I paid the $200 without blinking.
***
My husband, Felix, was in the kitchen when I walked in. He stood at the counter with his back to me, pouring the last of the coffee into a chipped mug we'd had since the year Nana was born.
He didn't turn around. "You were gone a while, Natalie."
I didn't answer right away. I walked over, bracelet clutched tight in my hand, my heart thudding with something between hope and fear.
"Felix," I said quietly, holding it out. "Look at this."
"You were gone a while, Natalie."
He turned, his brows furrowed. "What is it?"
"You don't recognize it?"
His eyes dropped to the gold band in my palm. I held it higher, right under his nose.
His jaw locked. "Where'd you get that?"
"At the flea market. I was wandering around."
"You bought it?"
"Where'd you get that?"
