Elphie walked through the quiet house back to the Nursery. She saw a light coming from under Namom's door and Samion's hearty chuckle coming from his and Gwenot's room. She saw Nusee in the hallway, poking his paw under the door of one of the closets.
"Did you lose something Nuisance?" Elphie chuckled and Nusee looked up at her with a little pathetic mewl. Elphie opened the closet door and right underneath was one of her Familiar's little cloth balls.
"You have other toys." Elphie chuckled as she retrieved the ball and picked up the kitten.
Nusee nuzzled Elphie's cheek then batted the ball out of her hand and squirmed to go after it.
"I'm very glad that you have made yourself at home." Elphie laughed as she went on to the Nursery.
The light was on, a fire was going and the room was warm and inviting, but seemed too empty. While Elphie changed into her warm nightgown, robe and slipper socks she thought about the evening. The casual interactions with Glinda's cousins and their suggestive banter and teasing each other didn't really bother her. Dani, Beliea, Loma and Juiva often behaved in the same manner and even though she still couldn't figure out how to participate very well, and still flustered at being included, it all seemed normal now.
Elphie folded herself into the chair near the fire with one of her books, but her mind did not want to focus on biochemistry. Feeling restless, she took her book and went quietly into the common room with Nusee scampering after her. She sat down, looked at the decorations, and thought about all the holiday traditions that she was being exposed to. The Quadlings had many types of holiday celebrations and special traditions that she participated in because she was there with her father. She observed and interacted as her father instructed her to do, she participated, but she was never included. Here she was included effortlessly. She didn't have to do anything, she just was. She had a wreath up on the wall with the other Upland wreathes and an ornament that was made especially for her on a family holiday tree. The people from the village that they went wassailing with had treated her just as they did the other cousins, except for the second and occasionally third glances because of her coloring. She was not told to stay on the fringe, to not do certain things or talk to certain people. And Glinda had been correct, no one batted an eye when she didn't sing, and no one, but her wiggling love reacted when she did. And she knew that was not because of being ignored. It was because that was how everyone was being treated, sometimes people sang and sometimes they didn't, but everyone was included in on the fun.
Elphie knew she was in danger of over thinking all of this and forced herself to try and see it all in the bigger context of being part of a diverse, but loving family that was part of a larger community. She and Manif had talked about this once, how they had sort of created their own little family unit and Shiz was their community. She had also discussed with Chaxi several times about how she needed to actively work to incorporate the different sorts family dynamics, both good and not so good, that she encounters into her new view of how families function. As well as how those families, as a whole, in their smaller units and their individual members, fit into a community.
It surprised her that she understood this and was able to gain some perspective on the things that had happened since she arrived, although it was easier for her to do this as Glinda's fiancée than it was to just put herself, as herself, into the mix. She did not know if this was a good thing or not, but it was how it made sense to her, and how she wanted it to be. Still feeling restless, she got up to walk around, with Nusee following her, and ended up in the den.
When Namom had found out that that she liked the den she told her to make herself at home in there whenever she wanted. It had been her husband's favorite place to relax and was now used by the men as a gathering spot, but went unused when the family was not there. It was smaller than Samion's den at Upland Manor, more casually decorated and it smelled like books. Taking a deep breath and taking Namom at her word, Elphie magically lit a fire in the fireplace and settled in a chair with her book.
X
"You know, I'm not sure why we were so surprised that you and Elphaba got engaged." Voril said as they sat near the fire in the main room, in their nightclothes and sipping the hot toddies that they had made.
"After that tango you did at your birthday party, I think it was necessary."
"No kidding, that was some dance." Chiwa said.
"Jilla and Pajul are excellent tango dancers, but they have nothing on you two."
"We like to dance." Glinda said with a faint blush on her cheeks.
"And apparently dancing likes you to do it." Javie chuckled.
"You know it still doesn't seem quite fair that you get to live with, and have an all access pass to your girlfriend while the rest of us had to take what we could get until we were married." Chiwa said with a chuckle.
"Well she is the baby and used to being catered to." Kiuy teased.
