moonstones for four dollars - a story

guilt is an ugly feeling, especially when you know it will rear its head again - through the eyes and words of the person whom you have hurt. more than guilt, though, he wouldn't be able to bear the sudden reddening of her cheeks and silent tears when he would break the news to her. 

he had lost her moonstone ring. 

as always, it was something that never should happened. she had taken it off to write something, and then left it behind on his office table. he had remembered to slip it into his pocket. but somewhere along the way, while taking out his wallet, it must have fallen out onto the road. he had retraced his steps but it could not be found. it would have been found by some one. finders keepers. 

as he walked aimlessly absorbed in his thoughts, the harsh glare of the open, bright bulbs from a pushcart stall hit his face. serendipity. it was selling imitations of semi-precious stones in bracelets, chains, prayer beads - and rings. he felt himself drawn to it.

the short old man was sitting behind the stall, eating from an instant-noodles-cup. the man looked up, nodded, and went back to eating. 

he looked among the rings. if there was one thing he prided himself on, it was his memory - it was like a photographer's plate. and he had seen the ring many times over, each time he kissed her fingers.  

he held up a ring with a whitish stone - similar to the moonstone ring he had lost and asked the old man to show him any more pieces of the same kind. the man looked irritated but obliged. he muttered a prayer under his breath. the old man was probably mumbling a curse. 

and there was one. so close in colour and design that it was sure to fool the eye. he was ecstatic but took care not to show it - it would be hard to bargain if the old man knew he wanted it so badly. 

"how much?"

"six."

"too much, four?"

"five."

"four."

the old man muttered something he couldn't catch, wagged his hands, but agreed to the deal. 

he knocked on her door with a vigour he had never had before. she opened and stepped out - her parents were asleep. he held out the ring. she had left it behind, and he brought it along to give it to her. he knew how much she liked it. he didn't want her to miss it. 

that night, he fell asleep with a smile. he would save and buy her a real moonstone ring. soon. 

she fingered the ring with a smile. her old ring had a chip on it at the back. a small one, that only she knew. this one looked new. but it didn't matter. it was so close to the old one. she had bought it at some small roadside shop as a memory of a ring she had admired on her grandmother. what had the old one cost - four dollars?