by Scott, Lisa
Surely there were people with more complaints than she had. It wasn’t a horrible life. It just wasn’t the life she wanted. But as her mother always said, “Who gets the life they want? I surely didn’t.” Rachel took a big bite of pizza and cracked open a romance novel, where at least someone was guaranteed a happily ever after.
***
The next morning during their first show, the armored man showed up at the end of her act and disappeared while the audience took turns taking pictures with her. She hurried backstage after everyone left. “Mother, did you learn anything about the man in the armor?”
Mother snapped her fingers. “Yes, I did. He works down the way at the stallion show. They have these two magnificent horses that do tricks. He takes tickets at the door.”
“Oh, how I’d love to see that, maybe take a few pictures,” Rachel said.
“He just stands there and holds out his hand.”
“I meant the horses. I’d love to see the horses. Do you think we could sneak in during the show and stand in the back to watch?”
“I’m not having this discussion with you,” Mother said, counting out a handful of money.
Rachel clasped her hands and closed her eyes. “I wonder if he could tell me about them. Could you ask him to visit me after the show one day? I’d love to know what the horses do and how they train them.”
“Perhaps. Now we’ve got four hours until the next show. It’s time to wash your hair.”
Rachel dropped her head and nodded. There was no fighting it. Not if she wanted to eat. Her mother had withheld food for two whole days once until Rachel finally relented to having her hair washed.
“One hundred and ten dollars. It hasn’t been a great start to the season,” Mother said, as she checked the curtains that connected their RV to the back of the stage, making sure no one could see them. Rachel filled the big tin wash bin with water, while Mother gathered the supplies.
Rachel sat in a chair in front of the tub and waited for her mother to return and start brushing. Two hundred strokes every day before washing. Considering she was pulling the brush from scalp to tip, it took Mother a good hour just for that.
After her mother returned, Rachel closed her eyes preparing for the ritual. Mother started on the back of her head like she always did. After ten minutes, Rachel asked, “Do you think we should cut it off and sell it? I could wear a wig and do the show. It might be easier.”
Her mother laughed. “We can’t advertise the princess with the world’s longest hair if it’s not really your hair.”
“But I’m not actually a princess,” Rachel argued.
“Nonsense. You’re my princess.”
Rachel sighed. “It’s just that this is all so much work. And we’ve been doing it for so long.”
Her mother stopped brushing. “We’ve been through this before. Why are you bringing this up again?”
She wasn’t sure. But seeing that mystery man in the armor and knowing she didn’t have the freedom to search for him bothered her. “Maybe I’m just getting sick of all this. The show. The hair.”
“The hair is all you’ve got, Rachel. It’s all I’ve got. I’m too old to dance, and who’d want to see you with that horrid thing?”
Rachel nodded. It really was a horrid thing.
When Mother finished brushing, she carefully gathered Rachel’s hair and lowered it into the tub while Rachel bent down to dip her scalp in the cold water. Rachel shivered, but didn’t complain. Whenever Rachel whined about the temperature, her mother explained that cold water left her hair shinier than warm water. And then she’d leave Rachel soaking in the cold water a few minutes longer to punish her for complaining.
After thoroughly wetting her hair, Mother worked in the baking soda solution and then rinsed it with vinegar. “We’re going to deep condition today.” Rachel bit back a grumble. It took extra time for the olive oil to do its trick. Then mother would do a final rinse with rose petals so she’d smell like a princess. Why princesses would smell like roses was beyond Rachel.
“I wish someone would do this for me.” Mother sighed. “You don’t know how lucky you are. You get to sit in a chair wearing beautiful clothes. I worked my ass off dancing naked. Some nights my feet bled from those damn high-heels, never mind all the groping I had to endure.”
Mother had been a stripper back home before the attack. When they hit the road, Mother started dancing in the burlesque carnival shows. The year she didn’t get an invitation to return to Neverland Island, Mother knew her dancing days were over. “No one wants to see a naked middle-aged mom,” she’d joked, not able to hide the sadness in her voice. They had to do something for money, and that’s when she devised the Rapunzel show. Rachel often wondered if her mother would have pushed her toward stripping if not for that “horrid thing.”
When Mother finished rinsing Rachel’s hair, they each grabbed a towel and started blotting. Mother stopped for a moment and lifted Rachel’s chin with her a finger. “I haven’t seen you so sad in a long time. If it’ll make you happy, I’ll get that guy to stop by and tell you about the horses.”
Rachel smiled. She was surprised she remembered how.
***
The mid-afternoon show couldn’t end soon enough. Rachel endured a singing suitor while she searched the crowd for the man in armor. He shouldn’t have been hard to miss, but he wasn’t there. When the last man was dismissed, and the long line of people finished having their pictures taken with her, her mother suddenly appeared with a guy.
“We’re finished taking pictures,” Rachel said, still sitting in her throne.
Mother grabbed a broom and started sweeping the stage. “He’s not here for a picture. This is William. He works with the stallions.”
William smiled, and his dark brown eyes lit up as he walked toward Rachel. He wasn’t wearing the armor, so she was able to see his tall, lean physique.