"Look you all, I know our arrangement seems strange to you. I will be the first to admit our restrictions at Shiz are not the same as they are when we are at home, but we do have them. We set our parameters ourselves and they are rather conservative." Glinda said.
"We know you little cousin, remember? We've always known you were more sexually conservative than any of us. It's not like we thought you two were having a free for all in your dorm room." Javie chuckled.
"But parameters or no, living with someone that you are so obviously physically attracted to has to be difficult at best, even if your attitudes are conservative." Kiuy said with a smile.
"Living together makes some things easier and some things harder. Elphie is reserved and I meant it when I said that she was a gentleman. And I am a normal teenage Arduenna girl. Quite honestly, I think having that, as you say, all access pass, helps me show restraint. I know that might not make sense to you, but it's true. Being able to get to know one another in our own timeframe, in our own fashion, has been invaluable to both of us. If you only knew my Elphie, her life before… what she…" Glinda had started off in the spirit of the conversation, light hearted and teasing, but with the last thought she started, her voice cracked with emotion and tears formed in her eyes.
"…You would know that the parameters and the restrictions I place on myself are not a burden, they are my freedom, our freedom. And I've imposed them willingly and happily." Glinda sniffled the tears spilling down her cheeks.
"Oh Galinda, honey no. We were just teasing you, not trying to upset you." Kiuy said as the cousins gathered around Glinda. Glinda leaned into the nearest set of arms and sniffled for a few beats.
"I'm not upset, really. And I know you were teasing me. I liked that, I've always dreamed about being in on the teasing that goes on." Glinda smiled.
"I can handle being teased about living with my fiancée and whatever else might crop up as long as you understand that Elphie is a very private person, and I will never talk about anything that will betray that. I think the tears were just me realizing how much I miss her combined with not being able to feel her and thinking about her up there alone." Glinda smiled.
"She's not alone Galinda. Besides your parents and Namom, she's got that feisty kitten to look after her. But if you want we will all go up to the house and camp out in the Nursery." Chiwa said and the cousins nodded.
"Oh I do love you all, but that is not necessary. I'm fine, she's fine and I am just being my usual overly emotional self." Glinda smiled and the cousins had a long group hug that ended with tickles for Glinda.
"Okay." Javie said after all the giggles stopped.
"The next thing on the tease our baby cousin list after living with your fiancée is the state of your virginity."
"Since that is obviously no longer an option, why don't we move onto how in Oz did you learn to tango like you do." Chiwa chuckled.
"For all we know, it could be a similar conversation." Voril laughed and winked at Glinda, who sniffled happily even as she blushed just a little.
Glinda knew how much her cousins were still coming to terms with the fact that she was engaged to and physically attracted to a woman. They were doing their best to make it all okay for themselves and her by being their normal teasing selves. She could feel their love for her and that in spite of not fully understanding, they were truly happy that she was happy. She loved them all the more for that and it made her even more sniffly.
"I love you all and am so happy that you like Elphie." Glinda said through her sniffles.
"Well of course we like her Galinda. She adores you and treats you in a manner that we think you should be treated. She respects your parents, Namom, us and is even trying to mend fences with Jilla. She's smart but not pretentious, shy but not coy. She's real Galinda. We can see that. You being with another girl will take some getting used to, but we like her and will treat her like one of us, without all the innuendo. " Kiuy said with a chuckle.
After some more group hugs, Glinda settled down to tell her cousins about tango lessons at Dani's cabin and about the teasing Elphie took about her lack of general dancing ability, all while playing with the ring on her finger.
X
Before Giselium Arduenna settled into her bed for the night, she did what she always did, took a walk around her house. It had been her husband's habit to check on things before going to sleep and she had continued the unnecessary, but comforting task after he died. On occasion, the house was dark and quiet, but more often than not, she could see lights coming from under doors and hear the quiet murmurings of adults or the trying to be quiet giggles of children. Sometimes she heard noise from the kitchen as someone got a snack, the laughter of sharing a humorous moment, the raised voices of an argument playing out, the hushed voices of intimacy, or the sound of tears. They were the sounds of life, her life, and she cherished them. Tonight she saw the den light on and heard the faint tinkle of a bell. Knowing that Gwenot and Samion were in their rooms and her granddaughters were in a cottage, she went to go see who was searching out some alone time in the den, already knowing that it was Galinda's young lady and her kitten.
