That Which You Are, The Mirror You Become, Part 4/?
The three of them stood in the garage of the Firehouse, and Maria froze, a questioning look on her face.
“So we aren’t taking the ECTO-1?” Maria asked, no longer speaking in a near-whisper.
“No, I don’t think that kind of publicity is necessary right now. Anyway, I like driving my car. I’ll pay for the clothes this time. That nice auctioneer saw what happened and gave us the whole payment instead of the split deal. And Ed-er-Maria, you’ll be happy to know that we paid all the bills, so you have your TV again.”
“That’s the first bit of good news all day,” she said, a calmer melody in her voice.
“You know, you have a really pretty voice, Maria, did your mom have a nice voice?”
“Yeah-she used to sing me to sleep when I was little,” Maria said, smiling a little.
Kyle said, “Yeah, I sound a lot like my dad…not the best thing, but I guess it works.”
Maria’s smile seemed to glow as she reminisced about her childhood before her mother died.
The many stores in Times Square overwhelmed their senses as Janine took them shopping. She pulled them into a trendy little boutique and said, “Have fun, you two-I have some shopping of my own to do for a moment,” and she walked away, knowing full well those two would leave that store in an instant. She tailed them both, watching them converse as Kyle dragged his friend and co-worker into a less mainstream store and pulled several outfits off the racks for her and pushed her into a fitting room. She felt happy to watch them interact, seeing Kyle light up every time Maria came out with a new outfit.
“Do I really look that good? I don’t think leather agrees with me,” Maria said, itching at the knee-length skirt Kyle picked out for her.
“But you look amazing…mebbe we should pick something less “me” and more “you””
“You mean, comfortable and non-Nine Inch Nails wannabe?”
“If you call it that; c’mon, I’ll show you some places I think you’ll like.”
He dragged her over to a smaller store and picked out some jeans and cute shirts in calm colors.
“Now that’s more like it,” Maria said, relieved, “I never understood fashion any.”
“You didn’t need to, that’s why. We still need to get you a new bra; mine’s way too small for your chest.”
“Aw, maaaann…do we have to?”
“Doesn’t your chest feel tight?”
“Um, yeah-kinda…but is it gonna make that much of a difference?”
“A world of difference,” he intoned emphatically.
After picking out a comfortable ensemble that looked excellent but tasteful on Maria, they went to the lingerie section of the department store on the corner and Janine chose this moment to come back, saying, “Oh, Maria, you look gorgeous! That color looks wonderful on you-it brings out your eyes.”
Blushing, Maria said, “Yeah, whatever…Kyle’s draggin’ me to the lingerie department…”
“Yeah, that bra looks uncomfortable on your chest.”
“That’s what he’s saying.”
Janine went to the counter and said, “Excuse me, but my niece has experienced a bit of a growth spurt-can I get her fitted?”
“Of course, ma’am…is she uncomfortable with this?”
“Yes…she’s rather self-conscious about her body, you know how that goes.”
“Indeed, ma’am,” the person said with a knowing smile as she came to Maria and said, “Come with me, we’ll get you fitted properly.”
Both Kyle and Janine sniggered at the horrified face Maria had as she mouthed the word “Traitors!” to them both as she went into a fitting room.
“Ya think we were too hard on her?” Kyle asked Janine.
“Nah, I think it’s good for her to get a jolt out of those doldrums she’s been in.”
“I hope so,” Kyle said as a fire-red Maria came out, the curve of her chest more pronounced as she wore a more comfortable bra and said, “You owe me BIG TIME…that was…FREAKY.”
Kyle placed his hands on Maria’s shoulders and said, “That’s life for us.”
Looking down and shrugging Kyle’s hands off her shoulders and said, “Well, I don’t want it to be my life for very long, okay?”
“Understood-now once you get your stuff paid for here, we need to get you a nightgown or something and then you need to help me pick out some guy clothes.”
“Okay…she forced panties on me as well, so don’t even THINK of getting me those, either.”
“Awww…and that was gonna be the fun part!” Kyle said, laughing.
“If I had a proton pack, I’d blast that face right offa you,” she growled, only coming up to shoulder-level on Kyle.
“Now I know why you make all the short cracks with me-it IS kinda funny to see you get all riled up.”
“And I know the one thing all guys are weak to,” Maria said before socking Kyle in the balls, smirking viciously as he went down, tearing up because of the pain.
“You bitch! No low shots!”
“Welcome to a guy’s life,” she answered coldly, offering her hand to help him up.
“Jeez, are you being that vindictive and oversensitive that you’d hurt me?”
“I’m a chick, that’s what you’d do any other time.”
“Touché…let’s just get this taken care of.”
Their mutual bad mood continued through the trek to find sleeping clothes for Maria that she would actually submit to wearing, finally settling on a satiny pajama top and bottom in black.
“It’s comfy, I guess-a little slick on me, but it felt good enough,” she muttered, shoving the clothing into another bag. She looked at the shoes Kyle gave her to wear and said, slapping her forehead, “I just noticed…Kyle’s feet’re bigger than mine now…I know what you’re going to say and you’re right-”
Janine brightened and said, “Shoe shopping!”
Kyle looked at Janine and said, “We need something that can be usable while busting. I know a few places that specialize in that kinda stuff.”
Kyle took Maria to an army surplus store and asked the man at the counter for some combat boots in Maria’s size, after measuring.
“Eh, doesn’t exactly go with the outfit, but it’ll work,” Maria said, looking at the boots in comparison to the rest of her outfit.
“Look at the little shoe connoisseur. Do you wanna buy something else?”
“Mebbe some basic tennis shoes…just for going out on the town…I can use the boots when busting.”
“Oy…you’re always full of surprises, aren’t you?” Kyle remarked, paying for the boots.
“That’s the job of a Rivera!” she said in the brightest voice all day.
They then moved and got a plain set of white sneakers, and with very little incidence, Maria guided Kyle to utilitarian and comfortable clothing.
“Buying for men really is simple and easy,” Kyle remarked, feeling good in the new clothes.
“Told you-that’s why I liked being a guy-very few complications outside of the realm of women.”
“And you’re learning about that right now…so you should be fine.”
“Whatever you say…”
Maria walked with Kyle, sneaking a hand hold here and there without realizing it, and said, “Ya know, I think this is a mistake to say, but I think I understand why chicks like shopping-it feels kinda good, y’know, like in a cleansing sorta way.”
“Yeah-I don’t do it a lot, but when I do, it feels pretty nice. Hey, Maria-you’re walking pretty girly already, I just noticed.”
Looking down at her sauntering stride, Maria raised her eyebrows and said, “Yeah, you’re right-I guess things just felt more comfortable like that.”
“It’s kinda cute, actually-you have the hips for that kinda walk.”
“Thanks for emphasizing the fact that I have chick hips.”
“Yer welcome…are you really that sensitive to stuff like that?”
“Would you enjoy it if I said that you have nice arms and abs and that your package is GRANDE?”
Looking down, Kyle suddenly felt very aware of himself and said, “Point taken. Let’s get back before Egon sends out a search party.”
“Agreed.”
.