Scene Nine: Not Tonight
Rapunzel yawned as her eyes strained to stay focused on a book. It wasn't that the book was incredibly dull (it actually sort of was), but it was so late. Her reason for staying up was so that she could talk with her husband. She did not want to go to bed without talking to Eugene. If she didn't, she felt the issue might never get resolved.
It was so late. Rapunzel wondered where Eugene could have gone. It wasn't like him to be out for most the night. Evenings were always his favorite because he could spend them with her. But did he even want to be with her anymore? Rapunzel chased the thought from her mind.
Rapunzel stoked the fire and looked back at the door. It wasn't locked and she was expecting Eugene to walk in at any minute. She was so tired, she wondered if she could even have a conversation with him about that afternoon. Rapunzel frowned and returned to the page. She had to find her place again, not that she was really reading it, she just didn't want to read the same passage for a sixth time.
The book began to slip from Rapunzel's hands. Her head began to nod. Her eyes drooped. She could always talk to Eugene tomorrow…
KNOCK. KNOCK. KNOCK.
Rapunzel jumped at the raping on the door. She stood up, certain it was someone coming to tell her Eugene had been found injured or dead or covered in women and he was being put to death by her father!
She flung open the door.
It was Gerald, with a flushed and wobbly Eugene hanging off his arm.
"Ank oo, sir, I 'an 'ake it from'er." Eugene tried to stand up straight, but he almost collapsed with the effort. Rapunzel put her hands up to catch him, but Gerald had a pretty good hold on him.
"Easy, Eugene. Don't go and overdo it." Gerald addressed Rapunzel. "Good night, Princess. I believe this delinquent belongs to you." Rapunzel was baffled. She wasn't sure if she should laugh at Eugene (he did look pretty funny; he had a stupid grin on his face) or yell at him.
"Uh, yes, I guess he does belong to me." Rapunzel put her arms out, ready to take her property. Just then, Eugene finally righted himself. He clapped Gerald on the shoulder.
"Gerald, yoor a goo man, ooh know 'at? I'm uhnna name mah firsht bor son af'er oo. I 'eem it!" He grinned at the guard. Gerald put a hand on Eugene's.
"You do that, buddy."
Eugene's eyes widened and his hand flew over his mouth. He ran past Rapunzel and ducked in the bathroom. He slammed the door shut and the two heard him retch. Rapunzel stared at the closed door. She turned slowly back to Gerald, her hands on her hips.
"What happened," she asked calmly and quietly. Gerald knew she was fuming. He shrugged and gestured to the bathroom door, where Eugene up-chucked again.
"Your husband got dunk."
"I can see that," Rapunzel said angrily. "But what happened." Gerald let out a sigh.
"Pardon my answer, Princess, but I think you need to ask your husband that." Gerald bowed and walked off down the hall.
Rapunzel was speechless. She blinked a few times at Gerald's retort and slowly closed the door.
She heard Eugene throw up his insides again. She winced, feeling the urge herself. Who on earth let him get so drunk? She walked over to the door and knocked.
"Eugene? Are you alright."
"No…" he moaned. Rapunzel opened the door, to find Eugene's head in the toilet. "You'll be happy to know," he said with his voice echoing in the bowl, "that this toilet was clean." Rapunzel couldn't help but smile. He always said silly things to lighten the mood. Another wave hit him and his body shuddered to get rid of the night's poison. Rapunzel had to cover her own mouth to keep her late dinner down. Eugene panted into the toilet, his shoulders shaking. He clutched the sides for support. He threw up one more time and flopped back onto the wall, the nasty bought finally over with. Rapunzel knelt beside him and looked at his face.
He was an awful green and sweat poured from his temples and forehead. He had barf around his mouth and his eyes were blurry with tears. Rapunzel got up and wetted a rag. She cleaned his face and wiped his hands off. She noticed he tried not to meet her eyes. Rapunzel put the rag on the counter sink and began to unclip his soiled vest. It looked like he didn't quite make it to the toilet in time. She took the vest off and unbuttoned his shirt. She slid that off his shoulders too. She then helped him stand up. He almost put all his weight on her, but got half of it into his legs. Rapunzel led Eugene to the bed and he almost fell face first on to it. He laid down, moaning as he did so. Rapunzel tugged at his boots and then pulled the sheets down to cover him.
She did have to feel sorry for him, no matter how mad she was at him. She'd never seen Eugene so drunk and she wondered if he'd ever been. Just as she was pulling the blankets up to his chest, Eugene whispered for Rapunzel to come closer. She leaned in.
"I ever tell you, you got a great ass?"
Rapunzel had half a mind to slap her husband. She angrily dropped the covers where they were and stalked over to the couch, taking a blanket and a pillow with her. She sat down and settled in. She tried to will herself to sleep, but instead, tears fell. It was only after she had cried a great deal, did Rapunzel doze off into an uneasy sleep.
