Fane sat next to her, pulling her hand into his. “So,” he began, “is there a reason you were hanging out on a balcony in the middle of the night?”
“I . . . yes . . . no.” She squeezed his hand. “I’m sorry for calling you so late. I didn’t know what else to do.”
Fane smiled. “You can call me anytime, though I admit I was shocked to see your message.”
“I’m sorry,” she said again.
“Please stop apologizing. I mean it when I say it’s fine. I am curious how you got there.”
Rapunzel sighed, tears pricking her eyes.
“Come here,” Fane said, pulling her next to him and putting his arm around her. She relaxed into his embrace.
“My mother came home today. I decided to ask her if she thought I could go out of my rooms.”
Fane stiffened. “Did you tell her you’d been out?”
“No.” He relaxed at her answer. “She wouldn’t even discuss it. I mean, I know she’s worried about me, but she wouldn’t talk to me about it. She got angry and we fought. She told me never to ask again. It was kind of . . . weird, her reaction.”
“So you decided to go anyway?”
“Yeah, I guess so. I don’t really know why. I think maybe I just wanted to see if it felt different, with her here, I mean.”
“And did it?”
“It was different, but I think it had more to do with not being with you than her being here.”
Fane’s laughter rumbled beneath her ear. “Nice to know I’m loved,” he teased. She smiled. “So. How is it you ended up on her balcony? You said that was her room, right?”
“Yes, it was. I found it while wandering around, and I was curious.” She sat up and looked at him. “Before you came, I’ve never been curious,” she said with wonder. “Why do you think that is? Why haven’t I ever wondered what was right outside my door? Or why didn’t I wonder if I could survive out there?”
Fane shrugged. “I don’t know really. Maybe because this was all you knew. I mean, you’ve only ever had your mom so why wouldn’t you believe everything she said, right?”
Rapunzel shook her head. “I should have questioned at least a few things. I don’t know a lot about money, but a house like this has to be a little expensive, right?”
“Very expensive,” he confirmed.
“So why doesn’t she have doctors or something up here trying to figure out how I can live a real life?” She stood, agitated. “Do I have to spend the rest of my life here, locked in these rooms? With nobody else? No friends, no husband, no children. No life. Just me and her. What happens when she dies?”
Fane stood and took her hands again. “We’ll figure it out.”
Rapunzel smiled at him. “You aren’t going to be around forever, Fane. You have a real life.”
He glanced at the floor, not answering. Then he said, “I’ll always be your friend.”
For some reason, his words caused an ache in her chest—small, but there nonetheless. “I honestly don’t even know why I left my room tonight. I was in bed, and it suddenly occurred to me to wonder if she’d locked the door. When I discovered she hadn’t, I decided to leave.”
“Curiosity is a good thing,” he said.
“I thought it killed a cat?”
He laughed. “Maybe sometimes. But not you.”
She looked at him skeptically.
“I should go,” he said, “before anyone gets up.”
“Please be careful,” she said.
He pulled her into another hug and she leaned into him.
“Hey, Fane?”
“Yeah?”
“Since you’re here anyway, do you think you might . . .” She trailed off, stunned at herself. She was about to ask him to kiss her again. What was wrong with her?
“Might what?”
“Nothing.”
He squeezed her. “Come on, I ran all the way over here, risking life and limb to rescue you, and you won’t even finish a sentence.”
“Nope,” she said.
“Fine.” He paused. “How about a kiss then?”
Her heart flip-flopped, and she grinned up at him. “I guess it’s the least I can do.” She lifted her face and he kissed her. She had to admit she honestly wondered if their first kiss was a fluke, amazing simply because it was new. But this kiss disproved that theory.
He left and she waited by her window as usual, not thinking he would really go to the effort to come around so she could wave to him. He did, and relief flooded her. She knew he wasn’t completely out of danger yet—he still had to move the ladder and get safely out of the yard.
She undressed and climbed into bed, putting the phone in her drawer. She was counting on her mother’s lack of technical know-how to keep her from figuring out she’d texted anyone. Fane had erased them from the phone, so she could only hope there was no way for her mother to still find them.
She closed her eyes and drifted into a restless sleep.
chapter
*.*
19
.**
Rapunzel had no desire to sneak out of her room again, but she was curious whether she could if she wanted to. The next night, after her mother left, a twist of the doorknob revealed she couldn’t. It was locked.
The locked door bothered her. It showed a marked lack of trust on her mother’s part. She laughed at herself. As if she deserved her trust. Hadn’t she been sneaking around? Okay, so trust wasn’t the issue, but motives were. She wondered why her mother kept her locked up like a prisoner more than a quarantined patient. I’m incarcerated with my mother as my only visitor. She didn’t have the freedom to choose for herself if she wanted to wander out of her room and risk her health—and maybe her life.
She went to her computer and pulled up Skype. Fane wasn’t on. She went into her kitchen and got one of her hidden pieces of chocolate. She wasn’t sure why, but the chocolate always made her feel better. She was restless, bored.
A sound came from her computer that made her smile. It was the sound of Skype ringing, and there was only one person it could be. She hurried back to her computer and hit the video button. Half a second later Fane’s slightly unclear but smiling face was in front of her.
