Rapunzel woke up with the sun the next day. I get to go outside today! She thought excitedly.
She looked up at her still-sleeping mother. She wasn't allowed to use the stove or cut anything, but she was allowed to set items out in preparation.
As quietly as she could, she slid out of bed and into the kitchen. She filled two small bowls with strawberries. She tried to get out the can of oatmeal, but it was too high up on the shelf. She couldn't reach it, even on her step stool.
Mother came out, stretching and yawning. "Really, Rapunzel, I know you're excited but do you have to make all this racket?"
"Rapunzel froze. She was terrified that if she made her mother angry and wouldn't be allowed outside./
"I-I'm sorry, Mommy," she whispered. "I just wanted to get breakfast ready. I only want to help you."
Gothel looked at the little girl, who was trying not to cry. She smiled at her and picked her up."It's alright, sweetheart. I'm glad you want to help."
Relieved, Rapunzel threw her arms around her mother. "I love you, Mommy!"
Gothel squeezed her and ran her fingers through her blond hair. "I love you more."
Rapunzel smiled up at her. "I love you more...more than strawberries!"
Gothel laughed and set her down. "Sit here while mommy makes breakfast."
Rapuzel obediently climbed into her chair while Gothel made oatmeal. Oatmeal wasn't her favorite, but her mother said it was good for her. And she wasn't going to do anything to make Gothel change her mind about letting her go outside.
"Here, flower," Gothel said a little while later as she set two bowls down. "It's hot, so be careful. You need your strength today."
Rapunzel blew on her oatmeal to cool it off, then took a bite. She ate faster than her mother.
Slow down!" Gothel said. "You'll get sick if you eat that fast. I'm not ready yet. Eat some strawberries."
Rapunzel happily ate her strawberries as Gothel ate her oatmeal.
At last she was done, but still Rapunzel had to wait to go outside. They had to wash the breakfast dishes.
"Do you remember the rules about going outside, Rapunzel?" Gothel asked as she scrubbed the oatmeal pan.
Rapunzel nodded vigorously. "Yes, Mommy. I have to stay where you can see me. I have to listen to you. If I don't, I can't go outside."
"Very good." Gothel dried her hands and smiled at the excited little girl. "Sit tight, flower. I have to get changed and you do too. Go bring down that blue dress you like to wear when we are cleaning."
Rapunzel raced upstairs to grab her dress.
"Here, Mommy!" she bellowed. "I got it!"
Mother came out in her work dress. She carried a bucket, a small rake and a shovel. "Don't yell, Rapunzel. I'm right here."
Rapunzel blushed. "I'm sorry. Mommy. Will you help me with the buttons?"
"Of course. Turn around."
Rapunzel spun around so Mother could unhook her nightgown. She pulled her dress over her head and tried to stand still as her mother buttoned each little button.
"Here," Mother said as she turned her around. She tied a blue bandanna over Rapunzel's hair. "To keep your hair out of your face. I picked it up the last time I was in town."
Rapunzel beamed up her mother. "Thank you, Mommy."
Gothel smiled down at her little girl. "You're welcome, flower."
She looked at the door and took Rapunzel's hand. "Ready?"
Shaking with excitement from head to toe, Rapunzel nodded.
Rapunzel gasped as wind and sunlight hit her at the same time. She had felt both through the tower windows, but never like this. So...so open.
"Here is the garden," Gothel said as she led Rapunzel to the side of the tower.
Rapunzel gasped. The garden was enormous to her. A sea of green, spotted with red here and there. Flowers grew in another patch a ways off.
"This is the summer garden," Gothel announced. "And that," she added as she pointed to the flowers, "is the fall garden."
"The flowers are so pretty!" Rapunzel exclaimed. "Can I pick some?"
"No!" Gothel snapped. Rapunzel looked up, scared she had upset her mother so much she would have to go inside.
"No, flower," Gothel said more gently. "Those flowers will grow into vegetables soon."
"What should I do?" Rapunzel asked as she looked around.
"Gothel also looked around. "Well," she said as she reached into her bucket and pulled out a pair of child-size gloves, "first put these on. Then I want you to pick up all the sticks and put them in the bucket. We will start our kindling pile."
Rapunzel happily put on her gloves and started her task. Gothel filled up another bucket with green beans.
Rapunzel cheerfully brought bucket after bucket of twigs into the storage room where her mother kept firewood for the stove. She didn't mind the heat or that her hands were beginning to get sore. She was just delighted to be outside.
"Ok," Gothel said after a while. "I want you dig up dandelions. Those are these yellow flowers, " she pointed them out.
But you said not to pick the flowers," Rapunzel said, confused.
"Just pick these flowers. Use this to get the roots out. Watch," Gothel instructed. She took a tool, which to Rapunzel just looked like a metal stick, and scraped and dug the dirt around a dandelion. She pulled it out and shook the dirt off.
"These flowers are weeds. They take the water and good soil that we need for our vegetables to grow," Gothel explained. "These are roots," she added, pointing at the long brown part she'd pulled out of the ground. "Try to get as much of the roots as you can."
"Gothel absolutely hated weeding the garden. It was hard on her back and hands. If she didn't have Rapunzel's magic hair, she could never have a garden like this.
Rapunzel diligently got to work, her small hands digging out the roots with the tool her mother gave her. Gothel kept an eye on her as she worked. Rapunzel was indeed a good little helper. When she got older, she would be a tremendous help in the garden.
