It's All Part Of The Show 'The Carnival Of Glass'

Chapter XII 🎪Standing By His Morals

I turned to my business partner:

"See, Bartholomew... I stood by that moral."

I then looked at Madison for a few brief moments before a pair of shinny metallic gold pants appeared on her legs followed by pointed black boots identical to my own. Along with a red collared dress shirt under a black and white pin-striped vest. Her outfit was finished off with a long black overcoat and white bows at both ends of her now groomed hair now neatly braided into two even pigtails.

"Wow! Thank you! This is perfect. Let me guess... The Carnival?"

Asked Madison standing to her feet spinning around to take in her new wardrobe.

I nodded my head 'yes' to her while I too looked at her new clothes.

"I think I like these shinny pants better than those velvet red ones you had on originally."

I said crossing my legs.

"They're both easily perfect. Marcus– Can I call you that?"

She hesitated to look at me.

"Yes, yes you may... But there's no rush, Madison. I know this is a lot, it is all so new, vague and it's a lot."

  It was hard enough for her to call me 'Marcus' and not 'TopHat'... so pushing her to call me dad or father was weighing in a bit heavy at this time. -Do I even need to say that I don't mind what she calls me: Father, Mister TopHat, Mr. Cochran, dad, or Marcus.

Madison grinned and her eyes briefly fell to the floor.

"Am I wearing suspenders?"

She asked looking beneath her jacket.

"Yes. I have them too. Mine are black, see? You're probably the only one who knows these are under my jacket."

I snickered softly.

"Dad...Father, They're wonderful! -I like the red."

Madison smiled.

"Oh, here... I almost forgot."

I reached up for the extra black tie that had been hanging on the golden hook earlier.

"Let's put this on you, shall we?"

I said.

"Wait, so this is a puzzling question..."

She stopped mid-thought and sentence.

"You're all right. Please proceed, what's your question sweetie?"

"Can the Carnival -Would it be possible to... I mean, for Bartholomew to you know..."

I knew what she meant, and I finished her thought for her.

"For Barthalamew to get his arm back... Hmm, that's interesting. I'm not sure he wants it back, he gets around good -That's a question for Bartholomew though."

I said ruffling Madison's hair as she giggled.

"It certainly is."

Said a deep voice.

"Well hello."

I said turning around.

"Mr. Cochran, sir. Madison."

He moved his head to Madison. "How do you do?"

Bartholomew spoke.

"It's okay, go on you can trust him. I promise. He wouldn't be here if you couldn't trust him."

"And if Mr. Cochran can trust me, you certainly can Lady Madison."

Said Bartholomew with a friendly toothless grin.