Suits You

I must confess, I was a little unsure about the clothes I had ordered. A lot of them were similar to the style of voodoo and the all had a particular emo look to them. However they weren't going to make someone look like a gentleman from the nineteen-twenties. But I suppose that was the point. Doctor Facilier had to blend in with this century, I only hoped that he would take to the clothing I had provided for him. It was from one of the world's most iconic suppliers.

I was in his hotel suite and I took a seat on one of the sofas in the living area just outside his bedroom. I talked to him through the closed door while he tried on several boxes worth of clothes. There were also more boxes in the living area and the hallway. I think there were twenty eight boxes full of new clothes. But finding just one outfit that Doctor Facilier would approve of seemed like a never ending challenge.

"Some of them even have voodoo on them." I tried to sound as reassuring as I could, but Doctor Facilier sounded less than impressed.

"This is an insult to my religion." I heard him complain. "Doesn't anybody take voodoo seriously anymore?"

"Well, I do." My attempt to remain positive was failing miserably.

"Any fool who goes around wearin' this stuff without paying any respect to my friends is gonna get on their bad side."

"Is it that disrespectful?" I enquired.

"Inescapably!"

I felt a little upset at myself since I thought he would appreciate the style. It turns out that casually wearing symbols such as these might actually be offensive to spirits like the Loa rather than paying tribute to them. I suddenly felt guilty because I might have even worn such articles of clothing myself. I did not mean them any disrespect. Even if I did owe my soul to them they're no less important to this world than Suenamoon. They have a purpose just like her. I may be frightened of them but I would never disrespect them.

"Perfect." He sounded more sarcastic than pleased. "The first jacket I find with tails and it's too warm for the likes of New Orleans. How's a man supposed to look like a gentleman?"

At that point I couldn't reply. I just sat there on the other side of the door with my knees tightly together and my fingers playing with each other.

"You can't honestly tell me folks these days are wearin' this stuff?" He complained again. "I look like a clown."

"I know plenty of men who wear goth and emo clothes." I declared.

"I thought you didn't have any friends?" He had a point. "Besides your ghost buddies."

"Well, I don't know them personally." I pulled out my phone and started looking for images on the website. "You can see models showing you how the clothes are supposed to look if you like. It might give you some idea about how to dress yourself." I tried to sound persuasive, but I just sounded hopeless. "You just might find something you like the look of."

For a second or two he didn't answer me back. "Alright, let me take a look."

I daren't open the door, for obvious reasons. "Are you decent?"

The door opened for me and I saw that Doctor Facilier was already back in his old suit, minus his hat.

"Here you go." I said handing him the phone. "Do you know how to use it? You just scroll your finger along-"

"-I've seen you work this gizmo. I'm sure I can figure it out."

I still felt a little disheartened as he closed the door and I was forced to returned to my seat. I was just waiting for him to tell me all over again how much he disliked the clothes he was expected to put on.

"You know, these guys don't look that bad." Did he really just say that? I suddenly lifted up my head to the sound of those words. "Some of them would even be passable in my time. Shame I can't get these duds to look that good on me. It's just not my style, I'll look like a rogue."

"No, you won't. I assure you. You'll look just fine." Once I noticed some kind of positivity to his attitude I had to encourage him to keep going. Just like he did for me yesterday come to think of it. "Please, just try on a set of clothes and let me see. I'll give you a more reliable opinion."

He hesitated for a moment "Mmmm...Alright. But don't laugh."

"I would have no reason to. I promise." I waited patiently until Doctor Facilier was ready to present himself. I shouldn't have been at all worried, but for some reason I was. Maybe because I feared that he really would look out of character.

After only five minutes of waiting the bedroom door finally opened. I stood up in anticipation as well as respect. The first thing I saw was back denim jeans, then a jacket of thick black material with white skeleton ribs imprinted on the chest that appeared to lead all the way around the back. It hung open just enough to expose a black shirt with an image of a realistic skull using it's metacarpals (skeleton hands) to pull down the rim of a black top hat.

"...You can't be serious." His words broke the silence as I paid close attention to what he was wearing. He wasn't very impressed.

"I am entirely serious." I was actually rather impressed with his judgment of style. "You look classically handsome."

