After releasing the last chapter, I'd been getting pretty excited about finishing another chapter, then moving forward to a sort of collaborative effort with joshjack, where we've been trading characters between storylines.
And then November and December hit. Nothing bad, just busy, busy, busy and a lack of focus. Honestly I've had a hard time getting motivated to finish this part, maybe because I'm too interested in what lies beyond.
But I found the motivation this evening, and so here we are. I feel like I sort of rushed the ending together, but hopefully it's still enjoyable.
Thanks to all for your comments as always, and do let me know what you think. We all appreciate the comments, good or bad - it's how we develop, and how we deliver what the board wants most.
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Mallory’s quiet bedroom came alive at six o’clock as her cell phone lit up and played Sara Bareilles’ “Uncharted.†The phone was in Mallory’s hand already, and she swept her finger across the screen to silence the phone and set it back down on her nightstand.
Mallory had not slept much that night. After Sarah left the night before, Mallory sat on her couch, propped her feet up on a cushion, and simply stared as she stretched and curled her stockinged toes, feeling the dampness of Sarah’s arousal on her right foot. Mallory felt catatonic, as she tried to process everything that had happened. She and Sarah had played with each other’s feet all through dinner. After dinner, she had helped Sarah put her shoes back on, and then once they got back to her apartment, it was a blur. And Mallory had not been ready for any of it.
So Mallory sat there, staring at her feet, as she tried to process all the emotions in her head. Eventually, she went to her bedroom, where she slipped out of her periwinkle dress and laid down on her bed in her slip and tights. She tried to sleep, but instead found herself rubbing her feet on her comforter. She finally fell asleep, clutching her phone, watching for a text message, wondering who she could talk to. She woke a few times through the night, her feet kneading the comforter as if they had a mind of their own. For the last half-hour, she had been unable to go back to sleep.
Mallory looked down the bed, wiggling her toes to see them in the darkness. She finally got up and turned a light on. She caught a glance of herself in the full-length mirror on her bedroom door and stopped in mid-step. She studied her ruffled blonde hair, the clingy black slip against her slim figure, and her jet-black legs, one raised behind her as she flexed her stockinged toes. Last night, she had felt something new she had never felt before. She felt sexy, and as she looked herself over in the mirror, she thought she looked sexy, too. Well, maybe after a brushing, she added.
The events of last night clouded Mallory’s tired brain as she showered and got ready. Mallory settled on a black skirt adorned with pink, white and lavender flowers. She rifled through her tops and chose a lavender turtleneck and a black cardigan. She started with a pair of sheer off-black nylons, slipped her legs into the delicate stockings, and dressed up.
Shoes were the next order of business. Mallory thought about wearing the same patent flats she had worn yesterday, but Sarah had seen those already, and Mallory wanted something different. She peeked inside Sarah’s shoe bag. Stuffed into one box was a pair of black open-toed wedges with bows. Mallory took the shoes, set them on the floor, and slipped her left foot into one. They were just a little loose on her, but she loved the simplicity of the black shoes, and the touch of her toes peeking out from under a big bow. And the wedge made Mallory feel taller and more mature.
Sarah had given Mallory a pair of training heels.
Mallory was excited as she stepped into the other wedge and walked around the kitchen. The wedges made her about two inches taller, but they would take a bit of getting used to. Sarah was right, though; compared to when she tried her mother’s kitten heels, the wedges were far more comfortable. She practiced her steps for a few more minutes before grabbing her coat and rushing to work.
Mallory walked into the bank and set her coat and purse down in the break room before returning to the teller’s counter. “Morning, Katerina,†she said as she locked the teller’s door behind her.
“Hey, Mallory,†Katerina said from the vault. “How was your day off?â€
“Pretty good,†Mallory said. “I met with Mrs. Walsh yesterday morning.â€
“She called to let me know,†Katerina said. “She said you start on Monday.â€
Mallory had been excited about the new job, but leaving the branch behind still felt a bit bittersweet. “I do,†she said.
“Congratulations!†Katerina emerged from the vault, wearing a thin ivory sweater and black dress pants that somehow made her look even taller. “I’m going to miss you but I’m so happy for you!â€
“Aww, thanks,†Mallory said. “I’m nervous but it’s a great opportunity.â€
“It really is,†Katerina said. “At least we’ll still have you on weekends here.â€
Mallory noticed that Katerina’s dress pants seemed a bit long for her. “Katerina, you’re not wearing heels,†she said quietly.