"Hello Elphaba." The older woman said quietly, remembering the girl's tendency to startle. Elphie jumped and dropped her book.
"Namom!" Elphie yelped and flushed deeply then went to retrieve her book.
"I…I hope I wasn't disturbing you."
"Oh my darling child not at all. I am very pleased that you are making yourself at home in here. But I do hope that you magically created that fire." Namom said with a kind smile.
"I did. I thought doing it the other way would cause too much of a disturbance." Elphie said as Namom sat down in a chair near her.
"Elphaba, if you are up here alone instead of down in the cottage with Galinda and the other girls because one of my granddaughters was being unkind, I want you to tell me." Namom said directly.
"What? Oh no ma'am nothing like that." Elphie said, flustered.
"I'm sorry, I thought that you were aware. I'm giving Glinda some girl talk time with her cousins. We talked about it first and I even asked Voril if the cousins would mind if I did not stay."
"I assumed it was something of that nature, I just wanted to be sure." Namom smiled.
"I am getting along very well with Glinda's cousins, and have even been teased already."
"High praise indeed from those girls." Namom chuckled.
"Well, I just wanted to check on you, to make sure all was well. I will leave you to your book now. What are you reading?"
"Biochemistry of Signal Transduction and Regulation." Elphie said holding up her book.
"Interesting light bedtime reading, I prefer a good who done it murder mystery myself." Namom chuckled and Elphie smiled.
"Don't stay up too late Elphaba."
"I'll try not to Namom." Elphie said as she helped Namom up from her chair.
"Goodnight then darling, fresh dreams." The woman said as she gave Elphie a hug.
"To you too. Goodnight Namom." Elphie smiled returning the light but warm embrace.
"And goodnight to you too little Nusee." Namom chuckled to the kitten, who had been sitting on the end table calmly the entire time she was there.
After Namom left Elphie debated on whether to stay put in the den or go back to the Nursery. She really wanted to just stay in the den because she was at ease in there and had been able to sort and process the emotions that had been swirling in her mind. So she decided to stay and trusted that it was all right for her to do so. Elphie folded herself into the comfortable chair by the fire and opened her book. She felt things that as of late were more common than anomalous, safe, wanted, looked after and was easily able to immerse herself into her studying. As she read she thought about making Namom some of the facial mask that she had used while she was in Frottica. Soon her mind was filled with all sorts of process for formulating oil based, gentle creams, masks and lotions that she could give to Namom and before she knew it, the sun was peaking in through the drapes and Samion was chuckling in the doorway.
"Either you are awake extremely early, or up extremely late."
"The later, I'm sorry." Elphie said contritely.
"For what darling? You never have to apologize for who you are. We know that you occasionally suffer from insomnia and as long as you are not in distress, we try not to fuss over it." Samion said as he crouched down to pet Nusee.
"I was not in distress. I was in the lab." Elphie smiled and Samion chuckled.
"Fine then. I am going to make coffee for the early risers and I'll feed this feisty little thing as well. Why don't you go change and join us. The lab can do without you for awhile."
"Alright." Elphie said and started to say something else but stopped.
"Good. Come on Nusee, breakfast awaits." Samion said. Nusee looked at Elphie, who chuckled and nodded. The kitten scampered away and Elphie wondered how her love had slept.
X
Elphie joined Samion and Namom for coffee in the sitting room and they were soon were joined by Gwenot and eventually by Javie who came up to prepare her specialty eggs for breakfast. After having some coffee, Javie went to the kitchen and Elphie volunteered to help her. While she assisted with and thereby learned how to prepare this dish Javie told Elphie about how much fun they all had and how much Glinda had missed her. Elphie enjoyed fixing the eggs as much as she enjoyed talking with Javie. She learned to fix a type of round, porous flat bread, poach eggs and prepare a sauce from butter, lemon juice and raw eggs. There was ham involved as well, but Javie took care of that. She also relished the challenge of finding a substitute for Elphie and finally settled on spinach.
