Author's notes: This was a fun chapter intended to set up future action, but many of you should enjoy this lighter side of Jane and get a fuller picture of Constance.

Chapter 25: A Fashion Statement

The week was going well. Everyone at school was talking about how Jane had confessed and gave up her old ways. Jane even had a prom date with her childhood buddy, Big Joe Vincenso, while Maura was going with Vinnie Tuctucci better known as Little Tucky. Teresa was going to be with her fiancé Big Tucky. The frail Italian girl was still making advances on Jane that were quickly rebuffed. The sleek brunette was close friends with Big Tucky and was torn between talking to him about these advances and her commitment not to inflect anymore damage on Teresa. The tall Italian convinced herself that it was just confusion by Teresa on her sexuality.

With the Junior Prom just a week away, all Maura could talk about was what dress she was going to wear. That night the conversation was all about dresses, an area that was not very familiar to the dark warrior. As matter of fact, the dress the slender Italian wore to Frankie's confirmation was the only one she owned. It had been her confirmation dress, let out over the years to accommodate growth. Jane told herself she would have to breakdown and go to Woolco's and buy a new dress.

Constance Isles assured her daughter the famous designer would have a new design and finished product by the Prom, "I will have the new design by Sunday. You and Jane will have to come in for a preliminary fitting on Monday and the dresses will be sewn by Tuesday evening. Then you'll have to come in for a final fitting on Thursday, so final alterations can be completed by Friday. It will be a tight schedule, but very doable."

Jane was a little confused and asked, "What do you mean dresses? I'll certainly come with Maura for her fittings, but is she getting more than one dress."

Constance smiled and patted the young brunette's hand and replied, "You will need to be fitted. I don't even have your measurements, so you will be measured."

Jane was uncomfortable with this conversation. The tall sleek Italian had never owned more than one dress, three pair of jeans and five blouses. So the taunt young woman replied shyly, "I was going to get a new dress at Woolco."

Constance was shocked, "Dear, that's unacceptable. Jane dear, I'm a fashion designer. You need only have asked and I would have designed you an entire line. In fact, that is what I am going to do. You will have your formal on the same schedule as my daughter. Before you protest, let me remind you of my position as a major designer.

You are part of our family now and must project an image that reflects well upon our family. Now, I think of you as a second daughter.

Now, you two go to school and let me take care of everything. Maura, I have your measurements. Jane, I need you to come straight home from school and I will get your measurements, then."

Jane didn't know what to say. The statuesque lady had called her daughter. The tough brunette fought down her tears and answered simply, "Thank you, Mrs. Isles."

Constance Isles smiled brilliantly and said causally, "Please call me Constance or mother if it pleases you."

With that said, the beautiful mother concentrated on stirring her morning tea; a special brew the lovely brunette had imported from India. Again Jane was near tears as she replied, "Thank you, Mother Constance."

The exquisite mother beamed her approval of the shy compromise and took a long sip of her special tea.

***SE***

Jane was to meet Maura's mother at her boutique on Royal St., just a few blocks off Canal St. Parking was a bit of a problem downtown. So, Jane and Maura took the street car to Canal and walked to the boutique. The two girls were greeted by Maurice, Constance's personal assistant, who led them into the fitting area.

Jane was told to strip down to her underwear, which the shy Italian girl did with great reluctance. Maurice and another young woman, who was introduced as Jean, started measuring Jane from head to toe, literally. When the two left, Jane was a deep red. Maura asked her girlfriend, "Why are you so embarrassed, they were measuring you to fit you properly?"

Jane stuttered, "He saw me in my underwear."

The honey blonde laughed so hard she started coughing, "Maurice is no more interested in you than you are in him. He likes young men in their early twenties."

The tall brunette replied, "Ohhhhh! Why did they measure the size of my head and feet?"

Maura grabbed her tough Italian's hand and said, "For hats and shoes, silly. Mother makes everything for an ensemble, down to the shoes, hats and belts. EVERYTHING is custom designed and made. Let her do what she does best and you will be happy. Our mother is a genius when it comes to clothes."

The dark Italian fighter shyly asked, "Can I get dressed now?"

The innocent girl shook her head side to side, "Mother must take a look. She will see the whole picture, which I might add is breathtaking, in order to design the perfect wardrobe suited just for you."

As if on cue, Constance Isles filled the room with her presence. She circled the young teen like a shark examining their next meal and said, "Lovely…so much to work with…tell me Jane have you ever considered modeling. You have the perfect build by which to hang clothes. I could really use a fresh look and you my dear have that look…It's just a thought…something to consider. Maura, we must do something with her underwear…It's so…utility…Go into the boutique and pick out…ten sets…you decide you have a good eye…meanwhile I'll get Jane a robe…she looks cold.

***SE***

The girls rode home with their mother in her limo. Constance sipped on some Champaign while Maura and Jane drank ice cold Cokes. Jane was exhausted from her measuring thing. The inexperience Italian had no idea what to call it.

When Maura came back with the underwear, the tough street thug had to try on each of the lacy, frilly sets of matching bra and panties. The tall young woman had to admit silk was much more comfortable than rayon. When each set of undies were in place, Mother Constance would circle her and make comments about how each color match the young Italians complexion.

In the end, ten set of bras and panties were selected for Jane to take home with her. When the dark hoodlum examined the price tags on each piece, she protested that it was too much. But her new mother would have none of it; the young teenager had to have proper lady's things. Maura assured her girlfriend that it made their mother happy. Constance Isles loved dressing people; money was just a byproduct.

