Empty Shoes

Scott was nine years old when he understood a few things: being nine was only a little bit better than being eight, his first crush was on the pretty bow and strings of a violin being played, and Scott’s dad did not love him enough to stay.That final fact felt as heavy and wrong as the pair of black work shoes beside Mom's heels and Scott's sneakers. It wasn’t right, but the shoes stayed for far longer there than when his own dad was last around. The shoes had made a home here , Scott thought.