Doll Face

A New Dress

"I haven't done this in years!" Velma gleams as she admires herself in the three-sided-mirror at Zeldaborne's Boutique. She's wearing a laced, dolled up gown that falls to her feet, a thigh-high slit on the right side with stunning matching black heels. Today her purple hair is nice and straight and her face is freshly done with thick cat eyes and bold red lipstick. "I think the last time I felt a rush like this was when I ripped off those elves over in Christmas Town." She laughs at the memory. "They thought I sold em blunts but they were actually cinnamon sticks! Oh man, those gullible bastards were my best customers."
    "Indeed," Jack says, half listening.
    Noticing his disinterest, Velma tries to get his attention. "You didn't have to buy me this, you know. I have plenty of dresses."
    "You couldn't come up with a reasonable price so this is what you get."
    "Hey, you still have that dog of yours? Uno right?"
    He sighs, "His name's Zero," He corrects. "And yes, I still have him."
    "How's he doing?"
    "He's dead."
    "Oh right, what's his deal, he got hit by a car and you brought him back to life with lightning or something?"
    "No, you're thinking of someone else completely," Jack massages his temple, making it clear that he doesn't want to be here, but he made a promise to Sally.
    An elderly witch approaches them. She's small and frail and is the younger sister of Helgamine. She's the owner of the boutique. She asks in her aging crumpled voice, "Is everything to your liking, dear?"
    "You think you could hem the waistline?" Velma asks, looking through the mirror with tremendous concentration as she pulls back the fabric around her waist to reveal the outline of her hips more prominently. "It's a bit loose."
    "Of course, dear." The old woman nodded with a smile.
    "Thank you Miss Zeldaborne," Jack says.
    "Please just call me Zelda," She smiles up at him. "Let me know if there's anything else I can help you with," She says and then walks off to assist another group of shoppers that had just walked in.
    "It's expensive you know, the dress." Velma says solemnly.
    "I'll take care of it," He says dryly, glancing at her through the mirror.
    "Thank you," Her voice goes quiet.
    "It's just a dress, Velma."
    "No, I mean thank you. Thank you for finding me... for helping me after everything I've put you guys through––"
    Jack holds his boney hand out, "I'll stop you right there."
    Confused, she stares blankly at him through the mirror with wide eyes.
    "I don't want to hear it." He says. "It was five years ago. What's done is done. Let's leave it at that. Please don't thank me for anything, Velma. If there's anyone you should be thankful for it's your sister. She's the reason I didn't leave you there to die. I knew if I had, she'd be devastated and on her wedding day too. She's the reason I did anything for you. So no, I don't want to hear it. I don't want to hear you say, 'thank you,' after all these years when it wasn't me that saved you in the first place."
    She stares at the floor, "I had no idea..."
    "Of course you didn't. After your rehabilitation­­–– which I paid for by the way–– you disappeared for months, falling into the same bad crowds as you did before, getting yourself in the same kind of trouble. You're the one that never called. You're the one that never visited. How dare you place that guilt on my wife?"
    She turns herself from the mirror to face him directly, remorse and guilt melting from her eyes in black streaks. "I'm so sorry, Jack. What can I do to make it right? I'll do anything, I swear."
    Jack stays silent for a moment as he tries to read her carefully, to see if she's bullshitting him or if she's being sincere. He decides in a matter of seconds that she's not playing her con games, that she's telling the truth for once in her junkie life. He nods, "By helping me destroy Oogie Boogie once and for all."
    Velma grins earnestly, facing the mirror again and looking at herself dead in the eyes. "I'll send him straight to hell."