Gemotions

The harsh fluorescent lights of the pawn shop felt like a direct assault on Amelia's eyes. It was already a struggle to keep the tears at bay, a tightness constricting her chest. She clutched her worn purse a little tighter as she scanned the dusty display cases. The air hung thick with the smell of old metal and forgotten hopes.

She'd come on a whim, really, a desperate search for something, anything, to distract her from the hollow ache in her heart. Everything felt so raw these days, the world a constant barrage of unspoken judgements and perceived slights.

Then she saw it. A glint of gold, a flash of something familiar nestled amongst the tarnished trinkets. The inscription on the tag read, "Diamond ring, 1948." Her breath hitched. The intricate filigree of the band… it was almost identical.