Jack's eyes roamed over the row of suits, his hands stuffed deep in his pockets like anchors buried in sand. he, or any of them, belonged in here.
But it was the finest store they had ever been in; Green suits, blue suits, cotton suits, wool suits, classic black, pinstripe...He heard the guys murmuring behind him as they touched the jackets, their fingers lingering, eyes gleaming as they ogled over the ties in the lighted shadow boxes, the shoes on pedatals.
"This tie costs more than everything I own," Spot scoffed.
"'s a good thing ya stole everythin' ya own," Race muttered.
The guys fought to hide their laughter. The store attendants looked at each other doubiously and back again to the young men.
The store was lined with oak panels and tall columns, green glass lamps, and big round pedestals for men to stand on in front of paneled mirrors which glowed with soft yellow back lights.
A short bald man wearing a gray suit bee lined for Medda, who entered behind the boys. They were acquainted with each other, for Medda greeted him in true european fashion and he twittered in her ear for a moment. The boys wandered about the store...
They'd never been in one like this. It's not like they were invited-allowed-in stores like this, let alone on 5th Ave. back in their day... They were excited, but couldn't help feeling out of place. Big time.
Jack faltered for a moment: how were they going to pull this off? He glanced up at the women behind the oak counter at the back of the store,watching him and his friends carefully.
"Mush, you're up first," Medda said loudly, plucking Mush from the safety of the group and pulling him up onto one of the low pedestals.
"Tailored fit," Medda murmured to the shop owner. "No high waters. I want him in a navy suit, white button down."
Mush looked at the others with raised eyebrows and they laughed.
"Knows what she's doin'," Specs said approvingly. "We're gonna look sharp, fellas."
The shop owner snapped his fingers and his assistants lept into action, buzzing around the boys like worker bees.
Each of them were measured as they stood there motionless, their arms and legs tugged and moved this way and that.
"Good thing we've been workin' out," said Specs. Bumlets let out a loud laugh.
After some time, the shop attendants pieced together their suits effortlessly. Touching this fabric, grabbing that belt, these socks with those shoes, etc. They were each given their own look. Medda made sure their looks matched their personalities; she even found Spot a cap that reminded him of his old one.
"Haven't seen one like this in decades!" he exclaimed. "Ah, and silk lining...classic."He winked at Medda.
The guys laughed harder, and Medda fought to suppress her smile.
"Is this what it felt like, Jack?" Skittery asked as he turned in front of the panelled wall of mirrors in front of his pedastl. "When Weasel dressed ya?"
The guys laughed, and Medda whispered "That's your cue, cowboy" next to the floor length velvet green curtain that concealed jack's dressing room.
Jack looked up at the sound of her voice, pushing his hair back with his hand-an age long tick-before fumbling with the buttons on his vest, then his jacket. The suit felt like water; he didn't dare look at the price tags. But he knew-he felt-he looked good. The shine on his shoes told him so.
At the same time, he felt strange, like he had the last time he'd been put in a suit... It wasn't him.
But he wasn't doing this for him.
He took a breath before pulling back the heavy weight curtain.
Medda beamed, her eyes drinking him in. Blacked out from jacket to socks, he looked like a man. It fit him like a damn dream, as she exclaimed out loud, making the guys laugh and the store attendants giggle under their breath. Medda wanted him to stand out. And he did.
"She won't be able to take her eyes off you," Medda murmured as she smoothed down his shirt collar.
"He looks like a mob boss," Bumlets mumbled.
"That means I can kill ya," Jack shot back. The guys roared.
"But they'll accpet you," Medda said, smooth and serious. "You'll be able to play the part, and get close to her."
Jack looked in the mirror, seeing his figured dressed in all black. He looked...as he'd never seen himself before.
"As close as she'll let me," he said.
