AN:
Hello, Dearies!
I'm so incredibly sorry for this long, moving related delay! Well, I always warned you that this might happen... now it has
At some point I hoped to finish this story by the end of the year, now I'm not so sure anymore. If you sent me comments, messages, anything, I might take longer to get back to you at the moment or I MIGHT potentially forget about it entirely. Please, PLEASE don't be offended... I still read and appreciate any correspondence!
At any rate, this is a rather long chapter again. Apologies if that causes any inconvenience for some of you. Hope you can enjoy anyway!
For now, take care and let's all hope the next updates comes out so much faster!
xoxo MLE
(=^_^=)
Chapter Twenty-Four
This was unusual. Highly unusual. Stirring awake, Galinda did not find Elphaba sitting up next to her, with her aquiline nose deeply buried in some book. Neither did she wake to an empty bed, which was the second most common occurrence. Instead, the lanky, green thing next to her was still sound asleep: her breathing even, her mouth slightly parted, her hair a wild, beautiful mess. Galinda was glad she'd distracted her enough the previous night to prevent her from tying it up as she normally did, for the sight was so gorgeous and alluring that she already knew that she'd miss it the following morning. Beyond that, she realised that even savouring her entrancing scent—a combination of her natural aroma and the fragrance of her oils—was a lot easier when Elphaba remained blissfully unaware.
Turning onto her side properly and propping her head up on her arm, Galinda continued her observations, determined to make the most of this rare opportunity. Elphaba hardly ever let her guard down completely, even when they were lazily making out or just cuddling. In sleep, the blonde reckoned, she had no command over her self-restraint, or her inhibitions. Seeing her like this, she was one step closer to understanding the enigma of her.
Was that why she slept so little? So that she would't accidentally expose her inner self? Was she afraid of what Galinda might find while she herself took no note of what was happening around her? Why should she be so worried thought? All Galinda could see was a girl. A beautiful girl, in her specific, extraordinary way. She was her very own green girl, and she loved her. Her quiet, sleeping form could not reveal anything that she didn't like.
She did notice, however, that even as motionless as she seemed now, Elphaba was not a peaceful sleeper. She'd kicked her blanket off, and her impossibly long legs were exposed all the way up to her boxer briefs. Her pillow, which she'd begun to stick between her knees at night to alleviate some burgeoning back pain, was nowhere to be seen. Most likely, it had tumbled down to the floor. Elphaba's oversized, old shirt had ridden up a fair bit, too, leaving her rounded tummy bare.
For a minute or so, Galinda watched out for any signs of the life within, without much success. Knowing that Elphaba would feel self-conscious about this if she opened her eyes suddenly, only to find her awake and staring at her, Galinda pulled the shirt back over her bump. Cautious as she was, she barely touched her, but when her hand did brush, ever so gently, over the soft skin, it began to ripple just a bit. Already a clock-tick later, Galinda couldn't say for certain that she'd really seen the baby move.
Unfortunately, the sweet moment couldn't last forever. It wouldn't have surprised her at all if Elphaba had started to twitch and stretch and crack open her eyes right when she was looking at her in the most compromising way. Maybe she would have been embarrassed, maybe annoyed; yet as it happened, Elphaba actually barely moved a muscle throughout all of it.
No, the cause for the eventual interruption was a very hungry, very grumpy Malky.
The tom came skulking through the half-open door, seeming both casual and aloof at first. But once he realised that at least one of his caretakers was awake, he jumped onto the bed and began to cry and caterwaul as if he intended to bring the whole house down.
"Shush, you, shush!" Galinda reprimanded him gently, picking him up from where he was half standing on Elphaba's rump. "Don't you wake her, you silly cat!"
His answer was a resounding howl.
Sighing, Galinda resigned herself to the fact that she had no choice but to abandon her comfortable position. Pressing Malky to her chest, making sure that he could neither escape, nor pester Elphaba any further, she clumsily scooted out of bed, dragging the blanket with her. She clicked her tongue, annoyed with herself, then managed to free one hand to drape the duvet over her girlfriend—after a fashion at least.
Poor Malky hung from her arm like a soggy towel, still complaining noisily all the way down the stairs. Initially, Galinda was too vexed to feel bad for him. She set him down on the kitchen counter and opened the panty in search of cat food.
"Always so demanding," she grumbled, then stopped short.
One hand still on the door handle, the other on the side of the cupboard, she apprehensively turned to look at him. The cat sat down, his tail swishing, his expression reproachful.
"Shit. You didn't get your dinner last night, did you?"
Neither did they, but that was another story. It was their own fault after all, and they hadn't felt hungry anyway. Besides they weren't dependent on some mightier being to look out for them.
Her bad conscience abruptly catching up with her, Galinda quickly grabbed an entire stack of cans and placed them in front of Malky.
"What flavour tickles your fancy today, hm? Do you need two portions? I don't know, you missed a meal, but can you finish two?"
Purring, the cat rubbed against the cans, toppling the tower.
"Oh, you cheeky boy!"
Galinda caught the one can that had just rolled over the edge and shoved the others aside. She read the label.
"Rabbit and lamb with green mussels. Sounds good?"
He chirped as she tapped the top of the can, and she took that for a yes.
While he devoured his meal, she decided against a second serving. But a treat perhaps? She checked the fridge. There wasn't a whole lot of meat in there. None, to be exact. Not even a single slice of ham. The drawbacks of a vegetarian household. Now that she came to think about it, Galinda couldn't recall when she'd last had anything other than dairy or eggs. She'd simply stopped buying any foods that were solely for her own consumption, and Elphaba had apparently done the same.