“Hey, beautiful,” he said, the greeting she was certain he knew would turn her cheeks pink. It worked, of course.
“Hi, Fane.”
“Not trapped on any balconies tonight needing rescue?”
Rapunzel laughed. “Nope, not tonight. Sorry.”
“Too bad,” he said nonchalantly, leaning back in his chair and putting his hands behind his head. “I kinda like the payment I get. I could get used to rescuing damsels in distress.”
Rapunzel blushed furiously—she could tell by the amount of heat in her cheeks.
“Yes, well, don’t get used to it.” She tried for a casual tone but feared he could hear the tightness in her voice.
Fane laughed and leaned forward again, his eyes on his desk. Rapunzel knew this pose. It meant he was nervous. “So,” he began, drawing the word out. “Halloween is coming soon.”
“Yes, I know,” Rapunzel said, confused by his demeanor. Did he think she was unaware of Halloween? Well, she’d surprise him. She’d been reading lately about things normal people did so that she wouldn’t seem so innocent. “It’s a strange custom, don’t you think, to send children out dressed as monsters to knock on strangers’ doors to ask for candy?” Rapunzel definitely thought it odd.
Fane gazed at her with a small smile. “Yeah, I guess, now that you put it that way.”
“I mean,” she continued, proud of her knowledge, “isn’t it standard for parents to warn their children to not take candy from strangers? And then on this one night, it’s okay. Doesn’t that send a mixed message to children?”
Fane grinned openly now. “I suppose it does.”
Trying to sound mature and knowledgeable, she said, “I suppose by the time one is our age then maybe it isn’t quite so strange because we can understand that
this is the only night it’s allowed, but a young child wouldn’t understand.” Then, because she didn’t really know anything about children, she added, “Would they?”
“You’re very charming, you know that?”
Rapunzel felt herself blushing again. What was wrong with her? “What?” she stuttered.
“Wish I was there to see just how red your cheeks are.”
“Fane,” she admonished. “Stop teasing me.”
He laughed. “Where would the fun be in that?”
“You know I can just turn you off if I want, right?” she said, holding one finger threateningly over the power button, knowing she’d never do it.
“Not possible,” he said, waggling his eyebrows comically. When she didn’t respond, he said, “Well, that was a wasted double entendre.”
“What’s a double entendre?” she asked.
Fane laughed. “Not something I’m going to explain, or I’ll be blushing as much as you. Let’s change the subject, or at least get back to the original one, which is Halloween.”
“Okay,” Rapunzel said, not sure why he wanted to keep talking about Halloween. Maybe it was important to him in some way. “What should we discuss about Halloween?”
He cleared his throat. “Well, there’s this Halloween party I’m going to. It’s a pretty big deal. One of my friends has it every year since Halloween is her favorite holiday.”
“Oh, that sounds like fun,” she said.
“Yeah, it is. And since Halloween is on a Friday this year, it’s doubly good because the party is actually on Halloween.”
Obviously it was important for Halloween to be on a Friday, though for the life of her Rapunzel couldn’t fathom why. Not understanding, she didn’t comment and just nodded.
“And I want you to come with me,” he said.
Rapunzel’s jaw dropped. “Wait, what? How could I go with you?”
Fane held one hand up. “It won’t be easy, I know. I’ll come get you after your mom leaves your room for the night.”
“But, Fane, I can’t . . . all those people—”
“I thought about that,” he said. “I wouldn’t have asked unless I had a plan.”
Curiosity once again got the best of her. “What plan?”
“I was talking to one of my friends who works at a medical supply place. They have these masks used by people who are really sensitive to germs.”
“You told him about me?” Rapunzel couldn’t help but feel a little betrayed.
“No, of course not,” Fane said. “I gave you my word. I won’t tell anyone.”
Rapunzel leaned back in her seat. She pictured it, a party with other people her age surrounding her. Talking to them as if she were normal. While intriguing, it also filled her with fear.
“Won’t I look out of place, sitting there wearing a mask?”
“I thought of that also. It’s a costume party. You go as a nurse or a doctor, or some kind of medical person. Then it will look fine.” He leaned toward the screen again, and Rapunzel felt herself wavering, wanting to do this for him. “He claims it filters almost all germs. But if you think there’s any risk at all, Rapunzel, then we won’t do it. It isn’t worth risking your life just for a party.”
Rapunzel touched one finger to the bottom corner of the screen, where she knew Fane wouldn’t see it. She’d much prefer to be touching Fane than the electronic version of him. She should be grateful she’d ever gotten to touch him at all.
She considered his request. Walking throughout her house hadn’t made her sick. Lying outside on the grass hadn’t either.
“I want to do it,” she said.
“You want to come to the party?”
“Yes, Fane, I want to come to the party. You’ll have to arrange for the costume, though. I don’t have any way to get one.” Or to even know where to look for one, she thought, or what might be appropriate.
“I can do that.” He grinned. “I promise, Rapunzel, I’ll keep you safe. If at any point you think it’s not safe, I’ll take you right home.”