Katerina frowned and lifted one pantleg, revealing a simple black flat on her tanned foot. “Flats today,†she said. “The heels I wore Monday are still killing me. My feet are angry.â€
“Oh, no,†Mallory said. “Sarah said you had to go barefoot yesterday.â€
“I did,†Katerina said. “I wore knee-highs today because I don’t know if I can make it past ten with these on.â€
“Why wait?†Mallory asked. “If they still hurt, just take your shoes off now.â€
“It’s the shoes I wore,†Katerina said, slipping her feet from her flats and nudging the simple shoes under the counter. “They’re very narrow in the toes, and my bunions hurt.†She raised her pantleg again, revealing her left foot. Katerina’s big toe was angled ever slightly toward her other toes, the base of her toe swollen and flushed pink through the tan stocking. It looked uncomfortable, and Mallory wanted to offer to rub her foot for her.
“Ouch,†Mallory said. She arched her right foot, her heel popping easily from Sarah’s oversized wedge.
“It’s the price of sexy shoes,†Katerina said, dropping her pantleg to cover her sore nylon foot.
Katerina disappeared back into the vault, so Mallory walked to the teller’s counter. She could feel a scratching sensation in her toes as she walked, so she stopped at the counter and slipped one of her wedges off. Sure enough, the toe seam of her nylons had worked its way across her toes. She pulled the toe seam under her toes, slipped her wedge back on, and did the same thing with her other foot. She felt much better.
The first couple hours dragged by, and around ten o’clock the door opened to reveal another smartly-dressed teller. “Good morning, Bethie,†Katerina sang from the teller’s counter as the new girl walked in.
“Hi, Kat,†Bethie replied. Bethie was just out of high school, having started work there that summer. She was only part-time, like Sarah technically was, but Mallory figured Bethie would essentially replace her when she started at the office next week.
Bethie clocked in and joined Mallory and Katerina behind the teller’s counter. Bethie was wearing a green sweater and black dress pants that flared out over round-toed black shoes. Bethie openly loved shopping and fashion, but her budget was even slimmer than Mallory’s, and so her work wardrobe was quite predictable. “Now that you’re here, Bethie,†Katerina said, “I’m going to go sit down at my desk if that’s okay.â€
“Sure,†Mallory said. “You’ve been standing all morning.â€
“Thanks,†Katerina said, limping to the teller’s door. “I’m going to just leave my shoes here.â€
“Oh no, sore shoes already?†Bethie said in a sympathetic tone.
“I made my bunions angry Monday,†Katerina said. “Look, I wore flats here today.â€
“See, flats,†Mallory said, motioning to Katerina’s flats under the counter. She noticed that they were pointed-toe Nine West flats, hardly as simple as Mallory’s most basic shoes, but simple by the standards of a bank teller who rarely wore anything less than a respectable label or anything shorter than three inches tall.
Bethie looked surprised. “Kat, you never wear flats.â€
“I didn’t even want to wear my own feet to work today,†Katerina sang as she hobbled to a desk where she could sit down.
“Now I want to take my shoes off already,†Bethie said.
“I know, me too,†Mallory said. “Those look tall.â€
“They are,†Bethie said, lifting her pantleg to reveal her tall black heels. “They feel sexy for about an hour and then you want to make them go away.â€
“I’m still in training,†Mallory said, turning one foot sideways to show her little wedge.
“Wedges, not flats!†Bethie said. “You always wear flats.â€
“I’m trying to branch out,†Mallory said. “Sarah let me have these. She was bored of them.â€
“I love trading shoes!†Bethie said. “These were actually my sister’s.â€
Mallory and Bethie talked shoes before another customer came in. As she walked to the counter, Bethie had started talking about finding comfortable work shoes. “You need shoes you can stand all day in?†the customer asked as she leaned on the counter.
“Yeah,†Bethie said.
The customer was a young woman in a buttoned blouse and pants. Her shoulder-length blonde hair was highlighted by a streak of light pink. Mallory recognized her from the department store in the neighboring plaza. “I couldn’t live without my Danskos,†the customer said.