“So you’re the guy in the armor,” Rachel exclaimed sitting up on her velvet seat.
He bowed. “At your service.”
Rachel giggled. “I’ve never seen a knight in shining armor here before. Is this your first year at Neverland?”
“Yes. The whole knight thing is something new they added. I’m a senior at New Royalton College. I’m majoring in event planning and thought it would be a good idea to get some hands-on experience at the biggest event of the summer around here. My roommates make fun of me, but they like using the helmet to play beer pong.” He laughed. “Are you in college?”
Rachel looked down. “No. I’d like to go some day. But we travel all year to different carnivals, so it wouldn’t work out right now.”
“I thought you were interested in asking him about the horses, Rachel,” Mother said, an edge to her voice.
Rachel couldn’t care less about the horses. She wanted to know everything about this handsome man standing in front of her. But she didn’t want Mother to know that. “Right. The stallions. What do they do in the show?”
William squatted next to her throne so they were face-to-face. She longed to reach out and touch his cheek. She wondered if her own were turning pink. He was so different from the jerks she met on stage. Her lips tingled with the thought of kissing him. Now she was certainly blushing.
“It’s crazy what those horses can do,” he said. “They walk on their hind legs. They even fall down and play dead. And we have a trick rider who puts a foot on each horse’s back while they gallop around the ring. All I do is take tickets wearing a suit of armor.” He shrugged. “People are always impressed with the costume, though.”
“I’ll bet.” Her heart felt like a whole pack of stampeding stallions, it was beating so hard and fast. “It all sounds very exciting. I just sit in a chair while people take pictures of me.” Rachel found herself smiling at him—and him smiling back. William was tall with wavy, sable colored hair and perfect teeth. His voice sounded like a TV announcer’s, and she didn’t want him to leave.
“Well, you’ve got great stage pre
sence. I’ve enjoyed watching. You have to endure some real idiots.”
Mother stopped sweeping. “And why is it you keep visiting our show?”
He looked over at her. “I have half an hour to kill while the stallions do their tricks. I’ve been sneaking out to catch the other shows. Unfortunately, I don’t have time to change out of my armor.”
“How amusing.” Mother gave him a tight smile. “Well, thank you for your time. I’m sure you’re very busy.”
He stood and held out his hand. “It was nice meeting you Rapunzel.”
“It’s Rachel.” She set her hand in his, and he squeezed it. She panicked, realizing she might never get to talk to him again.
When he turned to leave, Rachel cried, “Wait! Why don’t you come on stage next show with your armor? People would love that.” She turned to her mother. “Please? I bet tons of people would line up to pose with both of us for pictures.”
“It’s a lovely idea,” Mother said, brushing her hands together. “But we can’t afford to pay him. We’re just scraping by.”
His eyes brightened. “You wouldn’t have to pay me. Like I said, this is a summer job for me to get experience. It’d be a great opportunity.”
“Our next show is in three hours,” Rachel offered.
“I’ll see you then.” He was gone before Mother could say no.
***
Rachel’s hands shook throughout the show. She wondered if William would show up. After turning down the third fool who’d come on stage, she spotted William at the back of the crowd. When everyone in the audience turned around to follow her gaze, she realized she was sitting up straight and smiling. When people spotted the knight, they gasped.
The metal of William’s armor squeaked as he made his slow journey to the stage. He took his time climbing the stairs. Rachel grasped her hands in front of her. She probably looked as if she was putting on an act, but she was swooning for real.
William unsheathed a sword and knelt in front of her. She could see his brown eyes peering at her through the slats in his armor. “We didn’t talk about what I should do,” he whispered. “So I’m going to pick you up and carry you off stage.”
Rachel nodded enthusiastically, and her mother said, “It appears that Rapunzel has found her suitor!”
The audience cheered—except for a few guys who decided to boo. Rachel found herself swept off her feet, lifted out of the throne, and carried off stage. She wrapped her arms around William’s neck. She was worried that he’d be able to feel that “horrid thing,” but perhaps the armor was enough of a barrier to keep it a secret. “I hope I’m not too heavy,” she whispered.
“I think this armor weighs more than you do.” He stood there, still holding her, as she grinned up at him. She couldn’t turn down her smile if she tried.
Her mother scurried backstage while the crowd cheered. “Now go back for pictures!”
William set her down and looped his arm through hers as he escorted her back on stage. The line for pictures was long, and they made double what they usually did.
“That was wonderful! I’m so glad I thought of it,” Mother said after the crowd left.
Rachel bit her tongue. If she wanted to see William again, she’d let her mother believe this was all her idea. “You’re right. I think we should do this every show. If that’s okay with you, William.”
“I should be able to squeeze it in.”
“Maybe we should practice a few different scenarios,” Rachel offered, trying to sound nonchalant.
“Good idea,” Mother said. “Take half an hour. I’ll be in back.”
Once she was gone, William took off his helmet and ran a hand through his hair. “So, you do the same thing every show. Doesn’t this get boring?”
“There are worse things I could do.”
“What’s it like having crowds of people show up to see you?” he asked.
She looked down and blushed. “They only come to see my hair. Not me.” She curled a strand around her finger.
