Rapunzel twisted her fingers together until they were a knotted mess as she sat waiting for her father to come to the diner. Would he stand her up? Was it some cruel joke? She couldn't help being a little pessimistic about the whole thing. Maybe suspicious was the better word. Eugene was sitting beside her, and grabbed her hands in his, untangling them and keeping them still, enveloped in the silent promise that he'd be there for her no matter what happened.
Then the pale haired man actually came. He readjusted his thick glasses as he surveyed the cafe for his daughter's face, which he'd only seen once. Rapunzel almost jumped out of her seat in surprise when he sat down across from them both.
"Did I scare you? I'm sorry," he apologized immediately, giving her a sheepish expression.
Rapunzel shook her head. "No, ah,-I was just, um, lost in thought." Wondering how long I should sit waiting for you. Not three hours like I did the first time, when my biological mother stood me up!
Eugene glanced down at his watch. It was twelve twenty-nine; they hadn't been waiting all that long and he was a minute early. He was mildly surprised; maybe this guy was the real deal and behind honest.
"We'll get some food ordered and then I'll start spilling my guts, hm?" he asked, waiting for them both to nod before falling into an uncomfortable silence.
Rapunzel was almost ready to burst with curiosity and suspicion by the time their food arrived. Curiosity and suspicion over her father, of course. Not over the food.
"So?" she asked, nibbling a French fry. "What's the tale I never knew?"
Charles took in a deep breath, blinking. "You want from the beginning on, I suppose?"
"Of course," she nodded.
"Well...I was stupid. That's virtually all you need to know. I was a stupid kid who thought he ruled the world. Don't most teenagers think that?"
Rapunzel glanced towards Eugene, who shrugged. He'd never had that feeling.
"I suppose, some," she said.
"Well, then I met your mother. She was sixteen, an absolute piece of work that fascinated me, and I was seventeen going on eighteen, and, well...I was just out of high school when you were born. We were both irresponsible about it. She told me early on she didn't want the baby. I didn't know what to do. I was all for giving you up for adoption, but then she sent me sonogram photographs. That was my baby girl. I didn't feel right giving you up for adoption, then. When I told your mother that I wanted to keep you and we could have a chance, we'd marry young and raise you together, she wouldn't have it. I was planning on keeping you and raising you, though, but...then something happened."
"What?" Rapunzel asked. She was riveted now; she was leaning forward and staring at him. She'd thought so differently. He'd wanted her? But why? Why hadn't he gotten her?
Charles swallowed. "I told you I was stupid, right? I went to a graduation party that night. Some of us got drunk. I did too. Well, you came a little early. I got the call from the hospital that you were being born, and I...swerved off the road to miss what I thought was a deer. It wasn't anything except my stupid intoxicated imagination. But with that aside, in my irritation and drunkenness, I spat at the lady on the other end of the phone, told her I couldn't deal with some kid, and let her know that I didn't want contacted anymore about it. When I sobered up, I realized what I'd done, but I guess you'd already been adopted out. I didn't know what to do, so I gave up. I figured you'd fallen into better hands anyway. I never saw your mother again, she called me and said she was glad I hadn't kept you, but when I said it had been a stupid mistake and I'd been intending to, she never talked to me again. Did you fall into good hands?"
Rapunzel stared at him for a moment, but then let her eyes drop as her mind registered the question. It was because of drunkenness that he'd given her up. Her mother had been the true villain of her story; never wanting her from the moment she knew she was pregnant. Rapunzel's throat tightened as she tried to imagine that feeling. She'd been so overwhelmed with joy when she'd found out she was with child. She instinctively brushed her fingertips across her sleeve where her long, jagged scar was, remembering the blood that had covered the lips of flesh and dripped on the white carpet. Because of the woman who had adopted her - no, she had not fallen in good hands. Eugene glanced over at her and set a hand on her knee underneath the table.
"Ah, well...it's in the past now, I guess," Rapunzel gave a small smile to her father. She didn't want to make him feel bad.
"Did you?" he persisted, his brow wrinkling. "I want to know, Rapunzel."
