Rapunzel’s Hair

Trip’s version of supper was Chinese take-out. They reviewed the day’s show, as they ate. Trip made his usual negative comments regarding his image or speech and Georgette made her usual rebuttals, singing his praises like she had been doing for almost a decade.

“No one believes in me like you do, sweetie,” said Trip. “I could be bald and toothless with hair growing out my ears and you would still say I was perfect.”

She glowed like candlelight. “You are, Trip.” Georgette cleared her throat. Because of her awe for him, she found it hard to talk about herself. But she wanted to share her good fortune with him. The tale of her daily tasks usually bored him, but with the ex-congressman’s new role in the story, he might find it interesting today.

“I’ve got some news, Trip. The committee to beautiful downtown has chosen Buckets of Daisies to be their gardening supplier. I met with the architect, Mr. Hutchins and the committee head Ex-congressman Redden this afternoon.”

“Congratulations, Georgette. I’m impressed and amazed at the same time. Usually an outside company is chosen. Someone must have put in a good word for you.”
If anyone else has said that to her, she would have flamed them with the reminder that her company was in second best selling privately owned garden center in the whole county. It shouldn’t be so amazing that it was chosen, but this was Trip and he wasn’t just anyone.

“Martin knows the architect, but I don’t think that’s the reason I was chosen. Mr. Hutchins seemed impressed with my input at the meeting. That’s what cinched the job, Trip. Not who I know.”

“Schmidt!” He spat out the name. “He’s doing you a favor in hopes that you’ll do him a favor.” His emphasis on favor wasn’t flattering.

Her voice shaky, Georgette said, “Trip, that’s not true. Martin’s like my brother. I don’t think of him that way. He’s dating someone, by the way.” She was close to tears and hated how easily he could wound her. He should be celebrating her success along with her, instead of bringing it down with his jealousy of Martin. Loving Trip shouldn’t be this hurtful at times.

He lifted her chin with his hand. “Sorry, sweetie. I can’t help it if I get uptight about Schmidt. Don’t you know how much you mean to me? He would give anything to be in my place.” She nodded, tentatively. Her vulnerability was intoxicating to him. She sat humbly before him with her head bowed, hiding her face. All he could see was her braided hair, a laurel crown that she wore just for him. “Let your hair down for me.” His voice was barely a whisper.

Georgette removed the bobby pins that kept the thick braid in place around her head. She unwound it slowly, watching his rapt face. He did love her. She saw it in his eyes. “Unbraid it,” he instructed. She did as he asked, letting the sections fall around her shoulders and spill down to the small of her back.

Trip combed her hair with his fingers, putting it to his nose and inhaling the floral scent of gardenia. He pulled her into an embrace, hugging her tightly and said, “I love the fact that you hide your hair from the world. I love that you only share it with me.” They kissed. He wrapped a rope of her hair around his hand, using it to pull her head back. “Only me,” he said, looking deeply into her eyes, as if searching for an answer, before returning to kiss her.