I never seemed to want for anything during my time at the palace. If I wanted something I would receive it, in abundance. I was never told expressly that I could not leave, but I was never given the opportunity to go out. If I asked for something Frank's response would always be, "Oh, I'll have the handy man pick that up on his next supply run." I hoped that by now Thom-the-manager's death was long forgotten, and that I was no longer a suspect of a viscous murder, but I just couldn't be sure. So I never pushed the issue.

I did, however, start to grow tired of the food Magenta was always cooking. Always meant, always in some indistinct shape with a lot of sauce or flavoring. I did not know where they got the meat, nor did I want to. I simply sat unquestioningly by Frank's side, drank my wine out of my mug and ate the loaf in front of me.

One night, however, I got a bit fed up with the strange ways of the castle inhabitants, and I finally asked Magenta for a special dinner request. We were supposedly friends after all. I went to her while she was unsuccessfully dusting the Zen room.

"Magenta, I have a question. Well, more of a favor really..."

"Yes? Vhat? Vhat do you want?"

"Well, see, I kind of was hoping. See, I love your cooking, but I kind of miss my comfort food. See? So maybe we could have some, I dunno, Pizza tonight or somethin? If that isn't too much to ask."

"Pizza? Vhat is thees pizza?"

Golly gee, she didn't even know what pizza was, maybe she was from another planet.

"It's a food that you can get reasturants to deliver to your house for you. It tastes real great, one of my favorites."

"Vell, I suppose ve can have it deelivered for dinner... if you order eet for us. I do not know how."

"Sure thing, just gimme a phone." Magenta looked at me apprehensively.

"Ve do not have zis... phone. Castles do not have phones."

Geez Louise, I'd been living here for almost this long, and never noticed they didn't have a phone? Well, I'd have to walk to a pay-phone then. I'd have to leave the castle.

"Well then you'll have to point me to the nearest payphone Gentie." I said, giving her my own little nickname, might as well if we were friends.

"I do not think that vould be vise. Ze master is not fond of ze idea of you leaving."

I frowned. So I really wasn't allowed to leave this place. I guess I was stuck here for all eternity. At least I had Frank though. Who needs the outside world when you have love? I never really liked the outside world much anyway. In a way, I kind of liked this isolation.

"But I really want pizza." I whined, pushing my voice to an even more shrill level.

"Maybe if you told me how to order, I could get zis pizza for you?"

"Sure, why not? It's all real simple. Just go to the phone, there should be a book attached, and look up a reasturant with the name pizza or pizzaria in it. Then call that number, and tell them you want three large pepperonis sent to our address. They'll tell you how much it'll cost, write that down so we can get the money together when you get back. Got it?"

"Yes, I think so. I vill be back soon. Do not leave." She wagged her feather duster at me. Then she threw the thing at me, I started to sneeze with the thing in my face as she waltzed out the front door. I heard a motorcycle start up outside. I guess she didn't feel the pick-up was necessary for this errand. I went back to my room, happy that tonight's dinner would include a recognizable animal and taste.

When she got back we got the money together. She took me to a small closet, where I assumed her wallet was inside a coat pocket. Instead, the closet was filled to the brim with twenty dollar bills. She saw me gawking.

"Ve had no American money when we came here, so we had to stock up. Zhere are several other storage spaces throughout Ze castle. Just so you know."

She laughed at my still bewildered expression as she gathered the nessesary funds. We waited around for about twenty minutes, when the doorbell finally rang. Strangely, Frank came down from his lab, still dressed in his green medical coat, he answered the door himself.

In front of us stood a rather fat young man with shaggy black hair and a leather vest. He had a sax strung on his back, and three pizzas in hand. His knuckles bore the words, "love" and "hate." I glanced at Frank's face, wondering what compelled him to answer. That's when I saw it, the look of admiration, seduction, and lust. A look he had previously only held for me. He must have seen this boy over the monitor and decided to have a look in person.

"Yes, what have you here my boy?"

The delivery boy looked rather uncomfortable, but he looked at the slip on top of the pizzas.

"Uh, an order for Columbia? Three ronis? This the right place? Only house out here."

"Oh yes, yes of course, dear Columbia didn't mention ordering out for dinner. Please, do come in." Frank smiled his Cheshire cat grin and ushered the boy inside. Magenta stepped up and silently handed him the money.

"Thanks. Do ya want any change for that?"

Magenta shook her head, and he pocketed the change. He handed the pizzas off to Magenta, who then ran into the kitchen to serve them. The three of us stood in the foyer, not saying much.

"Well, I'd better be off. Gotta get back ta work." He turned to leave, but Frank grabbed his arm.

"No, please, do stay. Share dinner with us, I insist. Tell us all about... delivering."

"Well, uhh, that's a nice offer, but I'd better get going. I could get fired if I'm late." He glanced at the door, then back at Frank.

"Oh, I'll explain the whole thing to your superior. Please, what is your name?"

"Eddie." Eddie looked taken in by Frank, he was certainly curious about this beautiful man in make-up, but he had responsibilities. I could see he was reserved to get back to them. Why couldn't Frank just let him go? He didn't need this fat boy. He had me.

"I see you play the saxophone Eddie. I love the sax. Please, stay for dinner and play for me, would you? I haven't herd decent saxophone music in a very long time." Eddie's face brightened at this. I realized sax was his dancing. No wonder he kept the instrument on his back. You could tell he was just hoping someone asked him to play it.

"Well alright, one night off the job couldn't hurt that much."

He came inside more, let Frank usher him in to his world of subduction and lingerie. I was hurt. Why? Why would he invite this man in like this when he already had me. I loved him. Didn't he love me? Of course he did. He had to. Maybe this was just Frank needing to satisfy the side of him that loved men as well. Maybe he loved me but needed to fuck Eddie. I guessed I could deal with that. I guessed I could share him if he needed that.

"Wonderful! What a splendid night this shall be." Frank tore off his lab coat to reveal his corset and fishnets. Eddie's eyes bulged, and so did his pants. I knew that tonight after dinner and his own private concert Eddie would be the one taken into Frank's room. But I hoped that tomorrow I would get my turn, and that perhaps tonight would be enough for Frank, and Eddie would disappear. It's funny how we always hope for the things we know deep down will never come to be.