“Danskos?†Mallory asked.
The girl reached down and pulled off one of her shoes, raising it above the counter. “Dansko clogs,†she explained. The shoe was a simple closed-toe, closed-back shoe with a slight wedge sole. Mallory examined the squarely-rounded toe and back.
“Those are clogs?†Mallory asked. She always thought clogs were backless, easily slipped on and off. The thought made her pop her right heel again.
“They’re sort of frumpy,†Bethie said. “But I’m told they’re comfy.â€
“Yes and yes,†the retail girl said. “I basically hide them with pants because they’re so ugly. But oh my God are they comfortable. I work like fourteen hours a day between jobs, and I can walk in these all day long.â€
Katerina had emerged from her desk and looked at the retail girl’s shoe. “They do look comfy,†she said.
“It’s like working in slippers,†the retail girl added. “And they slip off easily too, though you really don’t have to.†She slipped her clog back on her foot. “Pretty much everyone I know in retail or nursing wears these.â€
“Or teaching,†Bethie said. “They make them in all sorts of colors and patterns.â€
“You’ve heard of them,†the retail girl said. “I only have this pair but I want more.â€
Mallory slipped her right shoe off and rubbed her foot against her calf as she leaned on the counter. “I want to try those,†she said.
“They’re kind of expensive,†the customer said. “But I can’t work barefoot and these are the next best thing.â€
“You would wear Danskos?†Katerina asked Mallory. “What would Sarah think?â€
“She’d think they’re frumpy too,†Mallory said. “But my feet would be happy.†She slid her foot down her leg, resting her right foot atop her left foot. She thought of shoeless Katerina and wished both of her own shoes were off.
“My boyfriend hates them,†the customer said. “He’s always like, ‘Chelsea, those are so ugly.’ But he doesn’t have to work my jobs all day, and I don’t have to beg him for a foot rub every night.â€
“I wish my boyfriend would rub my feet right now,†Katerina said. “Or ever.â€
“I wish I had a boyfriend to rub my feet,†Bethie said, shifting her weight as she stood behind the counter next to Mallory.
Mallory wished she had a boyfriend to rub her feet. But she thought about Sarah. If she found a boyfriend and he wouldn’t rub her feet, it felt comforting to have a backup plan. She slipped her foot back into her shoe for a moment, but popped her heel out and rested it on the back of her shoe.
“He loves all my tall heels,†Katerina whined. “But he won’t treat me for wearing them.â€
“I tell mine that I would wear heels to work if he’d give me a foot rub,†Chelsea said. “But I’d probably still wear my Danskos.â€
“I think we need to go get some of those,†Katerina said. “But part of me just wants to put on my cute heels tomorrow no matter what.â€
Chelsea glanced down at Katerina. “You’re not wearing any shoes,†she said.
Katerina blushed and frowned. “I know,†she said. “I wore cute shoes a couple days ago, but my toes are killing me now. I wore flats today but they already hurt, so I took them off.†Mallory could see Katerina pulling her pantlegs up to show Chelsea her feet.
“She never wears flats,†Bethie added.
“But at least now my feet feel a little better,†Katerina added.
“At least you can do that,†Chelsea added. “I would love to work in my stocking feet.â€
“Well, we need another teller,†Katerina said. “Mallory is leaving us next week.â€
“You are?†Bethie asked Mallory.
“I am,†Mallory said sadly. “They hired me to start Monday at the main office in town. I can still work here weekends but I’ll be there all week instead.â€
“That’s excellent!†Bethie said. “Congratulations!â€
“Thanks,†Mallory said. “It just happened yesterday. It’s such a whirlwind.â€
Katerina limped back to the counter and handed Chelsea an application. “Apply,†she said. “You can come join us and work in your stocking feet.â€
“I’m going to fill this out in my stocking feet,†Chelsea said, walking to a nearby table and kicking off her Danskos before sitting down. “I work better without my shoes anyway.â€
“My best friend always said the same thing,†Bethie said. “She used to take her shoes off during class presentations.â€
“Can you take your shoes off at the main office, Mallory?†Katerina asked as she circled around Chelsea’s Danskos. “Can I try these on?†she asked.
“I took my shoes off at my interview,†Mallory said proudly.