During this time, Kiuy then Chiwa and finally Voril and Glinda came up to the main house. Glinda greeted everyone then hurried off to see her love, pleased that she was spending time with one of her cousins.
"Hi Elphie!" Glinda bubbled as she walked into the kitchen.
"Good morning Lyndie." Elphie grinned and accepted an enthusiastic hug and gentle kiss with only a minor blush.
"You're learning to make Javie's eggs. Yummy." Glinda grinned as she tried to take a piece of ham off of a plate.
"Stop that." Javie chuckled as she smacked her hand.
"Those are cut for the bread, take this you bottomless pit."
"Thanks, I'm starving." Glinda giggled.
"Your fiancée's a natural at this. Of course it helped when I figured out how to quantify a dash, a pinch, a bit and a scosh." Javie chuckled.
"My little scientist." Glinda wiggled happily.
"Why don't you go tell everyone that breakfast will be ready in five minutes." Javie smiled.
"Okay. Can I take her?" Glinda giggled and Elphie arched her eyebrow in amusement.
"If you must, but tell everyone about breakfast before you wish her another good morning." Javie laughed and winked at Elphaba, who blushed deeply, but chuckled.
Glinda pulled Elphie along, poked her head into the sitting room to announce breakfast then hurried to the Nursery to get the kiss that she had dreamt about the night before.
X
Breakfast was light-hearted, fun and full of more stories and teasing. Afterwards Chiwa and Kiuy cleaned up and the others went in to reminisce in the Nursery. They took all of the dolls out of the cupboard and explained to Elphie how to set up a proper tea party. Namom showed them how it was done in her day and Samion told them about the numerous tea parties he attended with his daughter and her dolls. When Kiuy and Chiwa joined them, other youthful diversions were taken from the cabinets. Samion challenged his daughter and any brave nieces to a game of marbles. Javie and Chiwa accepted, Namom served as referee and the others cheered. Elphie even started a give me a…what does it spell cheer for Glinda and it delighted her so much that she was too wiggly to make her shot, but she did not care.
After the game, that Chiwa handily won. Namom challenged Samion to a tiddlywinks rematch. Gwenot called it a grudge match and explained that they did this every time Samion came to the Lodge and her mother was still smarting from losing last time. Glinda explained the premise of the game to Elphie then consoled her father when he lost.
After the tiddlywinks match, they brought out other games that they didn't play as much as talked about. There were dominoes, knucklebones, jacks and the one that Elphie found most intriguing, pick up sticks. Glinda was a bouncy giggly mess when her cousins showed Elphie how to play. Everyone was having a wonderful time in the Nursery with the games they used to play, but the highlight of the morning came when Voril found the jump rope and Elphie was shown the timeless childhood art of skipping rope.
Elphie watched as Namom and Gwenot volunteered to turn the rope while the cousins and Glinda took turns jumping, sometimes two at a time. They sang little rhymes to the rhythm of their jumping. Some were cute, some were designed to count off jumps, and one made Elphie blush.
"Galinda and Elphaba sitting in a tree K-I-S-S-I-N-G." The cousins sing-songed during one of Glinda's solo turns.
"First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes Glinda with a babies carriage."
The cousins chuckled and giggled and Glinda laughed until tears streamed down her face as she spun a very confused Elphie around and repeated the rhyme.
"Oh my, I'd forgotten that one. I love it. Minka and I did that all the time." Glinda giggled.
"It's a common children's chant Elphaba darling." Gwenot explained
"Used by little girls to tease each other about liking little boys, or visa versa."
"I see. Sometimes missing out on a childhood doesn't seem so bad." Elphie chuckled and so did Gwenot.
"She's going to be impossible now." She said with a grin as Glinda and one of her cousins repeated the chant using all of the cousins and their husbands.
"Now?" Gwenot said arching a regal eyebrow and laughing.
"Good point." Elphie smiled.
