They were her favourite gold mary-janes before she left them in his apartment that night, after that they were tainted with Will. It was if she had given a bit of herself to him that night by leaving them there. More than once she wished she'd given him all of herself.
They comforted her when she wore them down the aisle in Vegas, though the sticky carpet had scuffed them a bit. She mentioned it to Carl, feeling a wave of anxiety and he had calmed her and then showed her how to play blackjack.
They were perched neatly and discretely in their place during most of her short marriage. Carl wasn't overtly pushing, but he preferred her in the black patent leather t-straps he bought her from LAX on his way home from a conference.
She still polished them on Saturday afternoons during those months. She conditioned the shiny gold leather and remembered how Will had looked when he handed them back to her that day.
Will remembered them and it surprised her.
"I'm going to ask you on a date and I need you to say yes and wear those gold shoes" he had nervously stuttered a month after her annulment.
She asked why.
"You're always happy when you wear them, you walk taller".
She stepped on his toes in them because she was never much good at dancing but it was their second first date and he didn't care. He spun her around and relished her smile and remembered not to tell her that he loved her yet. He couldn't afford to startle her.
He found the buckles difficult to undo, he wanted to handle her gently. She rested her hand on his and stilled it. Kissed him and removed them herself. The shoes stayed on the floor of his apartment for 20 hours while they lay in bed learning each other's bodies.
"You're perfect…" he mused, running his hand along her bare arm. She rolled away and buried her face in the pillow but he guided her face back to his. "Emma. You're beautiful, I'm going to make you believe it" his whisper tickled her ear.
During their first real fight she thought fleetingly about throwing her shoes at him, maybe the chunky heels could knock some sense it to him. They'd met Carl at the grocery store and she clenched her fists and faked a smile until Carl had called her a 'nutcase' under his breathe and Will had retaliated with a fist to Carl's face.
"I can fight my own battles Will! I can't believe you would do something so stupid!" her voice almost broke she was so angry.
"I couldn't stand there and let him insult you like that"
"That's between Carl and I!"
"Like hell it is. You're the love of my life…." He ran out of breath.
"I don't think I can be with someone who punches people in the face" she turned to leave, not sure where she was going.
"I can't help it," he said soberly, grabbing her hand. "I'd do it again".
She did leave with her shoes that night but came back the next day after he left a note on her desk.
I was stupid and crazy and my hand hurts. I promise next time I'll just key his car instead. Sorry for scaring you.
She knew he was going to propose and she wore the shoes especially. They'd gone to an amateur production of 'Singin' in the rain' while on vacation in Virginia. In the interval he pulled out the ring box she had seen in his sock drawer.
"It would make me so happy if you'd marry me, Em" he opened the box.
She said yes and when the lights dimmed she watched the diamond sparkle as she taunted him with suggestive strokes of his chest and thighs and watched him suppressing a squirm.
She wore them on the plane after the wedding because they kept her nerves calm and her feet covered. Her parents had paid for an extravagant Australian honeymoon because they loved seeing Emma happy and they loved Will for making it happen.
"It's gorgeous," she said, hearing the heals click against the balcony floor, looking at the ocean.
"You are" he quipped, wrapping his arms around her and carrying her squealing to the bed.
The unimaginable happened when she didn't make it to the sink on time. As if morning sickness wasn't bad enough now she had vomit on her shoes. She cried about because Will was in Glee and Sue was being a massive jerk that day. She tottled into Glee practise in her emergency spares that weren't as pretty and felt defeated.
He noticed.
"Guys. I think we're gonna cut practise short today. I expect those duet assignments to be ready to show by Friday," he said, waving the kids off.
"Man, you are so whipped" Puck jested, noting the way he sped to Emma's side.
"Damn straight" Will shot back with a clumsy, challenging grin.
Emma couldn't help but laugh.
"How you feeling?" he played with the hair behind her ear.
"Good" she sighed.
"Liar" he smirked.
They went home and she felt asleep half way through her cup of tea and he spent the rest of the night googling gold mary-janes. The UPS man delivered a new pair the very next day.
She was eight months pregnant and couldn't bring herself to wear heels. Will watched her get dressed in awe and kissed her wrists, her stomach, and her chest.
"You're glowing"
"I can't believe we're nearly parents!" she was giddy with excitement. He couldn't help but hug her, even though it was a challenge.
"Will" she whispered.
"I love you," he said into her hair.
"…Something's happening…"
Will bought the shoes to the hospital and she put them on before being discharged. She might have imagined it, but she thought the girls could recognise the 'click clack' sound they made.
"One more" Will insisted, casting the camera in her direction.
"We need photos with you in them too Will" she spoke in between poses.
The maternity nurse offered and Will picked up Hannah, re-adjusting her distinctive woollen hat. Emma shifted closer to him with Annie sleeping in the crook of her elbow. He'd had a week of practise and could now put one arm around his wife's back and support on child in the other. They smiled, the twins stirred and Emma hoped her shoes were in the shot too because they really were a good luck charm.