Purple Heart

Shoe Situation

Friday came, and today was a half-day, so Sara didn't quite have enough time to make another painting. But she was planning on doing more at home tonight. Once it was noon, Sara went with her cousins into the parking lot to meet up with their fathers.

"Hola, niñas," Cristobal smiled. "How was your day?"

"Muy bien, Papá," the twins chorused.

"And how's my estrellita?" Enrique smiled, hugging his daughter. "Are you excited for the art show on Sunday?"

"Sí, Papi," Sara smiled.

"Good to hear," Robin said sarcastically. "Sara, let me just say it's cute how everyone is looking forward to your art show."

"Gracias, Robin," Sara said awkwardly.

"But when my daddy's next shoe hits the market, I'm sure to be the most popular girl in school," Robin smirked.

Mr. McBride pulled out a piece of paper, showing a drawing of a transparent shoe with a high heel. "I hereby present to you the Cinderella Platform," he smirked. "It's made with genuine glass and has a 2½ inch heel."

"Real glass?" Lizbeth gaped. "Is that even a good idea?"

"No, it's not—it's a great idea," Mrs. McBride smirked. "It's sure to be a bigger hit than the McBride Pointe Platform."

But Enrique and Cristobal weren't so sure that a glass shoe would be the best thing to market.

"I wouldn't count on that," Cristobal frowned. "A glass slipper may be great in Cinderella, but it would cause some serious problems in real life."

"Like what?" Robin asked.

"Well, a girl's foot is sure to be suffocated in that thing, and when the shoes break, she'll cut her feet," Cristobal replied.

"Besides, your Cinderella shoe is sure to be a total bust, just like the McBride Pointe Platform," Enrique remarked.

"We'll see about that," Mr. McBride scoffed. But as he and his wife and daughter were about to leave, they realized what Enrique had just said and turned back to the family. "Wait, wait, what?"

"What do you mean the McBride Pointe Platform was a bust?" Mrs. McBride asked.

"It's been recalled," Enrique replied.

Robin couldn't believe what she was hearing. "What?" she gasped. "But it's barely even been a week since it was released. Why would they take it off the market so soon?"

"Better question, why would they take it off the market in the first place?" Mr. McBride asked.

"Because several girls and women have been injured using it," Cristobal replied. "Some ballerinas have sprained or broken their feet, and so far, one has even suffered a brain injury. That heel you added was really dangerous and unnecessary."

"And since every single shoe store in Heartlake Bay has a recall notice for the McBride Pointe Platform, you should already know that by now," Enrique snarked. "Well, we'd better get moving."

"See you on Monday, Robin," Sara said. She and Enrique got into their truck and rode off, and Cristobal did the same with his daughters.

Robin and her parents couldn't believe what they had just heard.

"I can't believe it," Robin gasped. "The McBride Pointe Platform has been recalled."

This was devastating news, but the McBrides were sure that Enrique and Cristobal were only joking. They were just too prideful to accept that.

"No, it can't be," Mrs. McBride chuckled. "He's just joking."

"That's right," Mr. McBride agreed. "They're just mad because the Cinderella Platform is going to make you popular, Robin."

"You're right, Daddy," Robin agreed. "There's no way the McBride Pointe Platform is off the market."

The McBrides got into the limousine and rode off. But as they rode around town, they saw that every shoe store they passed actually had a recall notice for the McBride Pointe Platform. Enrique wasn't kidding at all.

That night, Mr. McBride spoke to the shoe company on the phone about what had happened today, hoping that all of this was just a bad dream. "You can't be serious," he frowned. "The McBride Pointe Platform is much more unique than any ballet slipper in the whole entire world. That is not true, and once the Cinderella Platform hits the market...what? You've got to be kidding me—that better not be true. But...okay." Then he hung up.

"Well?" Mrs. McBride asked.

"The McBride Pointe Platform has been recalled," Mr. McBride said. "Enrique and Cristobal weren't kidding—every ballerina who has used this ballet slipper was rushed to the hospital with injuries."

Robin was disappointed, but she really hoped that not all was lost. "But they're still marketing the Cinderella Platform, aren't they?" she asked hopefully.

"No, Robin, they're not," Mr. McBride frowned. "They said genuine glass is terrible shoe material and several women will cut their feet wearing them."

"Oh, dear," Mrs. McBride frowned.

This was terrible luck. First, the McBride Pointe Platform had been recalled because it caused many ballerinas to get injured, and now the Cinderella Platform isn't even being marketed because more women were sure to be injured from wearing glass footwear. Robin was sad, frustrated, and angry.

"It's not fair!" Robin whined. "Two great things happen to Sara! First, her daddy comes home from the military, and then she gets asked to have an art show at the Heartlake Gallery. But the bad stuff always happens to me. I can't get Sara's art show cancelled, so I could have my own, and then the McBride Pointe Platform gets recalled—and they won't even market the Cinderella Platform. I wish something bad would happen to Sara."

"Don't worry, dear," Mrs. McBride said. "We'll fix Sara's little red wagon for sure."

At Sara's house, she, Luisa, Isabela, and Enrique decided to have a movie night. Isabela was making popcorn, and Sara was looking through the movies the family had. She reached into the back of the cabinet and pulled out a little box, inside which were playing cards in the theme of Alice in Wonderland.

"Wow, I thought I lost these," Sara gaped.

"Lost what, nena?" Enrique asked.

"The playing cards you sent me a few years ago," Sara replied. The box was so dusty that she let out a sneeze.

"Salud," Enrique said, taking the box. "How about a game after the movie?"

"Okay," Sara said. "Judging by the dust it collected, maybe we should clean out the movie cabinet when we've got the chance."

"Have you picked out a movie, Sara?" Luisa asked.

"How about Alice in Wonderland?" Sara suggested.

"Good choice," Enrique smiled.

Isabela entered the living room with a bowl of popcorn, and Sara put the tape in the VCR—and the family enjoyed the movie. Once the movie was over, Isabela and Luisa cleaned the dust out of the cabinet. Sara and Enrique went to play a card game.

"Oh, serving the country is good and all, but it feels good to have an ordinary life," Enrique smiled, shuffling the cards.

"I can't believe all it took to make this happen was for you to have heart replacement surgery," Sara remarked.

"Everything happens for a reason, nena," Enrique smiled. "We may not like it, but we'll have to accept it. So, what'll it be? Conquian or Crazy Eights?"

"Dealer's choice," Sara smiled.

"Gin rummy it is," Enrique smiled, shuffling the cards.

Enrique and Sara played a good game of Gin rummy. After that, everyone went to bed.