Sky of Bombs, Sky of Stars by Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch

Author:Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Pajama Press Inc.
Published: 2021-12-15T00:00:00+00:00

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When she had met her family for the first time, she had been wearing rain boots. Tuyet could barely walk in the white boots, which were many sizes too large. But it was raining outside, and the care workers couldn’t find anything else for her to wear. She couldn’t leave the building in Toronto barefoot.

Everyone else in the Morris family had a pair of shoes. Even Aaron, who was still a baby, had shoes! Beth’s favorite shoes were beautiful shiny red ones with a strap across the top. Tuyet loved gliding her finger over their smooth, glossy surfaces. Lara’s favorites were bright pink running shoes. Not only were they pretty, but they had tough, rubbery soles that were perfect for running and kicking a ball. Tuyet longed to run and kick a ball. She could barely walk in the big white boots. But she knew that even if she had shoes like everybody else, she still wouldn’t be able to kick a ball. She’d need two good feet inside the shoes to be able to do that.

Mom knew that Tuyet wanted shoes of her own instead of the ugly white boots. Tuyet had only been in Brantford for a couple of days when Mom took her shoe shopping at the huge Woolco store. Tuyet looked at the racks and racks of shoes in every imaginable style and every possible size. She couldn’t believe that stores could be so big. Tuyet limped through the aisles, wishing she could wear a pair of shoes like other people. Mom followed behind, her brow knitted in thought.

Tuyet picked out a pair of red shiny shoes. They were just like Beth’s.

Mom held onto the shoes, but they kept on looking. Suddenly, Mom’s eyes lit up. She grabbed something from a rack above Tuyet’s eye level and then motioned for Tuyet to sit in a chair.

Mom knelt down and drew off the ugly rubber boots. Onto the right foot, she slipped a red shoe. She pulled the strap tight across the top of Tuyet’s foot and fastened the buckle.

Tuyet straightened out her good knee and admired her healthy foot. The shoe looked beautiful from every angle. If only the matching shoe would fit onto her tiny left foot with the bent ankle, but of course she knew that wasn’t possible.

She smiled at Mom to hide the heaviness in her heart. She knew how hard Mom was trying, and that in itself felt good.

Mom grinned mischievously and showed Tuyet the other item. It was red as well, but it looked like a small sweater. Mom gently drew off the other rubber boot and carefully pulled the red knitted thing over Tuyet’s tiny foot, making sure not to hurt her bent ankle, drawing it up to her calf.

Once it was on, Tuyet realized that it wasn’t a sweater, but a soft slipper with a sturdy leather sole. She looked down at both of her feet and nearly wept. For the first time in her life, she

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