"All right girls, that's enough now." Namom chuckled after they did a chant with her and Napop.
"Okay Namom." Kiuy chuckled.
"So Elphaba, do you want to learn?" Voril said.
"It's really not hard."
"Remember how Bitra taught you Galinda? Show her that way." Chiwa said.
"How about it Elphie, it's easier than the turkey trot." Glinda smiled feeling her love's extreme reluctance, mixed with a hint of intrigue.
"In the same way that barreling down a hill on a sled is like riding tandem on your horse?" Elphie chuckled.
"Galinda, you did not tell her that did you?" Javie said in amusement.
"I thought it was, it is when I do it with you all. But never mind that." Glinda grinned.
"Momsie, let's show Elphie how Bit taught me."
"All right darling." Gwenot said.
"We'll turn." Voril said and nodded to Javie.
Elphie watched as Gwenot and Glinda stood face to face, holding hands and hopping back and forth over a stationary rope. After a few hops Voril and Javie swung it slowly back and forth and Glinda and her mother jumped over that. After a few of those, the rope went over their heads and the jumped it when it hit the ground. Elphie had to admit that it did not look too hard, but for a brief moment, she flashed back on hearing the taunts of the children in her play set when she had tried to kick a ball and fell down. She knew that she was being ridiculous, she was not five years old, and these were Glinda's cousins not children from Nest Hardings.
"What do you think Elphie? Want to try, just the first two even. We don't have jump all the way." Glinda said interrupting Elphie's thoughts.
"Why not?" Elphie grinned, but Glinda could feel her struggling. Luckily, Namom could sense it as well.
"Well Galinda you, Voril and Javie continue with the jumping rope lesson and the rest of you get this Nursery picked up. I am going to check on lunch. We've been at this all morning." Namom smiled.
"I'll go with you Mother." Samion said.
"And I'll help tidy up." Gwenot smiled.
"It'll be fun Elphie." Glinda smiled.
"I'll defer to your definition of the word and give it a try." Elphie chuckled and took both of Glinda's outstretched hands.
For a little bit they hopped back and forth over the rope while Glinda and the cousins sang some other chants. Glinda nodded and the rope started to swing, confusing Elphie's feet. Glinda got her back into a rhythm by making up her own chant, using the tune of the kissing one.
"Frisky enzymes playing in their dish. Wiggling and dancing as much as they wish. Some bond here, some bond there and some will bond most anywhere." Glinda giggled so much that the lesson was halted until it passed. While they waited, Elphie tried to explain to the cousins what frisky enzymes actually were.
The lesson continued with moderate success, until Namom told them all to get ready for lunch. Elphie even managed to jump over a fully turning rope twice before becoming entangled.
"Thank you my love for indulging me so." Glinda said after the cousins left the Nursery to wash up.
"I'm not sure I wish to skip rope anymore, even with very creative cadence chants." Elphie smiled.
"But I am rather fond of that picking up sticks game."
"We'll have to play that at Shiz. I'll bet Manif knows how to play too."
"These are common childhood pastimes?"
"Yes sweetheart they are. I learned them all and more from my cousins."
"This was a nice time Lyndie. A little confusing, but nice. I'll process it all while you are taking the nap I know that you will need to take after your cousins leave."
"Why are you discussing unhappy things?" Glinda pouted and Elphie kissed it softly.
"Did I forget to mention that I was going to lie down with you, because I was up all night working on things that I can mix for your grandmother?" Elphie smiled.
"Yes, you forgot to mention that, you mean green thing." Glinda chuckled.
"We'll talk about it all later." Elphie said.
"Now we need to get ready for lunch."
"I had so much fun with my cousins, and I'm so happy that you did too." Glinda said as she and Elphie went into the bathroom.
"Let me." Glinda smiled mischievously and Elphie knew that meant that she wanted to wash their hands together with some of her oil.
"If you wish my precious." Elphie smiled and poured some of her hand washing oil into Glinda's hands.
"I enjoyed my time with your cousins very much, they are all very nice and…" Elphie started then stopped not knowing if she should go on.
