Chapter 3

"Milla, I'm leaving now." said Boq cheerfully, "Will you be all right for a few days?"
"I'll be fine!" she snapped. Boq kissed the top of her head jovially, ruffled their son's head and headed towards his wagon.
He worried exceedlingly about Milla. Ever since she's had Nick, she had been attempting suicide and refusing to take care of herself. Her wrists were scarred beyond belief, her hair was grey and ratty, and worst of all, she was expecting their second child.
But Boq simply could not postpone this trip into the Emerald City. He had to buy new farm equipment and sell the remaining grain, so he asked his mother to check on Milla every day while he was gone.
He set out on his wagon, hoping to the Unnamed God for clear skies.
"Elphie would disapprove of such talk, old boy." he said to himself. "I could hear her now, 'The Unnamed God has as much control of the rain as you do Glinda's fashion sense.'" He smiled and urged the horses to hurry.
It took him four days to get to the Emerald City, a long journey in which he talked to himself and tried to make his horses talk to see if what Doctor Dillamond said was right.
The city was huge, absolutely massive, larger by far than Shiz even. He rode towards his cousin, Bfee's (who was named after Boq's own father) shop. He was one of the few Munchkinlanders who could keep up with the sprawling enormousity of the City. He stopped the wagon and started unloading it. He carried a load on his shoulder and walked slowly towards the entrance, the load of grain heavier than he had remembered.
All of a sudden, someone crashed into him, and he fell, crying out in horror for the grain. He looked to the side and saw a figure in a cloak on the floor, holding a knee. Grain was scattered everywhere, and Boq was very close to pounding the lights out of the hooded figure.
"Watch where you're going, stranger!" he growled, "That was a year's supply of grain!" The cloaked person helped him up.
"Sorry." said a voice from under the hood. A gloved hand appeared, shoving two gold coins towards him. "That should help cover it." Boq listened intently to the feminine, vaguely familiar voice.
The hooded figure nodded at him, but not before Boq saw a flash of green. His heart thudded madly.
'It couldn't be.' He thought.
Boq extended his hand. "Boq, from Wend Hardings."
"No one." the voice replied. The figure shook his hand. Boq saw his opportunity and tightened his grip on the hand. Then, with the oter hand, he thew the hood back. Staring back at him in wide-eyed horror was Elphaba Thropp.
"Boq! Why did you do that? Now others will recognize me!" she cried, dragging him into an alley then towards a little broken-down apartment.
When they entered it, Boq wrapped her up into the biggest bear hug he could manage.
"Elphie, why did you leave us?" He asked.
"To protect you, now don't get so excited." she replied.
Then he proceeded in catcing her up on what had happened since she had left, Nessarose's infatuation with him, Glinda going back to the annoying vainness he no longer liked, Fiyero's distant disposition, Crope and Tibbett's transformation, and his own failing marriage with Milla.
"Now, enough about us, Elphie, what about you? What are you doing here anyway?"
"Doing what I do best, Boq." she replied. He took her words into consideration.
"Taking care of others isn't your fate. You chose that role." he retorted.
"But no one else would do it." she replied.
"I would." he stated. 'If it meant being with you.' Elphaba threw herself at him.
"Which is exactly why I'm the one doing it." Boq stroked her straight hair, relishing the way it felt beneath his fingers. He looked at her face and her eyes were shining with tears and he wiped one away before it could burn her soft cheek.
"I missed you, Boq. You have no idea how much." she whispered.
"No, it is you who has no idea." he replied. He pulled her head down and kissed her, a sweet demanding kiss, one he had dreamt of for years now. What amazed him was that she kissed him back just as passionately.
He started to unbutton her dress, fumbling with the buttons until she started helping him. He finally got it off then unbucked his pants.
"I love you Elphie." he whispered into her ear as he entered her. He felt her stiffen beneath him, then relax as his movements progressed. They made love as much as possible that night, finally falling asleep early in the morning. When Boq woke up the next afternoon, Elphaba was gone, the spot where she had lain cold and empty.