Chapter 25: The Clothing Store [Bonus]

Chapter 25: Chapter 25: The Clothing Store [Bonus]

Daniel and Lyra stepped through the door and into the clothing store. The interior was small but well-organized. Racks of clothes lined the walls, sorted by type and size. Shirts on the left. Pants on the right. Dresses in the back. A wooden counter sat near the entrance, empty for now. The floor was clean, swept recently. The air smelled like fresh fabric and lavender.

Daniel looked around. It was a decent place. Not fancy, but not cheap either. The kind of store where a middle-class family would shop. He spotted a few items that looked expensive. Silk shirts. Leather jackets. Fine wool pants. Those would be the ones he would target.

He turned to Lyra. "You want to get anything?"

Lyra shook her head. "No. I have enough clothes. This is about you."

Daniel shrugged. "Suit yourself."

He started exploring the store, moving between the racks. He touched the fabrics, checked the stitching, examined the buttons. He didn’t know much about fashion, but he knew quality when he saw it. Some of these clothes were well-made. Sturdy. They would last.

The door to the back room opened, and a woman appeared. She was middle-aged, with graying hair pulled back in a bun and kind eyes. She wore a simple apron over a plain dress. The shopkeeper.

She started walking toward Daniel, a polite greeting already forming on her lips. But before she could reach him, Daniel turned to Lyra.

"You’re doing the talking," he said quickly. "I’m going to play dumb."

Lyra raised an eyebrow. "Play dumb?"

"Trust me. I’m good at it."

The shopkeeper reached them. She looked at Daniel first, at his towel, at his bare chest, at his damp hair. Her expression flickered with confusion, but she was professional enough to keep her composure. She turned to Lyra.

"Welcome," she said. "How can I help you today?"

Lyra stepped forward. Her posture changed. Her expression shifted. When she spoke, her voice was soft and trembling. The voice of a girl who had been through hard times. The voice of someone who needed help.

"My lady," Lyra said, her voice cracking slightly. "I came here to buy clothes for my brother."

She gestured toward Daniel. The shopkeeper looked at him. Daniel stared blankly at a rack of shirts, his mouth slightly open, his eyes unfocused. He looked completely lost. Completely vacant.

Lyra continued, her voice thick with emotion. "He lost his voice when we were children. A terrible illness. He has never been able to speak a single word since." She paused, dabbing at her eye with her finger. "He always wanted to buy clothes. Nice clothes. But we were too poor. We couldn’t afford anything. He would just stand outside shops like this one and stare through the window."

The shopkeeper’s expression softened. She looked at Daniel again. He was still staring at the shirts, but now he had a faint, sad smile on his face. He looked like a man who had given up on his dreams.

"He has never complained," Lyra said, her voice breaking. "Not once. He just... he just accepts it. But I want to do something for him. Just this once. I saved up for months. I want to buy him something nice."

The shopkeeper’s eyes were wet. She reached out and placed a hand on Lyra’s shoulder.

"You’re a good sister," she said softly.

Lyra sniffled. "I try."

The shopkeeper looked at Daniel. Then at Lyra. Then she nodded.

"Alright," she said. "You can pick out some clothes. Take your time. Come to me when you’re ready."

She turned and walked back toward the counter, wiping her eyes with her apron. As soon as she was out of earshot, Lyra dropped the act. She turned to Daniel, a huge grin on her face.

"That," she whispered, "was amazing."

Daniel didn’t respond. He was still staring at the shirts, his mouth still slightly open, his eyes still vacant.

Lyra’s grin faded. "Daniel? You can stop now."

Daniel didn’t move.

Lyra waved a hand in front of his face. "Daniel. She’s gone. You can stop playing dumb."

Daniel blinked slowly. Then he turned to her. His expression was still blank.

"What?" he said, his voice flat.

Lyra stared at him. Then she laughed. A loud, genuine laugh that she had to cover with her hand.

"You’re still doing it!" she whispered. "She’s not even looking!"

Daniel held the blank expression for a moment longer. Then he grinned. "I know. I’m just that good."

Lyra shook her head, still laughing. "You’re impossible."

"I know." He turned back to the racks. "Now let’s pick some clothes."

He moved through the store with purpose. He found a dark blue silk shirt. Expensive. He found a pair of black leather pants. Even more expensive. He found a fine wool jacket, a pair of sturdy boots, and a leather belt with a silver buckle. He piled them all into his arms.

Lyra watched him. "Those look expensive."

"That’s the point."

They walked to the counter. The shopkeeper was still wiping her eyes, but she smiled when she saw them. Then she saw the pile of clothes in Daniel’s arms. Her smile faltered.

"That’s... quite a lot," she said.

Daniel nodded, his expression still sad and dreamy.

The shopkeeper looked at the clothes. The silk shirt. The leather pants. The wool jacket. The boots. The belt. She did some quick math in her head. Her eyes widened.

"Are you sure you want all of them?" she asked.

Daniel nodded again. Then he pointed at the pile and made a gesture, as if to say, "Please."

The shopkeeper looked at Lyra. Lyra shrugged, a helpless expression on her face.

"He’s been dreaming about this for years," she said softly. "I can’t say no to him."

The shopkeeper looked at the clothes again. Then at Daniel. At his sad, hopeful face. At his towel.

She took a breath. "Alright," she said. "Let me calculate the total."