The Girl in Blue Suede Shoes: a short story

3

It was a dark day. November 6th—the last day Charles had seen Elliote and they danced in the rain one last time.

He spent most of the day in bed, reading The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe with the blue suede shoes staring at him from the opposite wall. Morning passed, brunch passed, and the afternoon dallied along when he closed the cover of the book. Charles sighed, his heart hurting to see her again, even after five years.

The clock showed five when the rain began to pound on the window. Charles got out of bed and took a duffel from his closet. He emptied it's contents and wiped the 14 blue shoes into it along with his book. He put on a men's pair of blue suede shoes he invested in a few years ago, he even dared to put stamps and stickers on the sides and wear the toes.

Charles took a blade and some cream in the bathroom, shaved his face clean and smoothed back his hair. He put on a coat, took the bag and book and went to his front porch, watching the rain pour.

The rain grew harder, nearly convincing Charles to step in, dance and be free. His heart tugged at the idea but he shook his head at the world.

Charles sat above the steps on the white porch, just before the rain could touch him. He took his copy of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and read to the rain. "Once," He cleared his throat. "there were four children...whose names were—," His voice broke. Charles braced himself and cleared his throat louder, the rain fell harder. "Once—there were four children—whose names were—," Charles tossed the book aside and held his face in his hands between his knees. His breath shook as the rain fell even harder, brushing the toes of his blue suede shoes.

"Once there were four children whose names were Peter—Susan—Edmund—and Lucy." A kind, familiar voice whispered.

Charles' head shot up. "Who said that?" His puffy eyes narrowed during his scan of every inch of the rain.

"Me."

"Where are you?" He whispered, now standing on his porch. His heart beat faster.

She laughed, quietly, it was almost a hum.
"I can hear your heart pounding from up here."

"Up there?" He smiled, his heart raced, his mind spun and as a woman carried herself down from the rooftop and onto the porch. She closed her black umbrella with delicate hands and set it against the porch post.

Elliote stood before him, barefoot, wearing her navy blue winter coat, now perfect for her size, her same brown skirt sewed into shorts and grey-knit leggings frayed visibly at the knees. Her ocean eyes were even brighter than before, and her fluffy blonde curls reaching to her waist held their fall leaves and spring flowers.

Her eyes were nervous, wide and waiting. It took a large amount of concentration for Charles to tear his eyes away from his girl.

He scooped up the duffel and picked out a pair of blue suede shoes. A newer pair, more fitting for a woman, with stamps on the side and stickers with leaves, flowers and snowflakes. Charles motioned for her to sit on a stool in the corner. She obliged.

Charles took the shoes and slid them onto her feet in a perfect fit. Elliote chewed on her lip to contain her smile but when Charles smiled at her, she couldn't contain it any longer.

"My girl in blue suede shoes." He smiled.

She threw her arms around him, he did the same to her. Charles lifted Elliote from her feet and hugged her, held her before she broke and kept her safe like he forever intended to.

"Charles?"

"My dearest, Elliote." They both chuckled, crying happy tears and held each other closer.

"I've missed you." Charles said, pushing her away to see her face again.

"I've missed you, too." She replied, wiping the escaped tears with her thumb. Her smile was radiant.

They sat on the porch, sniffling from the overwhelming reunion aftermath. She held his hand in her lap, refusing to let it go when Charles asked kindly for it back.

"Ell?" He held their gaze. "What made you go?" Elliote looked at Charles, horrified at the question but half expecting it. She smiled, the nervousness shone in her ocean eyes. Charles smiled back. Elliote laughed and leaned her head on his shoulder as the rain knocked against the roof.

Elliote released a heavy, broken sigh. "I don't like reality, Charles." Her voice shook as she whispered. "I grew up being told and knowing that I can be who I want to be. But the person I want to be isn't the kind that—society wants. I just want to be free, like a bird, I want to soar! I want to skip on the beach and run in a field of flowers until my legs are tired. I-I want to dance in the rain every single day, I want to ride boats across the ocean and just let the sea spray touch me. I want to count the leaves and the flowers so I can put them in my hair. I want to be happy like I used to be. I don't want to be held up against the wall, being scolded for doing just that." He kissed her forehead. "So, I on an adventure, intending to find the 'real me' that society needs me to be, to escape reality for as along as I could." She pressed her teared face into his shoulder. "Yet, here I am, a woman, wearing a child's clothing and breaking because I can't seem to find whoever they desire. I don't—like—reality."

Charles wrapped his arm around her shoulder and tugged her into his chest. Elliote cried softly, gripping his shirt. For a few minutes, they sat there, just like that.

Charles picked her up and set her on her feet. She looked at him from beneath her lashes, the tears still falling slowly. He held her hands and began walking towards the rain, holding their gaze like if he let it go, he'd lose it forever.

"Come dance with me." He led her out into the drops of rain, they fell down her cheeks as she tipped her head back slightly to feel them. Charles smiled, and tugged at her waist, breaking her thoughts to collide their lips. They moved as one, like that day long ago, and smiled against each other. They pulled away, reluctantly, and slowly danced in the rain to Elliote's sweet hum between the drops.

The tears on Elliote's face continued to fall, but her smile brightened the night alone.

Charles pulled her closer and whispered into her hair, "Go on an adventure with me, Ell. Away from reality, for a little while and when we come back, we'll work things out."

She lifted her head from his shoulder. "What?"

"Let's go on an adventure. Make up for the years we missed. We can do what you want, do it without thinking, sail that boat, run through those flowers, dance in rains of paradise. You and I, hand in hand, my love, let's conquer the world."

Elliote closed her eyes and rested against his shoulder again. She said the word that held the world together again. She said,

"Yes."

They both knew, that her answer wasn't only for an adventure. That night, the two danced in the rain until their clothes were soaked through and their blue suede shoes could take no more.

They went on an adventure, an adventure of being free and never looked back. Charles—and his girl in blue suede shoes.

The End.