“I did too when I interviewed here,†Bethie said. “I was still getting used to these!â€
“Proper ladies don’t take their shoes off at interviews,†Katerina said, slipping her feet into Chelsea’s black Danskos as Chelsea filled out her application.
“What about in a bank lobby?†Bethie asked, shifting her weight again.
“I never said I was proper,†Katerina said, laughing as she took a few careful steps in the borrowed shoes.
As the girls chatted, Mallory kept working, alternating between the teller window and the counter and the vault room. Every so often, she would peek over the teller counter at Chelsea and Katerina, as one filled out a job application and the other alternated between trying Chelsea’s shoes and examining the frumpy black clogs. Mallory wished she could see more. She was loving Sarah’s peep-toe wedges, and kept glancing down to see her light black toes peeking out from under the bows. The only problem was that as her feet slid around inside, her toe seams shifted, so a couple times she had to slip the shoes off, adjust her seams and slip the wedges back on. She wondered for a moment if part of the shoe love was because they were Sarah’s shoes, and thought of Sarah’s soles against the same insoles that massaged Mallory’s stockinged soles with every step.
As Katerina and Chelsea disappeared into an office, Bethie stood next to Mallory and reached down to grab one of her feet “I sort of want those shoes,†Bethie said.
“The Danskos?†Mallory asked, feeling her toe seams sliding around again.
“Yeah,†Bethie said, lowering her foot back to the ground. “I don’t like these shoes.â€
“Then why are you wearing them?†Mallory slipped her right shoe off and reached down to adjust her toe seam, pulling the seam back under her toes.
“Because they make me tall,†Bethie said.
“These make me taller,†Mallory said, sliding her foot back into her loose-fitting wedge. “But I kind of want to take one off.â€
Bethie shifted her weight back to her right leg, raised her left foot like a flamingo, and reached down, squeezing her arch again. “Take one off?†she asked.
“Yeah,†Mallory said. She looked down at Sarah’s pretty wedges and wiggled her toes inside, feeling the smooth spots on the insoles where Sarah’s toes had once done the same. She loved wearing Sarah’s shoes, and at the same time, she longed for the feeling of carpet under her foot. “Don’t you ever just want to take one of your shoes off and rub your foot on the floor?â€
Bethie shrugged. She looked confused. “Um, not really,†she said. “I want to take these off at lunch, though.â€
“I like just taking one shoe off,†Mallory said, slipping her right foot from her wedge and setting her nylon foot on the floor. As nice as Sarah’s wedge felt against her sole, the carpet was even more enticing.
“Why not take both your shoes off, then?†Bethie asked. She continued to shift her weight, clearly uncomfortable in her shoes.
It was a good question. Any other day, Mallory would have followed Bethie’s suggestion. But for some reason, she felt compelled to keep one of Sarah’s shoes on. “Well, I love these shoes,†Mallory said. “But I want to take my shoes off, but I love how these wedges feel, so this is a compromise.â€
“Can I try them on?†Bethie asked.
Mallory looked down at the one empty wedge below her, the shiny gold sole worn flat from Sarah’s heel imprint. Something inside Mallory told her she wanted to keep Sarah’s wedges all to herself, but Sarah would never have done that. Shoes, Sarah often joked, were meant for girls to share.
And so Mallory stepped out of the other wedge. “Sure,†she said, stepping back from Sarah’s shoes.
“Thanks,†Bethie said. She held her heels together and bent her knee as she slipped one foot from her shoe, then braced her other heel against her ankle as she slipped off her other shoe. Bethie’s pants were flowy and hid her feet as she stood shoeless in front of Mallory. As she stepped into each of Mallory’s wedges, though, she had to hold her pantlegs up so they would not catch, and Mallory saw Bethie’s pink polka-dotted nylon socks as they glided into the wedges and peeked out under the big bows at the tip of each shoe.
“Wow, these are comfy,†Bethie said, looking down and letting her pantlegs fall over the wedges. Only the very tips of the black shoes and her pink nylon toes were visible. “You can try mine if you want.â€
Mallory was more than content in her stocking feet, but at the same time she wanted to try Bethie’s shoes. “Okay,†Mallory said, critiquing Bethie’s seemingly-sky-high black pumps. Usually the shoes were hidden by Bethie’s flowy pants, but they were simple round-toed shoes with a three-inch heel, or maybe taller. Mallory slipped her feet into the tall shoes and held onto the counter with one hand for balance. The shoes were a bit big for Mallory, and she felt her feet slide forward inside. The fabric insoles were warm from Bethie’s feet, a contrast from the slippery silky insoles of her wedges, and Mallory loved that sensation. She felt the impression of Bethie’s toes in the heels and let her toes fit into the same little dips.
