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“I can’t believe you still want shoes.”
Kate threw
her elder sister an irritating glance and returned to watching Joyce Meyer’s
‘Enjoying Everyday Life’ on TV.
“This is ‘The Shoe.’” Tracy ogled the tall Silver
shoe on her Notebook. “Take a look,” she nudged Kate with her elbow.
Kate
leaned over to give the shoe an uninterested look.
Standing elegantly on a shinny bejeweled tray, was
an ostentatious piece she thought was vain. The only thing she saw was the huge
amount of dollars the shoes cost, money that could be put to more meaningful
use.
“Look at the diamond stone on top,” Tracy enthused,
“it’s undiluted. This is a must have.”
“You have a whole room full of designer clothes,
bags and shoes, in all styles and shades and you can only wear one at a time.”
Tracy maneuvered her cursor to zoom in to the heel
of the shoe, scrutinizing it with a squint. “This will go best with my wedding
dress.”
“That was what you said two days ago when you bought
your wedding shoes.”
Tracy had dragged her to Vintage Store where she maxed out
her credit card to buy a very expensive pair of shoes that she claimed matched
her over-the-top wedding dress.
Sulkily avoiding her sister’s scolding look, Tracy
clicked away from the shoe. Moments after, her shriek startled Kate.
“I did it!”
“What?”
“I’m going to have those shoes.” She beamed at Kate.
“How?”
“Jerry is going to get them for me.” Kate looked
like she had been hit on the head. Tracy nodded excitedly and pointed to her
screen.
“You've been chatting with Jerry?”
Tracy nodded again.
“You are getting married in two weeks and you are
chatting with an old lover?”
“We are still friends.”
“You told me Mark insisted you cut all association
with Jerry.”
“Something like that, but Mark can’t afford to give
me all I need. He’s just a struggling lawyer. I showed him the shoes two days
ago and all he saw was the price tag.”
“But he loves you.” Tracy’s look admitted that much.
No man had ever loved her so unconditionally like
Mark. They've been neighbors and friends since childhood and Mark had not stop
professing his love for her since they were sixteen. He had seen Tracy go in
and out of affairs with men and still had not stop asking her to marry him.
“Only few men can live with your acquisitive habit.
If you have a man like Mark still wanting you at thirty-six, I think you should
do all you can to keep him.”
“Yeah,” Tracy agreed.
Jerry had told her marriage was not for him. She
knew how blessed she was to have Mark. She knew she shouldn't be jeopardizing
the beautiful relationship they shared. She needed to get settled and have
children. But she still wanted the shoes and Jerry had told her it was no big
deal, as long as she would have dinner with him tonight. Just one more dinner
with her generous, fun-loving Jerry, before she becomes Mrs. Tracy Mark Aaron.
Mark didn't have to know.
“I don’t want to see that guy with you anymore or
the wedding is off.” Mark’s firm words rushed to her mind. He had never sounded
so stern with her and she knew he was dead serious with that threat.
“Just one more dinner won’t hurt anyone.”
Kate threw the remote on the sofa they sat on and
got on her feet, close to tears.
“For years, we've both been praying to God for
you to get married, but you keep frustrating God’s plan with your selfish
attitudes. What’s wrong with you? Can’t you ever be contented? Always wanting
more of everything? We are supposed to be Christians for crying out loud.” She
picked her bag and walked out of the room.
“Good riddance,” Tracy muttered as Kate shut the
door. “Now, I can prepare for dinner with Jerry.
*****************
Tracy opened the door to let Jerry in.
“You look ravishing.” He kissed her.
“We shouldn't be doing this.” She pushed him away
playfully.
“You shouldn't have sent me the mail.” He pulled her
close for another kiss. A shadow darkened the open doorway.
“Mark!” She stepped back from Jerry.
Mark stood shocked, a shinny shoebox trembling in
his hands. “I bought you the shoes, but I see you won’t need them after all.
Good bye Tracy.”
"And He said to them, “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for
one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.”
Luke 12:15
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