the book shop > j.l < MID EDIT

forty four

john

after their successful shopping trip, penelope drove the two of them back to johns home to assist him on choosing a suit.

they walked into the house and john immediately ran upstairs to clear his bedroom floor for penelope to come in.

penelope remained downstairs awkwardly as mimi walked into the hallway to see who she assumed was john.

"oh hello penelope lovely, i didn't expect to see you here, are you alright love? where's john?" she said smiling whilst wiping her hands with a tea towel after obviously washing up.

"hi mimi, nice to see you again, and he's just gone upstairs to tidy his room or something," penelope chuckled.

"goodness, he's not a very good host leaving you stood here, come on i'll make you some tea," she said pulling on penelopes arm.

•

"you two are going to a wedding or something aren't you?" mimi made conversation as she poured their drinks.

"yes on wednesday. john isn't too happy about having to dress in a suit for it though," penelope replied politely thanking mimi for the drink.

"oh john has never liked dressing up, ever since he was a little boy. i'm surprised he agreed to go with you," she smiled, "you know penelope, i haven't seen my john so happy in a very long time, and in these short few weeks you've known him, i've never known him so positive."

"he makes me incredibly happy mimi. really, i adore him," penelope replied wanting to assure his mother-like figure that she felt just as strong towards john.

"you're good for each other, you two. i'm glad he has you-" she went to continue but was disrupted by john calling from upstairs for penelope to go to him.

mimi smiled knowingly at her and nodded her head to the staircase, "go on, john waits for no one."

penelope smiled back at mimi and walked out the kitchen and up the stairs.

•

john waited on the landing for her and pulled her into his room as she neared the top of the stairs.

his room was fairly small with a single bed, a desk and a wardrobe. his desk was full of note pads and doodles sketched onto anything from napkins and receipts to big pieces of card. his walls were covered in music related posters and song lyrics.

on his bed he had laid out two suits, a blue one with dark vague tartan patterns on the blazer and a grey one.

"i don't really have much choice," he nervously laughed scratching the back of his head.

penelope shrugged and picked up the grey suit, "it doesn't matter, try this one on first," she handed it to him smiling and sat on his bed.

he took it off her and took off his sweatshirt leaving him bare chested and revealed his purple mark from the night before making penelope blush. but she didn't look away as he slipped the off-white shirt on buttoning it all the way to the top, then took off his jeans replacing them with dark suit trousers and slipping the dark grey blazer over the top. he turned to penelope and said, "well?"