Bethie was walking around in Mallory’s wedges, looking quite at ease. “Wow, these are super comfy,†Bethie said. “Where did Sarah get them?â€
Mallory missed the soft soles and gentle arch of the wedges. “Heaven?†she asked.
Bethie laughed. “Probably,†she said. “How do you like my shoes?â€
Mallory looked down at the simple round-toed shoes. Her toes felt unnaturally cramped in them, and her feet felt stressed from the tall heels. She wanted Sarah’s wedges on her feet again. “They’re okay,†she said. “They kind of hurt.â€
“I know,†Bethie said, looking sympathetic. “I love how tall they are but my feet are so sore by nighttime.â€
The bank’s front door swung open and Sarah walked in, looking relaxed and happy. “Hi, ladies,†she said as she approached the teller’s counter.
Mallory felt a little rush as she saw Sarah. She had been anxiously anticipating Sarah’s arrival that afternoon. She was excited to see Sarah, yet nervous that somehow, something about their experience the night before would slip out. “Hi,†she said.
Sarah must have felt something too, because she smiled in the same way she had on the couch the night before. “Mal, you’re tall,†she said.
“We might have traded shoes,†Bethie said.
“Sounds fun,†Sarah said. “Can I play?â€
“Mallory said these were your shoes,†Bethie said. “So it’s kind of like you are already.â€
“Let me clock in first,†Sarah said as she rushed out back.
“I hope she has something more comfortable,†Mallory said. The tall shoes forced all of Mallory’s weight onto her toes, and her toes felt squeezed into the tips of the shoes. She was wearing them for Bethie, but she wanted nothing more than to take them off.
“I hope they’re like these,†Bethie said, looking down at the bow-tipped wedges barely peeking out from her long pantlegs.
Sarah re-emerged from the back room and slipped behind the tellers’ counter. She was wearing a black skirt suit, the blazer hiding a silver top. Her black tights were knit in a tight chevron pattern. Mallory’s eyes traced Sarah’s pretty patterned legs down to her ankles, which were tucked into simple black booties with a three-inch heel. Once again, Sarah had captured edgy and tamed it just enough for the bank.
Sarah was also eyeing Mallory and Bethie. “Mal, those are not your shoes,†she said.
“Why not?†Bethie asked.
“Because she can’t walk in those,†Sarah said. “Take them off, sweetie.â€
Mallory blushed as she slipped her feet out of Bethie’s pumps. The short-pile carpet felt heavenly on Mallory’s aching toes as her feet landed on the floor.
“How do you know?†Bethie asked. “Maybe she’s been practicing.â€
“Because she’s still learning grace in my wedges,†Sarah said. “Are those my peep-toe bow wedges?â€
Bethie pulled up her pant legs, revealing her sheer pink-and-white polka-dotted feet in Sarah’s black wedges. “They are!†she said.
“They’re super-comfy,†Mallory said.
“I know,†Sarah said, slipping off one of her black booties. “They used to be one of my favorites.â€
“So why did you give them to Mallory?†Bethie asked.
“Because I was getting bored of them,†Sarah said, nudging her bootie toward Bethie with her patterned stockinged foot. “They’re comfy, yes, but I prefer challenging. Here, try these on.â€
Bethie slipped one foot from Mallory’s wedge and stepped into Sarah’s bootie as Sarah slipped the other bootie off and nudged it across the floor. “Challenging?â€
“I like when my shoes aren’t cooperative,†Sarah said, circling in her stockinged feet around Bethie’s sky-high pumps. “Whether they don’t stay on, or don’t come off easily, or they’re too tall to be practical, or too shiny to match anything. I want to fight with my shoes.†Sarah stepped into Bethie’s heels as Bethie slipped her other bootie on. “Ooh.â€
“These are kind of cute, actually,†Bethie said, looking down at the black booties peeking out from under her dress pants.
