My Name is Rapunzel(62)

I nodded as I eased myself into his vehicle. It smelled good inside. It smelled like John. He started the car, then took my hand and kissed it. “I'm glad you agreed to go with me today. Thank you.”

“Thank you for inviting me.” Butterflies flitted in my stomach and my hand tingled. I resisted the urge to wipe at the tingling spot. Why was I so nervous? Was it because I was going to town or was it because I sat beside a man who looked as if he wanted to kiss me again? He did kiss very well, but I’d only kissed him to distract him from seeing the dragon. It was only a kiss. Nothing would ever come of it. It should never have happened, but I had no choice.

It meant nothing.

***

We drove away from the castle toward the town center. I watched my home shrink in the side-view mirror as we pulled away. My heart beat heavily in my chest. Could John hear my nervousness?

I should have said something. Anything. But nothing came to mind. Ugh. I was so boring.

John reached forward and pushed a button to turn the radio on. Soft music filled the car as we drove through the countryside. He reached over and took my hand in his. He gave it a gentle squeeze. “So, is it okay if I ask you some questions?”

“Is this for an article?” I teased, and then winked. “Sure, you can.”

“Well, it's so odd to even ask this, but what is it like to have your very own dragon? Is it the most wonderful thing in the world?” John shook his head, a look of miraculous unbelief in his eyes. “You know, it's the stuff of legends, what every little boy dreams of.”

So he believed me now? “You know, John, dragons aren't always green, loping, happy creatures with pink hair. And they don’t always live in caves by the ocean and belong to little boys named Pete. Many times, they imprison their prey.”

“You don't seem much like a prisoner.” John narrowed his gaze and looked me over.

How could I explain to him that I was the prisoner of the witch who was the prisoner of the dragon, but I was not a prisoner of the dragon? Was I? No, the dragon just wanted to protect me. Even I didn't understand it. Which made it easy to accept his lack of belief as natural. “He need not imprison me, because I have nowhere to go.”

John seemed to consider that concept. He nodded. “Okay, next question…”

Most of the way, John held my hand and quizzed me about my life and the dragon. It sure was nice to be able to talk to someone else, besides Gretta, about everything. But, I'm not entirely sure John believed my story, let alone the part about the dragon. He was probably just being nice.

I glanced at John, hoping I wouldn't come to regret sharing my story with him. After all, John would never have known any of it if I hadn’t written that letter. I couldn't change the past. I couldn't erase the truth. But, I could pretend that I made the whole thing up as a ploy to get a publishing contract. What if I did that? I could easily back out of the truth, and maybe even get that elusive book contract that people on the Internet seemed to want so badly.

“This road was so bumpy when I arrived here the first time. Dirt and rocks, wagon wheels. Quite a different journey.”

John grinned. “Sometimes I have to remind myself you're not playing a part…that you're not a character in some elaborate movie. That this is very real. It's hard to believe.”

I felt my smile fade. How hard to believe? Impossible?

“Now you put that pretty smile back on your face. I believe you. You just have to understand that to someone like me…” John shrugged.

“Someone normal?”

“Well, you have to admit, it's a big story. I think it would be rare that someone would accept it completely. Now you have to decide if you can trust me.”

I wanted to. I did. But it was hard.

“The houses, they are so close together. And they all look alike. Why do people want to live like that?” I thought back to the little home I was raised in. It too had been very close to its neighbor, and I'd lived to regret that. I couldn't stand being that close to people again. “Trees, gardens, grass, space. That's what I need.”

“Well, sure.” John shrugged. “But not everyone has freedom of choice like that. With land prices being what they are and construction prices through the roof, so to speak, people often have little choice. The biggest opportunity they have for customization, a lot of times, is simply choosing the color of their vinyl siding and shutters.”

“Ooh, look, ski slopes.” I craned my neck to see the chairlifts disappear into the clouds. When the snow came, I’d have to come back and watch the people zip down the side.

“We could hike there if you'd like. Maybe even ride the chair lift up and down. Do you want to?”