The Girl with the Prosthetic Arm - 4
No matter how large Ed's clothes were, the fact remained that Charlotte had nothing on underneath them. She was careful with every movement because of it, and when Ed saw that, he promised he would buy her proper clothes the next day. Charlotte answered that she would hold him to it, and both of them fell asleep.
"Still not awake, I see."
Ed, already ready to leave, checked briefly on Charlotte sleeping in his room. She had taken out the pin that held the top closed, so he averted his eyes, finding the sight a little awkward. He had no intention of waking her, though. He left a note on the bedside table and stepped out of the room.
"Well. She can hardly go down to the village dressed like that."
He muttered the thought before he left, then set off toward the village at a brisk pace. His plan seemed to be to buy the clothes and get back before she woke.
However—
"Good... morning..."
Charlotte's sleep-roughened voice reached me, along with the tap of a cane and the soft rustle of paper. Apparently she had woken not long after Ed left.
Hmm. Who should I follow?
Charlotte would probably wait for him quietly with a book, so I decided to trail Ed instead.
"Shopkeeper? Anyone there?"
Ed arrived at the village women's clothing shop and, deciding he couldn't manage the selection alone, called for help at once.
"Ah, just a mom—"
The young woman who emerged from the back of the shop froze the moment she saw him. Only a moment later she recovered herself and addressed him as calmly as she could manage.
"Is there something particular you're looking for?"
"Undergarments and everyday clothes. For a child about this tall."
Ed indicated Charlotte's height with his right hand and put the question to the woman in front of him. She studied his hand carefully, asked him to wait a moment, and stepped past him.
"Clothes a little girl would wear..."
At his words she moved about the shop with brisk efficiency, hunting through the stock, while Ed—who knew nothing about any of it—followed her around, watching what she chose. She first selected undergarments and tops and slipped them into a small bag, then went straight for the bottoms. She reached for a skirt as if by reflex, then stopped short.
"Excuse me, sir. For the bottoms—would you prefer a skirt?"
"Is that practical for everyday wear?"
"A long skirt in good fabric is easy to move in. I'd recommend buying both a pair of short trousers and a long skirt."
"Understood."
Hearing his answer, the woman added a skirt and trousers to the bag that already held the rest of Charlotte's clothes. She handed the bag to Ed and pulled out a small notebook to work the total with quick strokes of her pen. While she did, Ed opened the bag and glanced inside. He had watched her choose everything, so if anything had looked wrong he would have said so then. Checking the contents now... well. Perhaps he was simply trying to picture Charlotte's taste.
"There we are! That should cover the price."
At the sound of her voice Ed lifted his head, heard the amount, and paid.
"Ah—you're ba...ck..."
The first thing Ed saw when he opened the door was Charlotte, leaning hard against the wall and forcing herself to move. The neck of the top was pinned shut again, and she wasn't using the cane.
"Why have you come out this far?"
"I was... trying to walk around the house... without the cane..."
She had only just stopped walking, and she answered between gulps of air.
"Wait a moment."
"Ah—yes..."
Ed passed her and headed for his own room while Charlotte stayed where she was, catching her breath. In the guest room he took the clothes from the bag, laid them on the bed, and went back for her. Around the corner he found Charlotte still struggling along, and after a brief look he quietly scooped her up into his arms. She let out a little "eep," but she didn't seem truly startled.
Their destination was, of course, the guest room—where her clothes were waiting. Ed set her gently down on the bed, and Charlotte thanked him.
"I've laid the clothes out. Change and come out when you're ready."
"I—I'm sorry. I'm a little worn out... If I'm late coming out, please don't worry..."
"Understood."
Charlotte sat on the edge of the bed and worked to steady her breathing again. Ed left the room without another word. The moment he was gone the soft sounds of her undressing followed him, but he pretended not to hear and went on his way.
The place he ended up, wanting only to put some distance between them, was the living room. For reasons he couldn't quite name, Ed did as Charlotte had done and pulled out the book titled Charlotte and Carlos. He meant to start from the beginning, but he found a folded page and began reading from there instead. After two pages of soft rustling paper, he caught the sound of footsteps behind him.
"I'm dressed. I thought it would take longer, but it didn't."
