WARDROBE

Aunty Mayble drove in the SUV into the mall's parking area and drew into a vacant parking bay. As soon as the vehicle stopped all four of the occupants, that is aunty Mayble, Tonde, Charmaine and Luckson got out. Aunty Mayble pressed the button on her car key remote which she was pointing at the vehicle. The SUV's lights winked in response accompanied by a high pitched whine and the sound locking doors.

"What do you think?", aunty Mayble asked proudly at the three youngsters.

"This what you had in mind", mused Tonde.

"Yes my son", aunty Mayble threw her son smile. "This is where people shop for real clothes and not those funny shops you like to go, added aunty Mayble with an amused expression.

"Ouch! that hurt, mum", joked Tonde.

"The truth can be brutal my son", she returned playfully.

This way aunty Mayble said leading the way the way to the mall's entrance.

"But you have to admit that those 'funny' shops as you call them have cool stuff", said Tonde.

"You are referring to the baggy pants they sell in which you can literally fit ten people...", mused aunty Mayble.

"Point taken", said Tonde stopping his mother from saying much more on the topic as she led them through the glass doors of, The house of a style. An uppmarket clothing boutique. An assistant with an engaging smile and expensively attired in a beautiful suit approached aunty Mayble. "How many I assist you madam?", he asked politely.

"We want clothes for my nephew, here", she said referring to Luckson. The shop assistant followed aunty Mayble's gaze to Luckson before adding.

"I 'm looking at a complete wardrobe makeover from casual, evening to formal wear.

"Yes we can certainly do something for the young man", the shop assistant remarked.

"If I may I take his measurements", he added as if by magic producing a tape measure from a pocket.

"Go ahead" consented aunty Mayble.

The shop assistant proceeded to take measure Luckson's measurements. He asked Luckson to stand very straight and stretch out his arms. The shop assistant proceeded to take various measurements which he jotted into a notebook that he seemed to miraculously produce out of nowhere by the quick movements of his hands.

At least the shop assistant was done with taking measurements and turned to aunty Mayble.

"Shall we start with casual wear and work out way to formal through to night wear?", he inquired seeking confirmation.

"Yes please", confirmed aunty Mayble.

"May I get you a chair, madam, this may take a while?", the shop assistant added.

"Yes", aunty Mayble confirmed.

"You can get one for me as well", added Tonde.

"Me too", chipped in Charmaine in her sweet voice.

The shop assistant looked at aunty Mayble.

"I 'm only buying for the one boy", said aunty Mayble.

"How about the girl?" quired the shop assistant.

"Just for the boy", insisted aunty Mayble.

"Very well madam, I 'll just be a minute ust a minute", said the shop assistant walking off to another part of the shop. The assistant returned shortly with three chairs. Then disappeared again only to return with some clothes slung over a hanger.

"There is a changing room in the far corner of the shop", he said to Luckson he said.

"You can go and try on these clothes", he added handing over the clothes on the hanger to Luckson.

Luckson could see that the clothes which still had the price tags on them something inscribed on them. As he tried on the first set of clothes he could smell the freshness of the fabric. Looking at himself in the mirror, he was delighted by the transformation before his eyes.

He looked just like one of the kids from wealthy families, he use to see in town, dressed in expensive clothes with the labels of well recognised brands to prove the fact. Stepping out of the changing room, Luckson modelled his new look in front of aunty Mayble and his cousins, expecting appreciation.

The approval in Tonde's broad beamed smile was evident of his approval. Aunty Mayble though didn't look so convinced and was too shy about her disapproval turning to Charmaine.

"What do you think darling?"

"I don't know mum", Charmaine replied with an undecided expression on her face not wanting to go against her mother.

"I tend to agree with you darling, this outfit won't do", aunty Mayble registered her disapproval.

"Next out fit please", aunty Mayble directed, and so it went outfit change after outfit, finally arriving at something that met with aunty Mayble's high standard of approval. The ritual repeating itself from casual wear throught to formal wear and into footwear. It was an exhaustive process at the end of which they left the boutique heavy leaden with several shopping bags of clothes. Plus a couple of boxes of footwear.

Luckson could appreciate why Tonde had eaelier been dead set against going shopping with aunty Mayble. It felt a though they had put in a whole day of hard work. They had arrived in the morning and by the time they left it was almost evening.

At the time Luckson could not help but appreciate his aunty's taste in clothes. She wasn't one to take what was available but had her own very high standards for quality which were not easy to emulate.

Apart from the lateness of the day, Luckson was pleased with his new clothes and could not wait to put them in his new wardrobe.

They only had time to stop by at a food court within the mall for a pizza and drinks.

When they returned to the mansion they found Uncle Thomas in excellent spirits. Apparently he was over joyed that the repairs to his Mercedes Benz had been complete. He had taken a taxi to fetch the car from the workshop where it was being attended to. That had been news to Luckson who only discovered then that the SUV uncle Thomas had come to fetch him with from the chapel belonged to aunty Mayble.