"And what my love." Glinda said as she took Elphie's hands into hers.
"It doesn't matter." Elphie said as Glinda smoothed the oil over her hands.
"Of course it does Elphie. Talk to me, please." Glinda said as she moved her hands over Elphie's.
"All right, but it's not going to sound right." Elphie said as she took Glinda's hands between hers to wash them.
"So noted." Glinda sighed as Elphie slowly moved her fingers slowly between hers.
"I am sort of glad that Jilla did not come up here. I think it has been easier for us to get to know one another better. Not that it was hard at your party, it's just…I don't know." Elphie said as they as much caressed as washed each other's hands.
"Elphie I understand this, I do. And I think my mother and Aunt Greda did too, which is might be one of the reasons things are planned as they are. I was thinking that my interactions with my cousins would have been different if Jilla was here. Not bad, just different. The teasing and the girl talk would not have been the same. I needed this time I think, I know we did and you did. But I did too. To connect with them in a different way and let them get to know the me that loves you. Did that make any sense?" Glinda said.
"It did, very much so." Elphie said as she reached for a towel.
"We will have our time with Jilla. I honestly don't know how she is going to take the news of our engagement. But I'm glad we had this time with just the others, and that we will with the Upland ones too."
"Well I survived this. I'm sure I can survive them as well." Elphie smiled as she dried the oil off of Glinda's hands then took them in hers.
"My greatest joy in all of this is that you have been so very happy. Empathic temper tantrum aside." She kissed Glinda's hands.
"And my greatest joy in all of this is that you understand that you are accepted and loved here and that you are having fun." Glinda said as she took Elphie's hands in hers and kissed them.
"I do and I am." Elphie smiled as Glinda took her hands and pressed them to her cheeks. Elphie took the cue and caressed them, using the positioning to pull her into a kiss.
"We need to go before they come looking for us. I may be at ease, but one more announcement that we are smooching will change that." Elphie chuckled after Glinda kissed her back with great enthusiasm.
"Glinda and Elphie sitting in a tree…" Glinda sing-songed as she took Elphie's hand and led her from the bathroom.
"I knew it, I just knew it." Elphie chuckled as Glinda finished the rhyme.
X
The casual lunch of beef or vegetable stew was unhurried and just as much fun as the rest of the cousin's visit had been. But when it was over, they only had a little time before the carriage would be there to get them. Everyone bundled up, including Nusee, and they went outside to wait, because the cousins wanted to leave Namom a memento. Along with Glinda, they made snow prints of themselves in the still pristine snow right in front of the main house then signed their names under them with sticks. When they were finished and the carriage was coming up the private road. Namom took her granddaughters aside for a private goodbye.
"I'm glad that you all agreed to come and visit with Galinda and Elphaba." Namom said.
"We had a great time and we really like Elphaba." Kiuy said and the others nodded.
"I am very proud of you my darlings, very proud. You have been very accepting of Elphaba and supportive of her relationship with Galinda even though it is still somewhat of a mystery to you." Namom said.
"We want our baby cousin to be happy and she is. That is all that really matters to us right now." Voril said.
"Jilla helped us a lot. Even though we had no intention of alienating Galinda, it was still good to know where she stands." Javie said.
"My darlings it is hard to stand up for your spouse, or spouse to be, against a family member that you adore and admire. You all know that from experience, or are still learning it." Namom said as she cupped Chiwa's cheek and gave her a smile.
"Galinda showed us her true feelings for Elphaba and what she is made of, by doing so against the one of you that she is closest to. And you showed me what fine Arduenna women that you are, by supporting her."
"You taught us well Namom." Chiwa smiled and hugged her grandmother hard. When she let go the other three followed.
"I love you all my granddaughters and I look forward to the loud and boisterous event that will be your return." Namom smiled.
"We love you too Namom." The girls chorused and gave her a final group hug.
The cousins said goodbye to their Aunt and Uncle on the porch then went to the carriage where their things were loaded, ready to go and their sniffly cousin and her fiancée were waiting. They all said goodbye to Elphie with a few private words and a light but sincere hug then Elphie went to the steps to wait.