"It suits you."
"You really do have good taste, Master."
Charlotte had chosen the skirt. Just as the shop woman had said, the skirt that fell past her knees looked easy to move in.
"Well then. Now that you've changed, let's try walking again today."
"All right. Are we going to the meadow like yesterday?"
"Of course."
Charlotte settled herself to be carried, and Ed lifted her without difficulty. As before, the door was her job. She reached out her right hand to do it—then snatched it back when her skirt started to slip.
"M-Master. I have a favor to ask."
"Go on."
"The trousers you bought are a little small, so... underneath this I only have undergarments. I—I'm yours, so if you want to look I'll show you, but... if you don't, could you please be careful?"
"...I'll be careful."
They had been speaking with their eyes locked as they moved toward the door; when Ed finished answering, both of them looked straight ahead instead. Looking ahead did not, of course, open the door. In the end Charlotte kept her left arm around his neck and used her right hand for the latch, pinning the skirt with the other as best she could.
"It's open..."
"Then let's go."
Once the door was open she pulled her right hand back and devoted both hands to her skirt. Ed did his best not to look at her as the two of them set out for the meadow.
"For now... would you hold this?"
"Understood. Go on and try walking."
Charlotte handed Ed the cane she had brought just in case, then set off at a careful pace, finding her balance as she went. Walking around the house must have helped; she fell less often than last time. She seemed a little faster, too.
"Hah—huff..."
But the cost in stamina was higher as well. Before long she had to stop and catch her breath. Five steps, then three deep breaths. After she had repeated that cycle maybe ten times, she was already drenched in sweat.
At this rate she'll have to change again—and she only has the one outfit! I was thinking, when Ed spoke quietly.
"That's enough for today."
"What...? I haven't even... done half of what I did yesterday..."
Charlotte stayed on her feet by sheer force of will, wiping sweat with her right arm as she answered him. Ed came over and gave her the cane back; she planted it and steadied herself.
"Let me take a look at you. It seems we'll need spare clothes, so from here we're going to buy more."
"Ah—you're right... I can't put these back on after I've washed..."
Ed nodded slowly at that and came to stand beside her. He meant to walk with her, then. When he first brought her home he had walked ahead; the way he treated her had changed, I thought.
"Just a moment, Master—just a moment—let me catch my breath, please..."
"Of course. Take as long as you need."
"Um... is anyone here...?"
Charlotte carefully pushed open the door of the same women's clothing shop Ed had visited that afternoon and stepped inside.
"Ah, welcome! Just a moment, please!"
A woman's voice called from somewhere out of sight. Ed stood where he was, as if he meant to take the "just a moment" quite literally. Charlotte tugged him along and began browsing clothes she might wear. Among the racks of outerwear she found something she liked and lifted it free.
"This one looks pretty. What do you think, Master?"
At the word Master, Ed hesitated for a beat.
"We'll buy what you like. And try not to call me Master when we're outside."
"Huh? What?"
"Right now you don't look like a slave to anyone who sees you. Having the man beside you called Master would seem a little strange. I'm sorry to ask, but please."
"O-oh, no! Mas— I mean, Ed... sir. I think you have a point..."
Charlotte was embarrassed to use his name directly, and Ed did not seem especially affected by the change in address.
"Sorry to keep you waiting! What kind of clothes are you looking for?"
"Everyday clothes. Several sets. For this girl."
"You're the gentleman from earlier. Miss, would you come with me for a moment?"
"Y-yes!"
The shop woman told Ed to wait again and led Charlotte off to choose clothes. Charlotte hesitated at first, but before long she was picking things out with real enthusiasm—plain everyday wear, simple outdoor clothes, and prettily decorated pieces. When she heard the phrase "for a date," she hesitated a moment, then asked the woman to put that dress in the bag as well. Wondering if Ed had seen it, she glanced back at him—but he was staring blankly into space. Charlotte smiled a little at the sight of him, asked the shop woman to wait, and went over to him.
"Ed, sir. I've finished choosing."
"Then we'll settle the bill."
Ed took the bag from her hands and carried it over to the woman with the notebook. She was totaling the price the same way she had earlier, and behind Ed, Charlotte stood quietly smiling.