Chapter 37

One night after classes began, Fiyero said to her, "We didn't do anything for our anniversary."

"So?" She put down the book she was reading and looked at him.

"Couples usually celebrate their anniversary."

"Fiyero, we didn't even love each other then. We barely knew each other. Why celebrate that?" Elphaba rolled her eyes.

"Because we love each other now." He leaned over and kissed her.

"That wasn't a happy day for me. Was it for you?"

"It was an… awkward day." Fiyero laughed.

"You're telling me. But Fiyero, that's not something I feel like celebrating."

He was quiet for a moment. "What if we celebrated another time, then? Maybe we could celebrate over the winter holidays, instead. Because that was when we were finally in the same place. That could be our anniversary."

"I don't see the point in anniversaries at all, but I do like the idea better when you put it that way." Elphaba smiled at him. "How, exactly, do people celebrate anniversaries?"

"They take the day off, sometimes take a week or two. Sometimes they get one another gifts. They have a nice dinner, make love, relax and enjoy one another's company."

"I think I could do that."

"The winter holidays it is, then. Do you want to stay at Kiamo Ko or can I take you somewhere else?"

"It doesn't matter to me, Fiyero. We've been to the City. We're already going to have to go back there by spring. I can't think of where else there is to go." She crawled a little closer to him. "Besides, it doesn't sound like any of the things you were describing requires a certain locale."

"That's true. We'll just stay at Kiamo Ko. I can arrange for us to eat on our own on a certain night, be left completely alone. Does that sound agreeable?"

"You're the one who wanted to do this, Fiyero. It sounds nice." She kissed his cheek.

Fiyero ran his hands up and down her hips. "Now, it's getting late, and I was thinking that we could…"

"You read my mind." She laughed, arms around his neck.

Nessa and Nanny were to come over for dinner the next night, and Fiyero was a little nervous, obsessively cleaning the apartment.

"You don't need to clean our bedroom, my sweet. I don't think they're going to ask to go in there." Elphaba was reading on the loveseat, her eyebrows raised in amusement at her husband's anxious behavior.

"What if they want to tour the apartment?"

"The apartment is two rooms, Fiyero."

He collapsed next to her. "I'm sorry. Your Nanny doesn't know me, and while I think Nessa likes me…"

"You're worried about impressing my family?" Elphaba cackled. "Fiyero, don't be. It doesn't matter. Besides, once they eat your cooking, they're going to love you. I would think you owned a restaurant in a past life."

"I thought you didn't believe in past lives."

"It's a turn of phrase." She sighed. "Why don't you focus on dinner? Let me handle whatever cleaning there is left to be done."

He got back up. "Good idea."

When Nessa and Nanny arrived, Fiyero had only just finished in the kitchen, steam still coming of the stew and pasta he'd placed on the small table. Elphaba got up and answered the door. "Good evening, Nessa, Nanny."

Nanny pushed Nessa inside and scanned the room. "Good evening, Fabala."

Fiyero rushed over. "Here, why don't you get seated at the table?" He'd left an open area for Nessa's chair. "Dinner is fresh off the stove." He took the old woman's arm and led her to the table, then pushed Nessa's chair up to her seat.

"Don't rush them, Fiyero," Elphaba said, trying not to laugh. "Besides, they'll probably burn their tongues if they eat the food right now." She glared at her husband when he pulled her chair out for her, but took a seat as well.

Fiyero was still standing. "What would you ladies like to drink? We've got water, milk, juice and some wine."

"You are not a waiter. For Oz's sake, Fiyero, sit down!" Elphaba was getting a little frustrated with his behavior. She didn't like it when he was begging for approval. She found it offputting and nauseating. She stood up. "Let me handle the drinks."

"No," he insisted. "If someone asks for water and you spill a drop…"

She put her head in her hands. "I give up."

"Water for me, please," Nessa said uneasily.

"I believe I'll have the same." Nanny said staunchly.

"Fae?" Fiyero asked. "What do you want?"

She had told him never to call her that in front of anyone, and she cringed. "Juice is fine."

Fiyero managed not to trip as he brought everyone drinks and finally sat down. "How have your first weeks been, Nessa?"

"Oh, everyone here has been so helpful and wonderful." Nessa smiled.

Nanny began spooning food into Nessa's mouth. "Except for that awful Madame Morrible. Nessa needs special accommodations, and she has just made us jump through hoops to get them, if she's willing to give them at all."

"That doesn't surprise me," Elphaba commented. "She's not the kindest woman in Oz."

"Fiyero, this is delicious." Nessa exclaimed after swallowing her first few bites. "Elphaba, you got so lucky marrying such a good cook. Nanny, stop feeding me and try this!"

"He always makes our meals. Compared to what he makes, anything I make would just taste terrible." Elphaba laughed.

"Well, you're so talented at everything else, my darling, it's only fair I be better than you at something." Fiyero replied.

She shifted uncomfortably in her chair. First he'd called her "Fae," and now he'd referred to her as "my darling," and she was not pleased with public affection, however small. "You're exaggerating."

"I'm not. Nessa, if you ever need any help in your classwork, Elphaba's a whiz at just about everything."

"This is not bad," Nanny acknowledged before going back to feeding Nessa. "I will finish it as soon as Nessa has finished her food."

"Thank you." Fiyero said graciously.

"I did hear something about you being at the top of your class last year, Fabala." Nessa said between bites.

"I was," Elphaba was getting tired of the attention on her. "Fiyero was in the top ten, too, you know. And your roommate, Miss Glinda, she was a very close second to me. If she hadn't gotten that one question wrong during our sorcery final, she might've beaten me."

"I see you're surrounding yourself with intelligent people." Nanny observed, giving Fiyero a searching look. "How are the two of you getting on personally?"

Fiyero put a hand over Elphaba's on the table. "We are getting on just fine, thank you."

"I know that it's a bit of an odd situation, but Frexspar wanted me to impress upon you that it's important that the two of you keep up appearances. You seem to be doing well at that."

"It's more than just appearances," Fiyero said quietly. "I love Elphaba very much."

Elphaba wanted to crawl out of her skin and go hide in the bedroom.

"That's very sweet," Nessa said.

"It's very true," Fiyero insisted.

"Fiyero," Elphaba found her voice was strained and thin, "Please, stop. You're trying too hard. I realize you're trying to show them what a wonderful man you are, but you need to stop." She withdrew her hand from his.

There was an uncomfortable silence before Fiyero said, "You're probably right. Nessa, Nanny, I apologize. Elphaba and I have spent the past year getting to know each other and coming to love each other and I guess I just wanted her family to like me."

Nanny laughed suddenly. "I don't understand why it matters."

"Neither do I, honestly," Elphaba added.

"I just wanted to show them that you're happy and that…"

"That you're good for me?" Elphaba supplied. She smiled halfheartedly at her husband. "Fiyero, stop. Just be you. That's who I fell in love with. Let them figure out who you are on their own, like I did. Let them love you for you. Like I do."