Another consideration was the somewhat serious offer of a modeling job. It seemed that Constance was showing her new line in Paris, New York and New Orleans on the same day. Buyers from all over the world would be at the three shows.

The Paris show would be hosted by Constance herself. It was the show for her high fashion line. The New York show was for her line of lady's fashion for the department stores and was to be hosted by Maurice. The New Orleans show was for her new line of causal, sports and business wear; the most important being the business wear. More and more women were entering the job market and they would need clothing that blended into the corporate environment.

Constance asked Maura, if she could handle the backstage changes. The honey blonde had a natural taste in clothing and was very good with details. So the attractive mother was sure that her daughter could handle choreographing the changes, while insuring that all the outfits hung properly.

Additionally, the older Isles thought Jane had the perfect look to model the business wear. The fashionable socialite was confident that the tall Italian's physical abilities would make her a natural. Constance was convinced that the attractive young teen could be trained in no time how to walk the walkway and perform quick changes.

Jane wasn't so certain. The self-assured teenager really didn't like to do anything unless she confident in it being successful. However, Mother Constance had done and was doing so much for the tough young woman that she felt she owed the older woman enough to give it a try.

That night decided the entire issue. Maura was so excited about being behind the scenes managing the quick changes and overseeing the fit of the outfits that Jane didn't have the heart to disappoint her. So, the tough gang boss gave in to the chaste child. For the umpteenth time, the dangerous independent street warrior had to admit to herself that she was so wiped.

***SE***

That Thursday, Constance, Maura and Jane were seated in the boutique's main viewing area. The chic boutique was the hottest fashion center in the city. The shop's patrons were the cream of Southern society. At that very moment Natalie Wood was being fitted with a specially designed line of casual wear.

Miss Wood had filmed a movie in New Orleans the year before and had discovered the stylish shop of a famous Paris designer. When the young actress had heard that Constance Isles was living in New Orleans, she had her people contact Maurice to get the fashionable designer to work up a casual wardrobe for her.

The hot young actress was traveling with a therapist. The movie star had suffered terribly with her divorce from Robert Wagner and her last two roles had had a toll on the method actress. The movies 'Inside Daisy Clover' and 'This Property Was Condemned', both of which had co-starred the up and coming Robert Redford, had been too close and the emotional toll of using 'the method' had pushed the young woman into therapy.

The therapist was a nicely dressed forty-two year old professional woman with a trim figure and short legs. Her features were a little better than common, though it would be a stretch to call her pretty. The blonde had bright grey eyes and a pert nose, her best feature. The woman dressed fashionably and had a good eye for what suited her physique. The woman watched attentively as the famous designer showed and described to the young teen the line designed just for her.

"This is your prom formal', the designer explained as the first model appeared, "I think teal is your best color. So I made this of teal chiffon with lavender trim. I think the gown flows nicely. I cut it with your long legs in mind. What do you think?"

The model swirled gracefully around and then paused in various poses to show as many angles of the dress as possible. Jane looked at the long flowing soft blue dress and was amazed. The poor Italian girl never had the luxury to afford such a lovely and exotic dress. The dress was beautiful, but you see a hint of masculinity in the design. All Jane could muster without crying was, "Thank you, Mother Constance."

The next model came out wearing a black leather pant suit with large eight inch bell bottomed pants and cut tightly along the thigh and throughout the waist. The black leather jacket had pointed collars and a V-cut neckline, under the jacket was a lavender silk blouse with sharp collars and a long V-neckline. The flamboyant designer said, "This is an ensemble for casual wear. I have made three blouses for this outfit, the lavender you see, a soft teal and a blood red. There are four belts and seven scarves to emphasize the outfit. Maura can show you how to mix and match the items to enhance the outfit. Do you like it?"

Jane was awestruck. It was perfect. It was like the talented designer had reached inside the dark teen and plucked this from her dreams. Again all Jane could say was, "Thank you Mother Constance."

The first model returned sporting a navy blue pant suit made of a cotton-wool blend. It gave a hint of a man's business suit with six inch bells and a gold chain belt. The navy blue jacket was cut like a man's business suit. The black silk blouse with silver trim and a silver tie is very striking. I have designed five blouses and eight ties to complete this ensemble. The inventive designer said, "I had college in mind for this outfit. Well how is this one?"

Again Jane was astonished at how her new mother had managed to capture her nature in the breakfast. The outfit was near perfect and all Jane could say was, "Mother, I want to thank you for all this but there is more.

The second model reappeared wearing a short black leather mini-skirt with a black leather vest. The vest barely touched the top of a young woman's black pants. The vest covered a bright red and there are four more blouses to add to the wardrobe. The vest sported one large gold button. The model wore a pair of long black boots with three inch heels that hugged the models calf and thighs. The lovely mother again asked for the dark Italian's approval.

Jane didn't know how to respond to such generosity. So the emotionally stunned young woman replied, "I love it Mother Constance."

Finally, six models came out. The top designer stated, "These are everyday wear. The pants are denim hip huggers with six inch bell bottoms. As you can see they come in black, blue, grey, white, navy blue and green. They have matching cotton blouses and each sport a coordinated belt. These outfits could be worn with either the black leather jacket or vest. Well what do you think of all your new clothes?"

Jane was nearly hyperventilating with excitement, but the articulate Italian calmly replied, "Mother Constance, I can never repay all this. It is more than anyone has ever done for me. I know my mother didn't have the wherewithal to afford anything close to this, but you look inside of me and saw this and it is so perfect. You are by far the greatest designer in the world."

The statuesque brunette beamed with pride and informed the tall girl, she would have to be fitted for each outfit this evening. So four hours later the three left the boutique for the limo ride home.