Read The Shoes Come First: A Jennifer Cloud Novel Page 9

Chapter 3

  Eli graduated high school and decided he wanted to study chiropractic. He moved to Iowa to go to chiropractic school. I had never been to a chiropractor, but Dad took Eli once when he injured his shoulder in football practice. Mamma Bea told us those chiropractors were like witches laying their hands on your bones and making them go pop.

  I devoted the next two years to getting through school. I never made grades as good as Eli’s or Melody’s. My mom always said I was too busy thinking about my next pair of shoes or trying to coordinate my outfits.

  I spent the summers reading fashion magazines and lying around Jake’s pool, talking about what we wanted to do after graduation. Jake had a scholarship to run track at Texas Tech University. This was great for him but several hours away from me. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do. Probably I would pursue something in fashion. My parents thought it would be good for me to start out at junior college since my grades wouldn’t get me in a four-year school.

  I overheard Mamma Bea ask once, “The first two were so smart; what happened to that one?”

  My dad just smiled and replied, “Jennifer will figure things out in time.” Go, Dad.