"You all, I had so much fun. But I'm still really sorry about how I acted yesterday morning." Glinda said after the first round of hugs.
"You all have treated me just how I always dreamed I would be when I got engaged. You teased me to death and you appropriately teased my reserved fiancée."
"Just our way of celebrating." Kiuy laughed.
"We like her a lot Galinda, you know that. So no worries about us. You have our support and we are looking forward to toasting you in proper fashion at your formal announcement party." Javie chuckled and Glinda sniffled.
"Now we need to get going. One more hug, then off to take a nap for you." Kiuy said in her mother tone.
"And there is a set of gentlemanly, gangly arms there to help you." Voril smiled.
"I love you guys." Glinda said then was enveloped in a group hug.
"We love you too little cousin." The girls said then Javie motioned for Elphaba who came over and stood with her sniffling love as her cousins got into the carriage, waved to them with her as they drove away then put her arm around her to let her be sad at their departure when they were out of sight.
X
Gwenot stood in the open doorway of the Nursery looking at her daughter in the arms of her fiancée with the kitten sleeping on top of them. She knew that Glinda was going to take a nap, but even knowing that Elphaba had not slept the night before, she was still surprised to see that she was as well. Waking Elphaba was not something that she liked to do, but she needed to wake them to give them time to get ready for dinner. She slowly walked in and knelt down by the bed on the side where her daughter was sleeping.
"Galinda darling." She said quietly and Glinda mumbled and started to shift.
"Elphie, what's wrong?" Glinda muttered and Elphie jolted awake at the sound of her voice and Gwenot sighed, unhappy that her plan for just waking her daughter did not work.
"Glinda, what? What happened?"
"You woke me." Glinda said.
"I woke you, I'm sorry darlings." Gwenot said and Elphie immediately let Glinda go and got out of bed, visibly flustered. Gwenot knew enough about her to know to not respond.
"I came to tell you that dinner is in two hours. Mrs. Koim is making traditional holiday fare, with an addition of fish for Elphaba."
"The traditional turkey or the traditional ham?" Glinda asked bouncing on her bed.
"Pertha Hills style stuffed baked ham, and she used the same stuffing in a baked fish fillet."
"Oh boy, oh boy! I love stuffed ham, it's a treat." Glinda said happily.
"Join us in the sitting room before dinner, please." Gwenot smiled.
"We will." Glinda said and Gwenot left them alone.
"It's all right Elphie, we were just taking a nap. You must have been very tired." Glinda said as she gathered Elphie into her arms.
"Are you okay my love?"
"Just flustered. I wasn't planning on falling asleep with you like that." Elphie said.
"Well after all that comforting you provided, and that possible empathetic crash that you helped me avoid, you must have been exhausted. Glinda chuckled.
"Do you feel better?" Elphie asked.
"You know I do. How can I not after being so tenderly held, caressed, kissed and sung to?" Glinda smiled.
"Do you?"
"You know I do. If I remember correctly, I received just as much of the aforementioned things. However, now matter how softly and tenderly you sing Lyndie and Elphie sitting in a tree…and the rest, it does not constitute a lullaby" Elphie chuckled.
"I'll keep that in mind." Glinda giggled.
After a nice long kiss, Elphie ran Glinda a bath and they talked about morning playtime while they bathed and about their nights as they got dressed in nice clothes. With forty-five minutes left until dinner, Glinda and Elphie walked hand in hand, with Nusee toddling with them, up the hallway to meet everyone in the sitting room.
"Mmmmm. Doesn't that smell yummy"
"I smell many things and it is all very nice."
"That's the smell of Lurlinemas." Glinda sighed.
"One of them anyway."
"I am looking forward to finding out what a traditional holiday dinner consists of." Elphie smiled.
"Girls you look lovely." Samion said as they came into the sitting room.
"Thanks Daddy, you look spiffy yourself." Glinda giggled.
"Did you have a nice nap Galinda?" Namom asked.
"Yes, we both did. And we are ready for a wonderful night."
"As are we all I believe."