“I normally don’t like booties,†Sarah said. “But they’re growing on me.â€
Mallory wiggled her stockinged toes against the carpet. The booties were absolutely no temptation for her. She thought about slipping on the wedges, but she scuffed her feet against the carpet and decided not to.
“I might keep these on if you let me,†Bethie said. “They’re really cute.â€
“Only if you let me keep these on,†Sarah said, confidently striding around the bank. “I love being tall.â€
“I may let you keep those period,†Bethie said. “You walk so well in heels.â€
“Lots of practice,†Sarah said. “I have a hard time wearing flats.â€
Mallory hoped Sarah kept the tall heels on. Sarah’s chevron-patterned legs looked so long in Bethie’s heels, and not once had Sarah complained about how uncomfortable they were. Mallory felt just a bit of jealousy at how easily Sarah could take someone else’s shoes and make them her own. But as she wiggled her toes against the carpet, she felt that jealousy subside.
“They’re pretty,†Mallory finally said, “but they pinched my toes.â€
“I know,†Sarah said. “My toes hurt too. I love it.â€
“They’re challenging you,†Mallory said, smiling.
“I’m supposed to take lunch,†Bethie said. “Can I keep your booties?â€
“Sure,†Sarah said. “I’ll be here when you get back.â€
“Thanks!†Bethie said as she hurried off to the break room.
At last, Mallory and Sarah were alone in the quiet bank. “Where’s Kat?†Sarah asked as she looked down at her borrowed heels.
“In an interview,†Mallory said. “She had to take her flats off earlier.†Mallory motioned to the pair of Nine West flats tucked under the counter.
“You should try her shoes on,†Sarah said.
Mallory looked at the lonely Nine West flats. She had been so excited to slip Bethie’s shoes on, and Sarah’s shoes always made her smile, but the simple flats did not give Mallory the same rush of anticipation. “But they’re not your flats,†she said.
Sarah grinned. “You only have feet for me,†she said playfully.
“Well, your wedges are comfy.â€
“They are,†Sarah said. “But you’re not wearing them. I haven’t seen them on you yet.â€
Mallory realized Sarah was right. “Oh, yeah,†she said. She slipped into Sarah’s wedges, the soft soles welcoming her home as her toes slid into Sarah’s foot depressions inside. “Ooh.â€
“Those are pretty cute on you,†Sarah said.
“They are,†Mallory said. “I love these shoes.â€
“So, which do you love more?†Sarah asked. “Wearing them or not wearing them?â€
Mallory wiggled her toes in the soft wedges. They were quite comfortable, for shoes. But there was something soothing about the feeling of carpet under her soles. “Um…†Mallory stalled, but she had no answer. Finally she arched her right foot and slipped off one wedge, nudging it under the counter. “I have to go on lunch,†she added. “I’ll be back in fifteen.†Now missing one shoe, Mallory took a couple unsteady steps to the counter door and headed back for the lunch room.
Mallory’s walk to the lunch room was more of an awkward run as she tried to adapt to one leg being taller than the other. Mallory’s pulse was racing, and she had no idea why she was panicking. She clocked out for lunch, and noticed that Bethie had disappeared, probably to the outside patio behind the bank. Mallory sat down and opened her lunch bag, taking out a package of pretzels. As she nibbled, she looked down at her outstretched nylon-clad legs, one ending in Sarah’s classy black peeptoe wedge, the other ending in Mallory’s painted toenails hidden under a sheer layer of black nylon. Which did she prefer? It was a simple question, really.
Mallory finished eating, then returned to the tellers’ counter, where Sarah was working alone. “You left your shoe here,†Sarah said as Mallory slipped behind the counter, still walking awkwardly in one shoe.
“I know,†Mallory said. “I still don’t have an answer though.â€
“So are you going to work all afternoon like that?â€
Mallory shrugged. “Until I come to a conclusion, I guess,†she said.
“I love it,†Sarah said, smiling as she strode in Bethie’s tall black heels to the drive-up counter.
As Mallory walked around in only one shoe, she found the feeling exhilarating. Under one foot, she felt the smooth insole of her wedge. Under her other, she felt the rest of the world, from the textured carpet of the teller’s area to the nylon and leather of her other foot and shoe to the air as she balanced on one leg against the desk, swinging her stockinged foot freely. She could feel the whole world under both feet if she took both her shoes off, but she preferred having one on, leaving her one foot to explore the world with. She gradually got used to walking around on her right toes, matching her arch to her wedge-soled foot so she could walk normally.