Rapunzel threw the dug-up dandelions into a pile. "Here," her mother said as she handed her a small bucket, "tear off the leaves and put them in here. You can throw away the rest of the flower."
Rapunzel did as she was told, carefully pulling the leaves off each dandelion. She gathered up the flowers into a bunch, smiling.
Overhead, the grey clouds blew by. A sharp wind knifed through Rapunzel's thin dress. Goosebumps popped up on her arms.
Gothel looked up. "I think it's going to rain. This is enough gardening for now.
They gathered up their harvest and tools and walked inside. Gothel brought the vegetables into the kitchen. Rapunzel followed with her bucket of dandelion greens in one bucket and handful of dandelion flowers in her hand. Gothel set the vegetables on the table and put the tools away.
"That's a good pile of kindling, flower," she said as she came back into the room.
Rapunzel beamed proudly. She started to hold up the dandelions, when her mother grabbed her other hand.
"Goodness, your filthy! Upstairs into the tub."
"But Mommy-"
" No buts," Gothel said firmly. "Go!"
"Rapunzel scurried upstairs. She went into her room to get clean clothes and set the dandelions on her bed.
Rapunzel!" Gothel called. "Come take your bath!"
Rapunzel came into the bathroom with her clean clothes and a towel. Gothel unbuttoned her dress and pulled it off her. She picked her up and set her in the tub.
"Is the water warm enough?" she asked as she lathered up a nodded. Gothel gently scrubbed the dirt from her hands, face and legs. Rapunzel giggled at the tickly feel of the terry cloth on her bare skin.
"Dunk your head back," her mother ordered.
Rapunzel pinched her nose and dunked her head back. Gothel worked her fingers through the mass of hairs, massaging out every speck of dirt. She also pulled out several twigs and leaf fragments.
"There!" Gothel said a while later. "My flower was there under all that dirt!"
Rapunzel giggled and stood up. Her mother poured a bucket of water over her to rinse her off. She closed her eyes as the warm water flowed over her head.
Gothel helped her out of the tub and wrapped a thick, fluffy blue towel around the thin body. She rubbed her hair dry, then helped her into her pajamas.
"Go pick out your book and wait for me in the living room," Gothel said. "I need to wash up too."
"Yes, mommy," Rapunzel obediently replied. She dashed up to her room and grabbed both a book and the dandelions.
She piled a stack of blankets on the couch for them to snuggle in, then got a cup of water in the kitchen. Very carefully, she carried the cup out to the living room and put the flowers in it.
It seemed to take her mother forever to finish washing and come down stairs in her pajamas and bathrobe. She smiled at the little girl, who was anxiously prancing in front of the sofa.
"Did you fix the blankets like this?" Gothel asked.
"Yes!" shouted an excited Rapunzel. "And that's not all. Surprise!" She pointed the the cup of dandelions on the coffee table.
Gothel was at a genuine loss for words. Rapunzel really was such a sweet little girl.
"Oh, sweetheart, thank you," she said as she picked her daughter up and sat down on the couch with her.
"Do you like them?" Rapunzel asked anxiously. "I saved them for you because they're so pretty."
"Yes, darling, I love them," Gothel said as she squeezed the little girl. "And I love you."
"I love you more...more than strawberries and cookies!" Rapunzel declared as she threw her arms around her mother's neck.
Gothel chuckled. "I love most."
Rapunzel beamed up at her.
Gothel wrapped a soft fleece blanket around them and Rapunzel leaned back against on her lap. She quietly listened to her bed time story.
"You were a big help to Mommy today, Rapunzel," Gothel said as she closed the book.
Rapunzel smiled up at her sleepily. She was about to ask if should could help outside again tomorrow when a blinding bolt of lightning flashed outside, followed by a deafening clap of thunder. Rain began falling in sheets.
"Mommy!" Rapunzel screamed. She clung to her mother, shaking terribly.
"It's okay," Gothel said as she rubbed the little girl's back. "It's just a storm. The rain is good for our garden."
Rapunzel was not convinced. She held on to Gothel's waist even tighter.
"It's so angry," she whispered. "It's going to get me!"
Gothel gently pried Rapunzel off her and ran her fingers through her hair. "Would Mommy ever let anyone or anything hurt you?"
Blinking back tears, Rapunzel shook her head.
They cuddled on the couch for a little while longer, Rapunzel shaking and Gothel trying to calm her down, but to no avail. She was too terrified of the storm.
"Mommy?" she whispered, looking up at her mother with sleepy green eyes, "can-can I sleep with you again tonight? The thunder is so scary! It's so close to my room!"\
Gothel rolled her eyes mentally, but smiled down at her terrified daughter. "Yes, flower. Do you want to help me outside tomorrow if the rain stops?"
Rapunzel smiled bravely. "Yes, Mommy. I like helping you outside."
"Good. Come, bedtime. I'm tired."
She slid Rapunzel off her lap and walked to her bedroom. Rapunzel trailed behind her cautiously, afraid she would change her mind and tell her she had to sleep in the tower.
Gothel laid down and Rapunzel climbed in next to her. She wrapped her little arms around her mother's arm and rested her head on her shoulder. Gothel pulled her arm away and sat up a bit. She held out her arms for the terrified little girl to crawl into. The storm raged on.
"I love you, Mommy," Rapunzel whispered sleepily.
"I love you more," Gothel said as she stroked her hair. "I love you the most out of anything in the world."
Rapunzel felt a soft kiss on her head as she drifted off to sleep.