"I don't feel handsome." He practically threw his hands up in the air and marched over to the mirror in the bedroom. "I feel so damn stupid! You can't honestly tell me that this fruitsuit is gonna make me look less conspicuous than the threads I've been wearing all these years."

"Well… to put it simply…yes." I had to be honest. If he didn't want to draw the wrong kind of attention then he couldn't wear his old clothes when out and about in the city. I took one last look up and down his body, which admittedly made me feel a bit embarrassed, but then I noticed a thing or two that might just improve things slightly. "How about a change of shoes?" I suggested. "Perhaps some black trainers. Or what the Americans refer to over here as 'sneakers'. There should be some in these boxes over here. They look like shoe boxes."

He sat back down on the bed and I noticed him roll his eyes as I started rummaging. I almost felt like I was letting him down, especially since it was my responsibility to ensure that he would be fit and ready for the century I had pulled him into.

"Now, these ones are a similar shape to your current ones. A taller neck. But I'm afraid you can't wear spats with these." I passed him the box. "They're almost like a multi-purpose shoe, they'll go with almost anything and they're very comfy for everyday use."

He took one out and just held it a few inches away from him suspended by the label held in his finger and thumb. I saddened the expression on my face as it seemed like my efforts had not impressed him yet again. I began to worry that I might never find something he'd feel comfortable wearing for the twenty-first century.

Doctor Facilier soon noticed the disheartened look I had. He relaxed his arm and let out a tiresome sigh. "Look, darlin'. I know I ain't exactly impressed with the fashion of this new world and I know I probably seem like I'm being a little awkward. But I really appreciate your help. I just want you to know that, alright?"

I looked up with my blue eyes and accepted his gratitude. "Alright."

"You got any more suggestions before I try these on?" At last he started smiling at me again, even if it was only slight.

"Well, I didn't want to mention it before because I know you must be very attached to it." I really didn't want to point this out, I sounded so inconsiderate. "But I'm afraid your top hat doesn't belong in this decade."

"Oh no." He placed his hand firmly on the rim. "This is the one piece of merchandise I'm keepin', if y'all don't mind."

It was only because of my concern that I tried to persuade him one last time to reconsider. "I love it, really I do. It makes you the individual you are." I tried to sound respectful. "But if you wear it around the city these days people are going to get the wrong impression about you. They'll think you're from a pantomime." I truly felt awful. I didn't want to say anymore. I couldn't ask him to do such a thing. "It's entirely your choice. I am only making a recommendation."

"I appreciate your recommendation, sweetheart. But my hat's my identity and I'd be naked without it."

I nodded my head. "I understand. I understand completely."

My moment of fashion advice was suddenly interrupted by the vibration of my mobile buzzing somewhere in the room.

I quickly panned around, last time I saw it was when I handed it to Doctor Facilier. Ah, there it was, on the dresser. I was actually surprised that it was ringing, just the day before I couldn't get a signal from my own hotel room. Perhaps being higher up helped.

I reached for the dresser and retrieved my phone. "Please excuse me." I asked sincerely as I answered my call. "Hello?"

"Charlotte, dearie. Where are you?" Oh no, my mother. "The lady at reception tells me that you have not yet left. Are you still at the hotel? You're not in your room."

"I'm still here, mum. I'll come down to reception to meet you. Just hold on a few more minutes."

"Well make haste, my dear. I need to make sure you look presentable before you go out with your dear mummy."

"Go out?" I suddenly felt confused and very very scared. My mother was always dragging me into difficult social situations that intimidated me.

"Yesterday you promised me that you would go to the television studio with myself and Jennifer to see your mummy during one of her productions. Oh, dearie. It's going to be a splendid day! It's not every day you can watch your mummy work now, is it? And just think, in a matter of weeks the whole world will be watching your mummy work on their own television. Isn't that wonderful?"

I couldn't stand my mother boasting about herself like that. If she's such a brilliant mother then why is she always over protecting me and neglecting my needs?

"Yes, mother. I'll be there in a matter of minutes. Just give me time to get myself sorted."

"Fair enough, but don't you dare be late. Time is of the essence when your part of a television program. The studio cannot wait forever you know."

She needn't have reminded me, I was already feeling rushed.

"I've got to go now, dearie." She finally concluded the phone call. "Kiss kiss!"

I just let my heavy hand containing my phone fall limp as I now had to leave my new friend and make my way down stairs.