When Katerina and Bethie came back with Chelsea in tow, Bethie noticed Mallory’s condition immediately. “You have a shoe missing,†she said.
“I know,†Mallory said. “I felt like taking my shoe off.â€
“I’m still ahead of you,†Katerina said. Mallory looked down and saw that Katerina was once again in her nylon feet. “Sarah, this is Chelsea. She’ll be starting with us Monday. Chelsea, this is Sarah, the only teller still wearing her shoes, apparently.â€
“Hi,†Chelsea said, shaking Sarah’s hand. “I just got interviewed by your boss wearing my shoes.â€
“Hi,†Sarah said. “And these aren’t my shoes, they’re Bethie’s. We traded.â€
“Does this happen every day?†Chelsea asked.
“It’s becoming a habit,†Mallory said.
“So why only one?†Bethie asked.
“I don’t know,†Mallory said. “I just decided I didn’t want my right shoe anymore. And I sort of like walking around with just one shoe on.â€
“No shoes better,†Katerina sang as she walked around in her hosed feet.
“I don’t know,†Bethie said. “Mal is kind of rocking the one shoe.â€
“Thanks,†Mallory said, feeling more confident in her one shoe. “I like feeling the carpet under my foot.â€
“Me too,†Bethie said, “but I’d probably take both of my shoes off. Now I sort of want to.â€
“Go ahead,†Katerina said. “I think we’re going to be the shoeless bank from now on.â€
“But I wanted to be the shoeless teller,†Mallory said, laughing.
Chelsea chatted with the other tellers before she left, realizing that she had to go back to work eventually. Bethie and Sarah debated changing back into their proper shoes, but decided against it. Mallory continued working in just one wedge. Amazingly, she felt no urge at all to take her left shoe off, and her right foot did not hurt from tiptoeing most of the afternoon. Katerina spent the afternoon in her nylon feet, still complaining of her sore toes.
As the girls prepared to head home, Mallory reluctantly slipped her right shoe back on. “So what did you decide?†Sarah asked. “Shoes or no shoes?â€
“I’m not sure,†Mallory said. “I do love these shoes. But my right foot is telling me no.†She slipped her right shoe off again.
“I need to give these back,†Sarah said, stepping out of Bethie’s sky-high heels. “Ooh, I think I like my tights more, no question.â€
Bethie reached down and pulled Sarah’s booties from her feet. “I kind of like your booties,†she said. “But yeah, I’m leaning toward socks myself.â€
“I think I’m going to buy some Danskos,†Katerina said. “Chelsea’s shoes were so comfy on my feet earlier.â€
“Oh, so she was serious?†Sarah asked, slipping into her booties. “I missed this!â€
“Totally serious,†Katerina said, slipping her flats on gingerly. “Ooh! These are coming off before I get in the door tonight.â€
“I’m with you,†Bethie said, slipping her heels back on and growing in the process.
“So you have a big conference tomorrow,†Katerina said, looking at Mallory.
Mallory suddenly remembered the conference Mrs. Walsh had suggested to her after the interview. “I almost forgot!†Mallory said. “I was supposed to ask you earlier.â€
“Denise called me last night,†Katerina said. “She thinks it’ll be really good for you.â€
“I’m so nervous,†Mallory said. “Are these casual things? What should I wear?â€
“Anything you wear here will be fine,†Katerina said. “Though I’d probably wear heels if I were you.â€
“No wedges?†Mallory asked, nudging around her empty right shoe. She thought about taking off her other shoe, but they had to leave soon.
“Trust me,†Katerina said. “Wedges are cute, but I’d wear heels.â€
Mallory sighed as she slipped her wedge back on her right foot. “Then maybe I’m going shoe shopping, too,†she said as she walked back to the break room to retrieve her purse.
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This might be a good time (semi-shameless plug) to go back and peruse joshjack's "Sidesteps" for a hint at what might be coming for Mallory and friends...and, naturally, some new friends she meets along the way.
Steps To Awareness: Part 8 (Fiction)
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paradigm88
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