“I know you will. I trust you.”
chapter
*.*
20
.**
Fane brought a ladder to get her. It surprised her he’d found one tall enough to reach her window.
“Where did you get that?” Rapunzel whispered as she helped him over the windowsill.
“It wasn’t easy,” he said. “That sucker is heavy. And not exactly quiet for carrying across your yard.”
“I’m sorry,” she said.
“I’m not,” he answered. “I’m completely stoked.”
“Stoked?” she asked.
“Excited, thrilled, elated, overjoyed.”
“Okay, calm down, Mr. Thesaurus.” She laughed, holding her hands up in surrender.
Fane removed his backpack and unzipped it. He held up a piece of white material and handed it to her.
“What’s this?” she asked, holding it up. It appeared to be a long shirt.
“Your costume. It’s a nurse outfit. Haven’t you been in the hospital enough with your SCIDs to have seen one?”
“No, I’ve never been in the hospital,” she answered distractedly. “Where’s the rest of it?”
“You’ve never been in the hospital?” He sounded incredulous at the thought. He took the costume from her and held it up. “This is the whole thing. It’s supposed to be sexy.”
Rapunzel’s mouth gaped. “No way am I going anywhere in that, Fane.” She grabbed it from him and held it against herself. It barely skimmed the top of her thighs. “Look how short this thing is.”
Fane shrugged. “Well, you can’t blame a guy for trying.” He pulled another item out of his backpack, a thin, gauzy material that was an amazing shade of peacock blue.
“Wow,” she said, taking one of the pieces. “That’s beautiful.” She held it up and looked at Fane through the sheer material. She raised one brow at him. “Really?”
Fane laughed. “There’s more.”
He handed her the other items he held and pulled more out of the bag. He explained to her how they all worked and she went into her room to put it on. Once dressed, she looked at herself in her mirror. Fane explained that this was a belly-dancers outfit. The pants were made of the gauzy material, loose and flowing. The top was long sleeved, but short enough to expose her belly. Strands of beads with flat metal discs dangled all around her mid-section as well as from her hips. Beneath the whole thing, she wore a long, one piece, flesh colored leotard that covered her from her wrists to her ankles. Without it, she would not wear the outfit. With it, she still felt exposed, but then when she placed the veil over her head and the scarf across the lower half of her face, she somehow felt hidden . . . safe.
She’d braided her hair up as tightly as she could and wrapped it around her head once beneath the veil so that it only hung to her knees. She stepped out of the room shyly.
“I’m ready,” she said. When Fane didn’t answer, she looked up at him.
He stared at her, one of the cookies she’d baked especially for him halfway to his mouth. His eyes scanned her. That look made her blush more than all the times he’d teased her by calling her beautiful.
“Where’s the mask?” she asked.
He shook his head as if waking. He went to his backpack and pulled a white mask out. This one wasn’t loose and floppy like the other had been. This was more form fitted. She slid it on beneath the scarf.
“Do you have a jacket?” he asked. His voice sounded funny, kind of choked. “It’s a little cold.”
Rapunzel went to the closet and pulled out a long jacket. It wasn’t hers—it belonged to her mother. A few years ago she’d had it on when she came to see Rapunzel and she’d accidentally left it behind. Rapunzel had hung it in the closet, figuring she would come get it. She never had, and Rapunzel had kept it. Just in case. She put the jacket on, pulling it close around her.
“I think you should keep that on all night,” Fane said. She looked at him qu
estioningly.
“To cover my hair?” she asked.
“Among other things,” he murmured. Fane led her to the window. “I’ll climb down and hold the ladder for you.”
Rapunzel watched his descent, nerves fluttering in her stomach. She’d watched him go up and down, but now that it was her turn, it seemed a very long distance to the ground. When his feet touched the ground he took hold of the ladder to indicate she should now descend.
She looked behind her. Fane had showed her how to arrange her pillows to look like she was in the bed. She doubted it would fool her mother should she come. They’d turned off all the lights other than the small lamp in the alcove. She considered what she was about to do.
It was one thing to wander around in her house. It was something completely different to think about leaving the house. Panic crawled up her throat as she glanced down at Fane. She thought about waving him away and going to bed. Then he grinned at her and she found herself putting a leg over the sill. Determined not to look down, she descended the ladder while looking up at the open window, her heart in her throat the entire time.
When her feet touched the ground, a trembling began in her legs. She desperately wanted to go back up the ladder. Instead she turned and threw her arms around Fane’s waist. He stumbled a little under her attack but recovered and hugged her back.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
She nodded against his chest. “I just need a minute.”
“Okay,” he said, tightening his hold. After a few minutes her panic began to subside. She could do this. She released Fane and stepped back, smiling with embarrassment.
“Sorry,” she said. “I just panicked a little at the thought of leaving.”
“It’s okay. I’d probably be a little worried if I were you too, I guess. You’ve never been out.” Concern crossed his face. “Rapunzel, is this too dangerous for you? If it is, then let’s forget it. We’ll hang out here for a while.”
She was tempted. She remembered how much she’d enjoyed having him there, eating together, watching movies. She also remembered how excited he was about this party.
“No, we’ll go,” she said. “I want to.”