That was all going to change. I was ready, and it was high time, too. I sat down and reluctantly slid my feet out of the shoes, then put my old loafers on again. “You’re really going to buy those?” Mom asked, her voice heavy with disapproval.
“Yep, and it’s my money, so I can get them if I want to. They’ll go great with that black velvet dress.” Before she could stop me, and before I could change my mind, I handed my credit card over to the salesman. If I didn’t eat out for a month and stayed away from the bookstore, I could probably pay the shoes off in a couple of months. By then, I was sure I’d have worn them several times and my life would have changed completely.
Once I’d signed the credit card slip and had the shoes packed carefully into a big shopping bag, I had to resist the temptation to peek in the bag repeatedly on the way down the escalators and out of the store.
“I don’t know what’s gotten into you, Katie,” Mom said. “You were always so practical.”
“But Mom, practical is boring. I want to do something different. It’ll be good for me to get a little wild and crazy. I’m only twenty-six, and I act and dress like a middle-aged woman. This is my chance to get out of my rut and shake things up.”
She looked at me with wry amusement. “And you think those shoes are the key?”
“I think it’s the attitude the shoes give me. They’re like Dorothy’s ruby slippers, only they get me away from home instead of taking me home.”
“I’m sure you know what’s best for you.”
I thought I did. But then I was hit by a wave of buyer’s remorse. I looked into the bag again, wondering if I should turn around and return the shoes. Who was I kidding? They were totally impractical, and me wearing those shoes would be like a Halloween costume. Nobody would believe it. They’d just think it was sweet little Katie, trying to act all grown-up and sexy. They’d laugh at me instead of being impressed.
“Maybe you’re right,” I said with a deep sigh. “Where am I going to wear these, anyway?”
“Thank goodness. I knew you’d see reason eventually.”
We turned around to head back to Bloomingdale’s, but we must have caught the surveillance detail off-guard, for they didn’t have time to get out of sight—and since I doubted they yet knew about Mom’s immunity, they probably weren’t concerned about staying out of sight. We nearly came face-to-face with a hovering gargoyle.
I grabbed Mom’s shoulder and spun her around to walk in the opposite direction. “On second thought, they’ll think I’m crazy if I go right back. Let’s window-shop a while longer and then we can return the shoes.”
As we walked away, I glanced back over my shoulder, trying silently to signal the gargoyle that it had to stay well out of sight, but it was gone.
“Did you see that?” Mom asked, also looking over her shoulder.
I tried to keep her moving forward. “See what?”
“There was this thing, flying right at us.”
“I think a little kid had a helium balloon. The street vendors are really out today. Want to buy a designer knockoff purse?”
She glanced over her shoulder again. “No, I don’t think it’s on a string.”
I looked behind us, but the gargoyle must have finally caught a clue and ducked out of sight. I’d have to have a word with Sam about his people. This one seemed a bit slow. “Well, there’s nothing there now,” I said, steering Mom around the corner.
“Why don’t you return the shoes now, and then we won’t have to worry about coming back.”
I peered into my shopping bag and even opened the shoe box lid a crack so I could admire the red stilettos. “On second thought, I’ve changed my mind. I want to keep them. They’re the most beautiful shoes I’ve ever owned.”
She shook her head wearily. “Well, if you say so. But I’m not letting you spend anymore money today.”
“There’s nothing more I want to buy.”
“Then we can get lunch. I want to go to a deli, like in the movies.”
This part of town wasn’t my usual stomping grounds, but you can’t swing a dead cat in Manhattan without hitting a deli, so finding a place for lunch wasn’t too difficult. I doubted that the fact that there was an available table at the first deli we found on a day like today was a good sign of quality food, but I didn’t feel like looking for anything else, so we settled in for lunch. It’s pretty hard to mess up a corned-beef sandwich. I pondered trying on my new shoes again while Mom studied the menu.