“I think most of the men would show up to see you even if you were bald.”
Rachel said nothing.
“I’m sorry if I embarrassed you.”
She struggled to find her voice. “No, you didn’t. I’ve just never had anyone say something so nice.”
“That’s a shame. Truly.” He clapped his hands together and looked around the stage. “So, carrying you off stage is one option. What else can we do?”
“Maybe you could pretend to fight off one of my suitors?”
“That won’t be hard. Who would take on this?” he asked, gesturing to himself. While he had a nice build, he wasn’t a muscle-head like some of the guys who showed up.
“I don’t think anyone would even try.” She laughed. “Maybe I could spot you across the stage and rush over,” she offered.
“Let’s try that one.” William walked across the stage and down the stairs. Then he turned around and came back up.
Rachel gasped and set a hand over her heart. She leapt from her throne, hiked up her gown a bit, and dashed across the stage into William’s open arms. He picked her up and swung her around, her hair spinning out behind her. Then he set her down. She left her hands on his shoulders and looked up at him, her chest heaving more heavily than it should be. “I think the crowd will love that.”
“It’s more fun than taking tickets,” he said. “What else?”
Rachel felt a lump in her throat. “I think the women in the audience will want to see the man underneath the armor. And when they see he really is a handsome knight, we’ll have people lined out the door to take pictures with you, not me.”
One corner of his mouth quirked up into a sexy little smile. “Handsome, huh?”
Rachel fought the urge to look at the floor and stared into his eyes instead. “Yes. You’re very handsome, William.”
“Well, no one will be noticing that when I’m around you, trust me. I’ve never seen a more beautiful woman than you, Rachel.” William grazed her cheek with his knuckle. “Please tell me you don’t have a boyfriend.”
She laughed. “I’ve never had a boyfriend.”
“Seriously?”
Her smile fell. “We move around a lot and my mother is very protective of me. What about you? Do you have a girlfriend?”
“Not at the moment. I wouldn’t be standing here flirting with you if I did. I’m not that kind of guy.”
All she could do was smile.
“What do you think your mother would say if I kissed you during the show?” he asked.
“Oh, I don’t know about that.”
“Let’s give it a try.”
Rachel blinked few times. “Now?”
He nodded. “We need to practice.”
She bit her lower lip. “Right.” Rachel had never been kissed before.
He slid a hand under her sheath of hair and around her waist. He pulled her closer.
Rachel’s heart thundered in her chest as she let herself fall into her very first kiss.
William’s other hand smoothed the back of her head so he could bring her lips to meet his. They stood there for a moment, just a sliver of space between them. He was breathing as heavily as she was. Her lips throbbed and she wondered if he was waiting for her to make a move.
“I’m going to remember this kiss for a long time,” he said.
“Me, too.”
And with that, his mouth gently met hers, and he kissed her until she couldn’t breathe.
When he pulled away, she stared at him and laughed. “I’m certain my mother won’t like that.”
“Then maybe we save that for private. I want to see you again. Outside of the show.”
Rachel frowned. “My mother doesn’t like me to wander around Neverland. It’s like giving people a free show. I mostly stay in our RV.”
“Seriously? That’s not right.”
“It’s not so bad.”
He brushed a strand of hair away from her face. “Can I visit you there?”
>
Before she could answer, Mother walked out from behind the curtain. “Come up with anything interesting?”
“Oh yes,” Rachel said, stepping back from William and smoothing down her dress. “We’re going to try something new tonight. That last thing we tried.”
William blinked at her, wide-eyed.
“When I ran across the stage to you,” she clarified.
“Right. I think that’ll be great,” he said. “So, I’ll sneak out of my show tonight, and be here at quarter after eight.”
“Goodbye, William.”
He bowed, and then kissed her hand. “Until we meet again, Princess.” He left without looking back.
Rachel and her mother stood there saying nothing for a few moments. “He’s good,” Mother said.
“Oh, yes. I think he mentioned something about acting lessons.” Rachel hurried backstage and changed before Mother could see the flush heating her cheeks.
***
Rachel counted the minutes until she would see William. She couldn’t wait to kiss him again. While Mother brushed her hair before the show, Rachel encouraged her to go out for the evening. “Is that fortune teller still working here? Didn’t you two used to hang out?”
“I don’t know if Marlene is here again this year. I haven’t had a chance to check everything out yet. It’s still early in the season.”
“You should look for her tonight.”
Mother narrowed an eye at Rachel. “You usually don’t like when I leave you alone.”
“It’s fine. I know I’m safe. I’d just like to know what’s around this year. Like, if that crazy adult candy shop you told me about last year is still here.”
Mother laughed. “I’d like to see what new items she has in stock. Yes, that sounds like a fine idea. I’ll do a thorough inspection tonight. That means I’ll be home rather late, though.”
“That’s okay. I’m sure I’ll be asleep.”
“Then all right, perhaps I’ll go out after all.”
***
For the first time, Rachel had to fight back a smile during the show. It was hard to pretend she was morose when she knew she’d be in William’s arms again. She was putting up with a fourth guy vying for her attention when she spotted him in the crowd. Again, everyone turned to follow her gaze.
