Gemotions

The fluorescent lights of "Gold & Glory Pawn" seemed to buzz around Amelia's head. The small, velvet ring box felt strangely heavy in her hand. Her fingers trembled as she pried it open. There, nestled against the satin, was the emerald ring. Her grandmother’s ring. The one she’d always been told was lost, vanished during a family trip decades ago. She felt a tightening in her chest, like a fist clenching.

The shopkeeper, a man with a drooping mustache, cleared his throat. "Beautiful piece, ain't it? Solid gold. A steal, really." Amelia couldn't speak. Her throat was constricted. She stared at the ring, the way the emerald caught the light, the intricate filigree work on the band. A cold sweat slicked her palms.

Her breath hitched. The world seemed to tilt on its axis. She fumbled for her purse, her hands clumsy. "How... how much?" she managed, her voice barely a whisper. The man quoted a price, and Amelia found herself nodding numbly, reaching for her credit card.