For the rest of the week, Elphaba was still ill. Although it slowly got better for her. On Thursday evening she was already able to sit at the dinner table to eat with Frex and Nessa. After dinner Elphaba was also allowed to play with Nessa. Nessa immediately took Elphaba into the living room to play with her dolls.

Frex wished Miss Gutter a good evening after they had cleaned up in the kitchen. When Frex entered the living room, he saw Elphaba suppress a yawn. 'I think it is time to go to bed Elphaba.'

Elphaba nodded while still coughing. Even though she was almost better, she was still very tired.

'Aah daddy should Elphaba go to bed? Can't she stay up just yet?' Nessa asked with a pout.

' I'll play with the dolls for a while,' said Frex while Elphaba went upstairs.' I'll come and have a look at you,' he called after her.

When it was time for Nessa to go to bed, Frex went to check on Elphaba. Elphaba was already asleep in bed. Frex gave her a kiss on the forehead. 'Sleep well' he said softly as he closed the door again. He read Nessa two stories before finally going to sleep. Frex went to read a book. On Friday he would go to work from home so he could leave his work.

The next morning Elphaba felt much better. She went downstairs happily and saw that Miss Gutter was already making breakfast. 'Good morning Elphaba, I see that you are well on the way,' said Frex when he saw his eldest daughter come in.

Elphaba nodded and sat at the table. 'I feel a lot better. I think I can go back to school on Monday.'

'That's good to hear.' Frex put down his newspaper. 'I'm going to bring Nessa down.'

Everyone was talking happily over breakfast. When Miss Mydie came in, Frex went to work. Elphaba went to her room to read her new books.

By noon, Elphaba heard the doorbell. She went up the stairs to see who's at the door. Then she heard a familiar voice. She ran downstairs and saw Dani standing there.

'Miss Nilok you have come!' said Elphaba happy.

'Hello Elphaba I see you have recovered.'

Elphaba nodded. 'Do you have some work for me?' she asked shyly when she saw that Dani was not carrying a bag.

Dani laughed softly. 'You just got better and you want to work again?'

Elphaba nodded.

'Then it is good that I have work with me.' She picked up a bag she had left outside. 'I wanted to tease you.'

Elphaba laughed.' Shall we go to the kitchen?' She looked questioningly at Miss Gutter.

'Nessa and Miss Mydie are working in the back yard so you can work in the kitchen. Do you want something to drink?'

Dani nodded and closed the door behind her.

Elphaba led the way and showed Dani the kitchen. Miss Gutter gave Elphaba and Dani a glass of water and began to prepare lunch.

'Are you going to eat with us?' Miss Gutter asked Dani.

Elphaba nodded hopefully. Dani smiled softly and nodded. 'That sounds like fun.'

Dani explained to Elphaba the assignments she had missed in the past week. Elphaba immediately started making work. 'Elphaba, you have to take it easy. You just got better. If it's not ready for Monday, it's okay.'

Elphaba nodded, but continued to work. Dani got up to help Miss Gutter. Together they prepared lunch. Elphaba cleared her papers and promised she wouldn't work too hard. Sometimes she still coughed, but Dani thought Elphaba was doing much better than Monday.

'Elphaba, you knock on your father's door and I'll call Nessa and Miss Mydie.' Elphaba nodded and ran with a worried face to her fahters office.

After ten minutes everyone was seated at the table. Elphaba intruduce everybody to Dani.

'How nice of you to bring Elphaba to work, we don't want her to be behind.' Frex said.

'She's actually already ahead of the class, but I know Elphaba likes to do the assignments for school,' Dani said politely. She still didn't like Frex. Certainly not after he sent Elphaba to school sick. But he looks pretty good, Dani thought, in his work clothes. Dani shakes her head. Don't take the thoughts away from you.

'How are your lessons now?' Frex asked Nessa.

'It goes well. We are now working in the garden.'

'Isn't it too cold?' Frex asked Miss Mydie worriedly.

She shake her head. 'Nessa is doing well, so she will naturally get warm. We are now ready to carry out the assignments.'

Dani and Mydie discussed some more school matters, while Frex and Nessa agree to play together on the weekends. Miss Gutter speaks softly to Elphaba.

During lunch, Frex sometimes watched Dani. She's still quite young and pretty, he thought. He shook his head quickly. No, Frex, you shouldn't think so.

Dani noticed that Elphaba hardly eats anything. Frex saw it too. 'Elphaba if you don't eat now I'll take your new books.' He said sternly. Elphaba was startled and looked shocked at Frex. She nodded quickly and immediately began to eat. Dani looked disapprovingly at Frex. Frex tried to ignore it. But he cared what Dani thought of him.

After lunch, Nessa and Mydie went back to work. Elphaba helped Miss Gutter clear the table. 'Elphaba you understand everything about your homework?' Dani asks

Elphaba nodded.

'Then I want to thank you for the delicious lunch. I go to school for a while to work there.'

Dani said goodbye to Miss Gutter and Elphaba.

'I walk you to the door,' Frex suggested.

'Thank you for letting me eat', Dani said politely while they walked to the door.

'You're welcome. I'm glad I don't hear any more complaints about Elphaba. That means you treat her right.'

'I've never had any complaints about her. I treat her with respect.'

'What do you mean by that?' Frex asked in surprise.

'I mean I treat her like an equal. She knows very well what she can and cannot do. As long as you explain why you're doing something, she's fine. Like with the food. You told her to eat and threatened to punish her. You don't compliment her after she eats, which is something you did when Nessa did something good. Does she know why you let her eat so much?'

Frex felt he was getting more and more angry. I will not be taught in my own home by a woman who has only known my daughter for eight weeks. He thought.