She tried to swallow, but her throat barely let her. "No. I didn't. My adoptive mother, Veronica, abused me mentally, physically, and emotionally. I ran away when I was eighteen. I came here and my employer took me in until I got a place to rent. Because of it, I take a long time to warm up to people and let them in. I'm sorry if I seem cold, but I'm just..." she trailed off, glancing towards Eugene. "Afraid of getting hurt, I guess. Again. I'm truly glad to know all of this and meet you, though, sir."
He looked deflated. His shoulders slumped and he swallowed, staring down at their table. "I'm so sorry." He looked back up at her almost shyly before blurting, "I want to know you, Rapunzel. I-I want to know your favorite color and celebrate your birthday. I want to learn about your hobbies. I want to hear your laugh and see your smile. I want to see your wedding photos and talk about good times, bad times, and your first date. I know it's late and I understand if you don't want me, but I want to be the dad I never was. I'm willing to give it my all. Is it too late?"
Rapunzel blinked. "No. No, I guess it isn't," she said quietly. She was almost afraid to tell him so; she couldn't bear the thought of him hurting her. But she'd take the risk.
His face split into a large smile, and he impulsively reached over the table to take her smooth hands in his, but then hesitated awkwardly. She laughed and slipped her hands in his, feeling the bony, calloused hands enclosing hers. "I'm glad," he said, nodding several times.
Eugene was feeling pretty awkward at this point; not altogether sure what to do except observe and steal one of his wife's fries when she wasn't looking. He felt a twinge of sadness as he thought about his own parents, which he'd never met. He wasn't jealous of Rapunzel - certainly not - but wondered what his own parents would have been like.
Later that day, Rapunzel collapsed on the couch after situating all of their new baby supplies in the library-transformed-into-a-nursery. "Oh my gosh, today was too much," she groaned, watching Eugene as he finished cleaning the kitchen after their dinner. "You're amazing, by the way. Thank you."
"You're welcome," he cast her a smile over his shoulder. "How are you feeling? I mean, about your dad."
She sighed, staring off into space for a moment as she mulled it over in her head. How did she feel? "Confused. Well, not necessarily confused necessarily, but...I just don't know. I want to trust him and let him be my dad - I mean, I've wanted that for so long, Eugene! But I'm scared he's just trying to play us."
He nodded, removing the brown dish towel from his shoulder and hanging it on its little hook on the side of the center counter before heading to the couch, sitting down beside her. "I can understand that, certainly. But unless he's a really good - and pathological - liar, he was being truthful with you. Did you see the look of pure happiness on his face when you laughed and let him hold your hands? He was on cloud nine. Someone who didn't care wouldn't have been so delighted by that, I don't think."
She nodded, yawning and curling up on her side, settling her head in his lap and staring across the room at one of her more recent paintings. He put a hand on her shoulder and used the other to stroke her long brunette hair. "Yeah. I suppose you're right. Why do you think he decided to look for me, though?"
Eugene made an uncertain sound. "That, I don't know. You'll have to find that out, I suppose."
"Do you think our baby will get to meet her grandfather, then?" she asked. "I'd been thinking about that a lot. How she wouldn't have any relatives, really."
"I hope so. If he's a good guy. And I don't really doubt it...and you know me," he chuckled, thinking about how mistrustful he had been of Rapunzel at first.
She giggled. "Yeah, I do."
Little Promises
As we grow older and our family expands, I hope we keep our little talks
Little chats, sweet nothings, little walks.
And then we'll include our kiddos, too.
I promise to.
To keep you safe and secure,
Help and protect you when you're unsure, I assure.
Give our kiddos piggy-back rides.
I'll give you something to hold onto when memories seem to come in rising tides
I promise to.
To sit through the ballet or soccer practices,
Which may be really quite neat, as it is.
To read bedtime stories and always be home in time for a family dinner;
Make sure our kids' eyes always shimmer.
I promise to.
To kiss you and always be there for you;
Chase the boys off when they come knocking for our girl, too.
To stick with you through thick and thin as I've already promised;
Making you feel special is my top goal and always will be, honest.
I promise to.
To never let you feel sad,
And stick with the kids when at me they're mad
(And you, too)
I promise to.
I'll wipe tears and change diapers
And hope to raise some writers
My dear, it's my goal
To give you everything that time and a harsh life stole
I promise to.
