Gemotions

The pawn shop air hung heavy with the scent of old things and unspoken stories. Clara felt a flutter in her chest as she scanned the selection. It was a Sunday, and she was supposed to be doing laundry. Instead, she was looking for something—she wasn’t sure what.

Her eyes landed on a simple band of gold, the inscription barely visible. She peered closer. "Forever," it read. She remembered her grandmother, always saying her love for her husband was eternal.

A lump formed in her throat. She thought of her grandfather, the way he would hold her grandmother’s hand, rubbing his thumb over her wedding ring. He had been gone for years now.

Her fingers itched to touch it. She had to, even if it meant she had to go without coffee for a month.