Golden Angel

Part 7

"What is it Rapunzel?" Regina prodded, reaching across and taking her daughter's hand to comfort her. She felt Rapunzel recoil slightly at the touch, but she quickly relaxed.
"I think. . .I mean, I know. . ." Rapunzel stuttered. Regina gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. Rapunzel shut her eyes and blurted out, "I have cancer."
Regina blinked a couple of times in disbelief. "I'm sorry, did you just
say. . ?"
"Yes." Rapunzel opened her eyes and looked her mother in the eyes.
"Since when?" Regina asked.
"I started feeling bad back in the Enchanted Forest a few weeks before we came here. Then once we got here, I had some tests done,
and. . ." A tear trickled down her cheek. Regina was just about to ask what kind of cancer, but since Rapunzel hadn't said, maybe she didn't want her to know.
"Dr. Whale said it's going to be easy to treat, but that I'll probably lose my hair." Rapunzel continued, wiping away the tear. "I know it's stupid to be upset about that," she sniffed. "but it's been such a big part of who I am. . .I don't want to lose it this way."
Regina got up and took a seat on the couch next to Rapunzel. "You don't have to." she said.
"What?" Rapunzel asked.
Regina held out her hand and an electric razor appeared in her palm. "I'll only do it if you want me to." she said.
Rapunzel nodded, more tears falling from her eyes.
"Okay." Regina whispered. She stood up and turned the razor on.
"Are you sure you want me to do this?" she asked.
"I am." her daughter confirmed.
Regina nodded and began to shave Rapunzel's hair off. Blonde locks fell around her on the couch, reminding Regina of the last time she cut Rapunzel's hair. She remembered every little detail like it was yesterday. How Rapunzel thrashed and screamed and cried. And then banishing her daughter. She had been so cruel! Tears came to her eyes as she remembered all of this, blurring her vision. Then they started trickling onto her nose where she wiped them away with her sleeve.
When she was finished, she turned the electric razor off before dropping back onto the couch. She took both of Rapunzel's hands in hers and looked her in the eyes.
"Rapunzel, I'm so sorry!" she cried. "For everything!"
Rapunzel removed one of her hands from her mother's and placed it on Regina's shoulder. "I forgive you, Mom." she said.
Regina turned Rapunzel's hand over and placed the razor in it. "Here," she said. "shave mine."
"Why?" Rapunzel asked as she stared at the electronic in her hand.
"Because I don't want you to be alone in this. I've left you on your own your entire life, but I'm not gonna do that anymore."
New tears made their way down Rapunzel's cheeks. Her mother really had changed, just like everyone had said. She nodded and flipped the razor on and began sweeping it over her mother's head. When she was done, she vanished the razor. Then she looked at the couch and the floor, which were covered in blonde and dark chunks of hair. She waved her hand and it all disappeared.
"So, how do I look?" Regina asked as she stood up off of the couch.
"You look beautiful, Mother." Rapunzel said stepping forward, throwing her arms around Regina.
Regina was taken by surprise, but quickly recovered and embraced her daughter.