Rapunzel Untangled Read Online Free Page B

course.
    “Oh. Well then why don’t you just do that, Rapunzel, if you need it for your education?”
    Rapunzel cringed at her deception. Her mother had given Rapunzel a credit card to use when ordering necessities for school, though she gave Rapunzel the address of her office to have the items sent. She said she didn’t want delivery men bringing their germs to their door, which didn’t make sense since Rapunzel knew there were construction workers around most days.
    “Now, I need to talk to you about something important,” her mother continued, the conversation about movies forgotten. Rapunzel sat in the chair and turned for her mother to begin her ritualistic brushing, always done in counts of six. It was Rapunzel’s responsibility to keep track on the little clickers used for just such a purpose. One clicker kept the individual tally up to six, which was then reset. The second clicker kept track of how many times they’d cycled through the first. When it reached twelve, they were done.
    “Coming up is a trip I must take.”
    Rapunzel jerked around at the announcement. Her mother had never been gone for more than a day, always returning for their nightly ritual. She felt panicked at the thought of being alone.
    “A trip? What do you mean? What kind of trip? For how long?”
    Her mother smiled, and Rapunzel couldn’t help comparing it to the open smile that reflected in Fane’s photos. His smiles seemed to radiate from his eyes. Her mother’s smile, in contrast, was flat and didn’t move past her lips. How had she not noticed this before?
    “Calm yourself. I won’t be gone long. Six days isn’t such a long time, is it?”
    “ Six days ?” Rapunzel yelped.
    “Please, Rapunzel, enough of the dramatics. Cook has agreed to stay in the house while I’m away so you won’t be alone.”
    “But what if there’s a problem?” Rapunzel asked. She had never met Cook and wouldn’t recognize her if she saw her. “She can’t come in here. I can’t go out.” Her chest tightened and her breathing escalated.
    “I’ve thought of that, Rapunzel,” her mother said, jerking her hair to turn Rapunzel back around, and continued brushing. Rapunzel systematically began clicking, even though her mind raced. “Give me some credit, please. What count are we up to?”
    Rapunzel glanced down, did the math. “Sixty-eight.”
    Her mother gave four more long strokes with the brush. “There.” She sat the brush down and placed her hands heavily on Rapunzel’s shoulders, looking at Rapunzel in the mirror. “I have a surprise for you.” She stood, stroking the blonde hair. “Come with me.”
    Rapunzel did as she was told, though she felt like screaming. She clamped her lips tightly shut and followed her mother. When they reached the sitting area, her mother reached into her bag, then turned and handed Rapunzel a strange, plain white rectangle with elastic loops on each end. Rapunzel simply stared at it and with an exasperated grunt her mother took it from her.
    “It’s a medical mask.” She lifted it to Rapunzel’s face, placing it over her nose and mouth and fastening the two loops around her ears. Rapunzel immediately felt claustrophobic. “Should there be an emergency, you can put this on and it will protect you from the germs.”
    Rapunzel stared at her over the mask, then as her words sunk past the panic, she felt something new. Hope.
    “You mean,” she began excitedly, “that with this on, I’m protected? I can go outside my rooms? Maybe even outside the house?” Her mind filled with visions of being able to meet Fane in the gardens below.
    “Of course not!” her mother snapped, startling her. “Don’t think it for one second, Rapunzel. The danger is very real, very present. Put that thought immediately out of your small mind.” The blaze in her eyes calmed as she seemed to realize Rapunzel’s alarm. She soothed a hand down Rapunzel’s arm then reached up to remove the mask. “It’s a temporary