He knew exactly where it belonged. He imagined her surprise. He felt the tightness in his chest ease. Walking out of the shop, he felt a lightness in his step.