"Family trouble?" Doctor Facilier had of course overheard what I'd said to my mum.

I let out a sigh. "Something like that… I'm afraid I have to go now."

"Hey, you run along. I'll be just fine." He stood up and came up behind me, placing his hands on my shoulders. "Really, darlin'. Don't you be worryin' about me."

It wasn't him I was worried about, it was myself. I remained tense as he rubbed his hands over my shoulders. It really didn't help. I politely pulled away as I turned round to face him.

"Want me to escort you down?" He offered.

"No, just to the door. You're not properly dressed without a change of shoes." I was forced to be honest about that.

He was true to his word as I opened the door to the suite with Doctor Facilier right behind me. I made my way out into the main hallway but there would be a surprise there waiting for me.

"I knew it!" The voice of my little sister echoed all the way down the hall from where she sat in her chair right in front of the open door.

"Jenny!?" I was utterly shocked. How on earth did she know to find me in this part of the hotel? "What are you doing here?"

"The reception lady, Miss Jonson, told me you'd made another booking." Jenny then leaned over the arm of her chair and saw the man behind me. "And it looks like you've given it to the hobo. Now what have you two been doing in there?"

"Jenny, please don't think so poorly of me. You know me better than that." I knelt in front of her wheelchair and pleaded my case desperately before my judgmental little sister. "I've been helping him find some new clothes, that's all. Look."

Doctor Facilier rolled his eyes as he was looked upon by who was probably the most opinionated individual he'd ever met.

"I see." Jenny spoke in a rather narked tone. "Charlie, your kindness is admirable. But one day it's going to bite you in the bum. If it hasn't already." She was right about that. I had already told her about my debt to the Loa spirits, I suppose that's what she was hinting at.

"I know." I looked down in a shameful way. "I know, Jenny."

"Mum wants you." This must have been the real reason she came up here to find me. "You do know that, right?"

"She's just phoned me and I was just on my way."

"You'd better get climbing down those stairs then, while I wait for the lift to come back up. I'll race you if you like."

I humoured my sister and honoured her request. At least it would give me a hint of happiness to mask my worry. "Alright. Just hold on a moment." I quickly reached inside the same pocked where I kept my phone and took out some money. "Here." I passed it to Doctor Facilier. "For anything you might require while I'm away." I wasn't sure how much there was in there. But if he needed any more then I could always give him some more later. Our family had about four-hundred-million pounds at our disposal anyway, that's about six-hundred-and-twenty-million dollars.

With that sorted I turned to my sister. "See you at the bottom." I called to her as I headed for the stairs. I left my sister waiting for the elevator, little did I know of the conversation she would have with the doctor while I was away.

"Why do you bad mouth me, kid?" Doctor Facilier asked.

"Because you're a stranger. And with my big sister being as shy as she is she wouldn't normally have taken someone in like this. She wouldn't have even talked to you! You must have some skills when it comes to manipulating people."

"Kid, you got me all wrong. I've taken a likin' to ya sister and I wouldn't dream of taking advantage of her like that. Besides, even if I was a bad guy, you ain't exactly in a position to do anything about it. You couldn't stop me just by using ya wit, kid."

"Oh yeah?" Jenny was about to reveal a secret. "I know you're a witchdoctor. Charlie told me so. That means you must already be aware that my sister is a witch. I also know that she's in trouble with the gods you worship."

Doctor Facilier was surprised at the information Jenny had learned.

"That's right. I know her little secret. And I'm the only 'mortal' who does. Besides you now." Jenny continued as the elevator finally arrived. "One of these days she's going to find her magic and you can guarantee that it'll be more powerful than yours will ever be. So you'd better not take advantage of her in any way, shape or form! Not if you know what's good for you."

But Doctor Facilier was not intimidated. "You're awfully quick to judge, to say you've only know me...What? Two days?"

Jenny began wheeling herself into the open elevator. "That's right. I've only known you for two days and I'm not inclined to trust you, Doctor Freakazoid or whatever your name is. Doctor Frankenstein."

"Is that the very best you can do, you little punk?"

"Doctor Oh-what-a-big-hat-I've-got-I-must-be-compensating-for-something."

The lift doors closed as Jenny stared laughing mockingly at both the doctor's old fashioned hat and her own comeback.