"Namom tell Elphie about the traditional dinner, starting with that incredible stuffing." Glinda said as she accepted a glass of juice from her father.
"Thank you, Popsicle."
"The ham stuffing is a Pertha Hills tradition from way back. It is made of a type of green called kale that is native to this area along with fresh spinach, onion, fresh watercress, fresh celery leaves, and various spices."
"It is delicious and Mrs. Koim said it will be excellent with the fish." Gwenot said.
"And there is also yam soufflé, a wonderful green bean casserole that has almonds and mushrooms in it, cranberry chutney and special bread made out of corn and onions. Right?" Glinda said hopefully.
"It's all there, with pumpkin cake for dessert." Namom smiled.
"It sounds wonderful." Elphie smiled.
"And there is even a special meal of diced fish for Nusee." Samion said.
"How grand!" Glinda bubbled.
They sipped their drinks and talked about other traditional holiday foods as the aroma of their meal filled the room. When at last dinner was announced Namom had to give Glinda a significant glance to keep her from skipping out of the room.
The table was decorated in traditional green and gold with a six pronged candelabra surrounded by a decorated wreath in the middle. The ham, its stuffing bursting out was in slices on an elegant silver platter etched with holiday themes. Three fish fillets were on a similar smaller platter and the rest of the food was in holiday decorated serving bowls. The plates had a picture of a decorated holiday tree on them and a horse drawn sleigh was etched into the crystal goblets. Elphie had never seen such things and was completely taken in.
"What a beautiful table." She said.
"Gwenot and I did this earlier, I enjoy holiday decorating." Namom said as Samion held her seat.
While Samion sat his wife Elphie sat Glinda and then allowed Samion to seat her, which for some reason amused Glinda.
"If only Juiva could see us now." She giggled softly.
"It is tradition in this house that before the holiday meal we give thanks, each of us in turn. Elphaba since it is your first Lurlinemas, you need not participate unless you wish to." Namom said.
"I am thankful for another year of laughter and love with my family, all of whom I cherish and am proud of. This year I am also thankful for the new member that will soon be added." Namom said with a smile for Elphie, who flushed slightly.
"I am also grateful for my family and how they supported me through the loss of my best friend and confidant. I am thankful that we were blessed with Jon for as long as we were and that since his time was limited, he was able to leave us knowing that he was loved, valued and supported." Gwenot said with a slight catch in her voice.
"I am thankful that I continue to be blessed with the resources to provide for my family and that we are all, my future daughter in law included, happy and healthy." Samion smiled.
"I'm thankful for everything they said." Glinda sniffled slightly.
"And for so many other things because I am a very lucky girl. But I think this year I am most thankful that I finally understand what love is. I mean, I've felt loved and have loved people all of my life, but I don't think I understood what it meant, what it was, until I grew up a little this past year. It's not always giggles and feeling happy, sometimes it's hard and is a big responsibility, but it is worth it. I'm thankful that I am mature enough to realize that. And that the people I love always have." Glinda said, holding tightly to Elphie's hand. Elphie squeezed it and looked into her love's eyes. After a brief, silent conversation Elphie fidgeted slightly.
"Like you all, I have so much to be grateful for." Elphie said quietly.
"I think that I am thankful that I have so much to be grateful for because it means that I am able to recognize that I have good and wonderful things and people in my life. It means that I can let those things be a part of me and that I can be a part of them. I am thankful for that. Did I do that correctly?" She added shyly.
"You did that perfectly my darling girl." Namom said as Glinda stroked the back of Elphie's hand.
"I think we all need to be reminded to recognize the good and wonderful things and people in our lives and be properly grateful for them. So my traditional toast this year is to the good and wonderful things and people that we have in our lives that we should be grateful for." Namom said as she stood and lifted her glass. Everyone followed suit, repeated the toast and touched glasses and hands.
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A/N: Happy Thanksgiving to all my readers who celebrate the holiday. I am truly thankful for you all.
If I, or my long-suffering beta doesn't slip into a turkey-induced coma, I should have an update by the weekend. mecelphie
