Read Online The Summer I Learned to Dive by Shannon McCrimmon - Free Book Online Page B

difficult to walk, especially since I had taken my shoes off, only to discover that putting them back on would be even more painful.
    “Your grandmother will know what to do with your feet. I’ll have her take you to get a better pair of shoes tonight,” my grandfather said. I was surprised by his generosity.
    “Thank you.”
    A laconic man, he simply said “Yep” and walked away.

Chapter 7
    When I got back to my grandparents house, I had no energy left in me to do anything. I took a hot shower and crashed on the bed, and didn’t wake up until the next morning. My body was telling me to stay in bed. My mind made me get up and face another day of grueling work. I couldn’t quit, no matter how much my body wanted me to. I needed to try this, to see what it was like to have a job. I hobbled on my feet and quickly got dressed. My grandparents were talking in the kitchen.
    “Bless your heart. Finn, how are your feet?” Nana asked, watching me hobble.
    “Sore, but I’ll be okay,” I said, seeing my grandfather smirk.
    “I went out and got you a pair of shoes last night. I could see I wasn’t going to wake you and knew you couldn’t last another day in those awful shoes of yours.” She stared at my feet and shook her head slightly.
    “Thank you. What do I owe you?” I asked.
    “Nonsense. They didn’t cost much,” she said.
    “Please, let me pay you for them. I’m already infringing by staying here,” I said.
    “Don’t be ridiculous,” she said and kissed me on the head. She left the room and came back with the tennis shoes. They weren’t pretty, that’s for sure. Stark white with some type of orthopedic element, they belonged on an old person or a nurse, not an eighteen year old girl. I already had a difficult time with boys. Wearing these shoes would only make that problem worse.
    “Thank you,” I said and took them. The last thing I wanted to do was appear unappreciative. I sat down and put them on. They were bulky but comfortable. The soles felt spongy, as if my feet were on top of marshmallows.
    “I know they’re not pretty, but your feet will thank me,” she said. “The first year I worked at the diner, that’s all I wore and I was awfully glad I did.”
    “How come you don’t work there now?”
    “Oh, I work there from time to time. I still make the pies, though,” she said and laughed quietly.
    “We don’t have time for small talk. Love you,” my grandfather said, standing up and kissed her quickly. He motioned for me to follow him. I stood in my new shoes, feeling like I was walking on air. Nana was a lifesaver; the shoes would get me through a treacherous day of standing on my feet for hours.
    “Nana, they’re great! Thanks,” I said and hugged her before walking out the front door. My grandfather sat in his truck, tapping his fingers on the steering wheel staring at me impatiently.
    “They must fit alright,” he said.
    “Yes. They’re very comfortable,” I said, looking down at them, stretching my feet, moving them in circles.
    “Good,” he replied and said nothing more the entire ride to work.
    ***
    I walked into the office to put my purse in a locker. Jesse came in and stood beside me, opening his locker. He closed the door and then looked at me. I attempted to smile at him. “New shoes?” he asked, staring down at my feet.
    “Yes.”
    “You won’t get blisters. Those are orthopedic shoes. They’re made for old people with major foot problems,” he said.
    “That’s what I thought they were for. I feel like I’m walking on sponges,” I said, moving my feet up and down, feeling absurd once I did.
    “Did Lilly get those for you?” he asked.
    “Yes. How’d you know?”
    “She bought me a pair like those when I first started here.” He pointed to his shoes, which looked like mine, only they were black. “She takes care of everyone like that.” I was about to say something, but he left before I could.
    ***
    The next few days flew by quickly. The work