'That's not your place to say this,' Frex hissed.

'It's not your place to treat your daughter like that,' Dani hissed back. 'Did you know she wasn't even expecting you on Monday? She knew you weren't coming. Which father does that now? She doesn't think her own birthday is important enough to talk about.'

'Go away,' Frex said angrily, pointing to the door.

But Dani wasn't ready yet. It was time for someone to tell this man the truth about how he treated his own children. She knew she was going to be in trouble now, but she didn't care anymore. She was so angry with Frex that she couldn't express her feelings. 'No, have you ever watched Elphaba? The moment you said something to her, she got scared. She is afraid of her own father. Now I also understand why.'

'This will be told to the director,' Frex said. 'I'll get you fired. I will not be told how to do things. I'm the governor for Oz sake.

'Maybe it's time for someone to tell you the truth. You may be able to rule a country, but with children it is a different story.' With that Dani walked out of the house. She wanted to say so many more things to Frex, but she knew she had gone too far. I will hear it on Monday, she thought sadly. Stupid stupid stupid. Why couldn't I control my temperature with him. Dani went to school, hoping things wouldn't turn out as bad as she thought.

Frex furiously went to his office. He slammed the door. No one had ever spoken to him like this before. He sat at his desk and began to write the letter.

While writing he still felt angry. He tore a page from his notebook. He angrily crumpled the paper and threw it away. He started to write again. When he finished writing the letter, he had a grocery boy send the letter to the school.

He started to work on his paperwork. But he couldn't concentrate. Everything Dani had said to him was still in his mind.

'Ugh why can't I let go of that woman. Why does it affect me so much what she says and what she thinks.' He said angrily to no one.

He tried to calm down and go back to work, but it was no use. He emerged from his office towards evening. He thought of Dani's words. "Do you know that Elphaba is afraid of you?" He shake his head. That can't be true. Elphabs isn't afraid of me. He reflected on everything he did with Elphaba. Elphaba is just very independent, he assured himself.

He also thought of the conversation he had with Miss Gutter the day Elphaba was picked up sick from school. No that is not possible Elphaba is not afraid, he assured himself. I'll prove it.

During dinner, Nessa was telling everything she had done. Frex nodded approvingly.

'Elphaba what have you done?'

Elphaba was shocked when she heard her name. She sat up quickly and took a bite. She shrugged but realized her father didn't want that. So she shook her head. She swallowed her food. 'I have almost finished Miss Nilok's work,' she said softly, looking at her food.

'Have you ALMOST finished the work?' Frex asked in surprise. He thought he saw that it was a lot of papers what Dani had brought for Elphaba.

'I wanted to make sure I was right,' she said quickly. 'It is done for tomorrow. I promised.

Frex narrowed his eyes. Elphaba is already defending herself while I wanted to compliment her. Is she really scared? Frex was not feeling well.

Elphaba expected her father to punish her and was surprised he said nothing. She quickly asked Miss Gutter how her day was to change the subject. Miss Gutter told of her day. She watched Frex.

Everyone had almost finished eating except Elphaba. 'Elphaba you need to eat more,' said Frex.

Elphaba looked at him in fear. 'I uhm I already ate a lot of fruits after lunch so I am not hungry' she said as she looked away again. 'Just ask Miss Gutter and Nessa.'

Does she really think I don't believe her, Frex thought. He immediately remembered the first day she came home late. Frex saw that Nessa and Miss Gutter were nodding.

He swallowed. 'Okay then. then you only have a few bites.'

Everyone looked at Frex in amazement. 'Miss Gutter would you like to stay with the children for a while. I have to ...' Frex got up and walked to his office. He picked up Melena's photo and began to cry softly. Melena what have I done? Elphaba is afraid of me. I'm thinking about another woman and I miss you so much. My Oz Melena I miss you.

After an hour, Frex came back into the living room. He thanked Miss Gutter and said she could have the weekend off. Miss Gutter looked at Frex in surprise. 'I don't know what happened between you and Miss Nilok but I think seeing you like this has been a very intense experience.'

Frex nodded and closed the door. He went back to the living room where Nessa and Elphaba were playing.

He looked around and saw only Nessa's toys. 'Elphaba why not play with your own toys?' asked Frex.

Nessa and Elpahab looked at their father in surprise.

'Daddy I'm not going to play with her boring books.' Nessa said as if it were the most logical thing in the world.

'My books are not boring,' Elphaba said defensively. 'They are educational and you can do experiments with them. Which I haven't done yet.' she added quickly.

Nessa and Elphaba started an argument. Frex was lost in his own thoughts. Doesn't Elphaba have any toys except her books? When did that happen. He shake his head.

'Girls stop arguing.' He said sternly.

'But Elphaba started' said Nessa with a pout.

'Elphaba you are the oldest you know when to stop.'

'But Nessa started by saying that my books are boring.' Elphaba said.

'Elphaba' said Frex sternly. Elphaba looked away again.

'Sorry Nessa,' she mumbled, knowing she would be blamed anyway.

Frex thought for a moment about what Elphaba said and how it started. Elphaba was right, he changed his mind. But it was too late.

Elphaba said she was already going to bed Nessa went with her.

Frex put the girls to bed and sat in the living room. 'This is no longer possible,' he said. 'I need help.'

He went to his office and looked for a doctor's number. No wait I don't need a doctor I need a psychologist. These thoughts startled Frex. A psychologist that sounds so serious, he thought. He closed his phone book.

Frex shakes his head. No I can solve this myself, he thinks. Once Dani is gone from our lives things will get better. Frex went to bed. He did something he hadn't done a long time ago. He took Melena's photo and cried himself softly to sleep