I've stayed in the front yard all my life.
I want a peek at the back
Where it's rough and untended and hungry weed grows.
A girl gets sick of a rose.
--"a song in the front yard" by Gwendolyn Brooks--

She felt absolutely ridiculous applying make-up in the bathroom of Arkham Asylum. Yet that wasn't anywhere near the embarrassment she felt when she pulled the dress from the garment bag she'd also brought into the restroom with her.

A violet dress, it was a simple cut, but was sleeve-less and required zipping in the back. She bit her lip and quickly disrobed—maybe she'd be able to fasten it and then pull it up.

She tried, and immediately found no luck. She flushed and stared in the mirror at herself. Why had she decided to pick the one dress that had to be zipped up to wear to her mother's birthday? What was she going to do? For a few moments she just stared in the mirror, wondering if she should walk to the door and call for some help; surely one of the nurses would help her. All the while she clutched the dress to her chest.

A knock at the door jolted her. This was a public restroom; more than one person could be in the room.

"Ms. Albright, are you alright?" Her face turned a darker shade of red as Jonathan's voice came from the other side of the door.

"Um, yeah, I'm alright." She replied, but steeling herself she added. "Uh, Dr. Crane, actually I have a bit of problem…"

"Do you need any help?"

Becky walked to the door and took a deep breath. "I…need someone to zip up the back of my dress. Can you do it?" Her heart thudded as silence fell. "Or you can get someone else to-"

"Open the door."

She clutched the top of her dress tighter to herself as her other hand pushed the door open. She looked down, and saw Jonathan's foot catch it before it swung back on her. Without looking up, she turned around and presented her back to him. She stiffened slightly when she felt his cool fingertips at the nape of her neck, but relaxed as he merely brushed her hair over her right shoulder. Then he began to pull the zipper up her back. Her heart continued to thud, even after she felt him stop. She turned around and slowly raised her face to his.

"Thanks." Her breath caught at the look in his eyes as he smiled and nodded. They were that darkened shade again. She quickly turned and began gather her things, her face once again burning. She felt his eyes on her figure as she moved about, and she was a little perturbed. Not because he was looking, but because she wanted him to.