Nevertheless, Galinda had a second look, pushing a few containers back and forth in search of something, anything that might somehow be appropriate for a cat to eat. She found half a block of smoked tofu and offered that, but Malky wrinkled his nose in a most disgusted and offended manner. Her second find—a slice of cheese—was magnanimously accepted.
Relieved to have been able to make amends, she began to fuss over her own and Elphaba's breakfasts. A smoothie would do nicely, she decided, especially for Elphaba. She needed to make up for the calories and nutrients she'd missed last night when they'd gone straight back to bed after their unexpected session in the bathroom.
She still blushed at the thought. She'd always known that she'd find Elphaba's body beautiful, no matter what, yet she'd still been startled at how perfect it had looked and felt to her. It was the stark differences between them, she was quite convinced of that. Adoring a body that was quite different from her own came easier, it seemed.
Most of the other girls she'd been with had been conventionally attractive, with plenty of chest to flaunt, and hourglass figures like in the magazines. In short: they'd been taller or similar-sized versions of herself. It had never been a conscious choice for her, but somehow that was what she'd always ended up with. Had she been brainwashed, or had she been led to believe that the perfect partner for her was a carbon copy of herself? Could it be nothing but chance?
At any rate, Elphaba was nothing like those girls, or herself, that much had always been obvious, no matter how many layers of clothes she wore. She was angular, bar her temporarily round abdomen, her torso nearly a perfect rectangle. And so skinny. A bit too skinny, even in pregnancy. And tall as well. So tall. Maybe, without the green skin and that beak of a nose, she might have matched the aesthetics of a fashion model. Funny that, seeing as she had zero tolerance for talk about that sort of superficial stuff and no sense for fashion either.
Regardless, Galinda had enjoyed looking at her, if only with fleeting, furtive glances. She'd enjoyed touching, too; though after the initial oiling, she'd paid painstaking attention to limiting actual skin to skin contact and had only allowed herself to trace her love's features with the small towel provided. Briefly, she'd wondered what it would be like if Elphaba returned the favour and did the same to her. She hadn't dared to ask in the end.
Naturally, she'd been overwhelmed by the sudden privilege to have such access to her, to be allowed to regard and touch her, almost out of the blue. The aspect of trust and intimacy had been so much more important than anything else. But she'd still liked what she'd seen and what she'd felt. What did that say about her? She couldn't possibly figure it out.
Distracted as she was, she almost cut her finger while chopping the last handful of strawberries. Thank goodness, there was no blood. But her fingernail was ruined, which was almost just as irritating. She made sure to find and dispose of it, lest it end up in the drink.
Excessively carefully, so as to avoid any further accidents, Galinda moved the sliced fruits from a plate to the blender. She was almost done. The idea of surprising Elphaba with breakfast in bed was tantalisingly exciting to her, a once in a lifetime chance.
She pressed the button and winced at the ruckus the machine made, as if she couldn't have foreseen that. Desperate, she scanned the kitchen for a thick towel to muffle the noise, but the flimsy tea towel was all she could find. She wrapped it around the blender and hoped for the best, but even before she could turn the thing on again, she spotted Elphaba on her way down the stairs. Her shoulders slumped, and she pouted.
"How dare you get up before I'm done with breakfast!" she whined.
Elphaba stopped and blinked, visibly confused.
"Pardon?"
"You never sleep this long. I had this one, single chance to spoil you a bit, and I spoilt it! What a shame."
"Well, I'm sorry my sweet, but I'm afraid it's time to get up," said Elphaba as she covered the final stretch between them. She put her hand on Galinda's shoulder and let it run down her arm. "School awaits."
Galinda noticed how the hand on Elphaba's abdomen moved in gentle, circular motions.
"Is junior causing you any aches? More Braxton Hicks?"
"Come and feel for yourself," replied Elphaba, uncharacteristically playful, a tired smile on her lips.
Such an invitation needed not repeating, and Galinda immediately turned away from the machine and their half finished smoothies.
"Oh, sweet Lurline, there's so much going on in there!" she cried excitedly.
A second hand joined the first. The baby's movements had never been more obvious, at least not to her. She could still see some of it through the loose fitting t-shirt. What kind of tricks was the little one practicing? Somersaults? It all looked rather bizarre, but in the best way.
"Does that hurt?" she asked, looking up at her girlfriend with mild concern.
"Not really, though it can be a bit uncomfortable. The real problem is when they settle down again in a not so favourable position, putting pressure on a nerve or something."
"Like last night?"
Galinda suddenly remembered Elphaba waking in the middle of the night and pacing the room, inadvertently waking her, too. She'd heard her mumbling to herself and cursing before drifting back to sleep. It was embarrassing, really. She should have peeled herself out of bed and tried to help her suffering partner. What a lousy girlfriend she was!
But Elphaba merely shrugged.
"Yeah, it's been getting worse lately, maybe aggravated by work. It's good I handed my notice in early."
"Agreed. But what can we do. Need a massage? A hot cherry pit pillow?"
"We'll see," said Elphaba vaguely. "For now, just breakfast. We shouldn't be late."
Galinda squealed quietly as they first set foot into the store.
"Elphie! This is so exciting!" she exclaimed in a high pitch without much regard for her girlfriend's sensitive ears.
"Okay, hold your horses, my pretty." Elphaba took Galinda's hand and brought her to a halt. "We don't want to go over the top here, alright? That means affordable, not luxurious; functionality over design. I know you like to splurge on things, especially for others, but I won't let you spend a fortune on something when a simpler version could do the trick just as well. I have my pride, Galinda, and I'll insist on contributing at least half or more of the cost. Do you understand?"
"You mean…" Galinda gave her an astonished look, then let a wide grin form on her lips. "You're seriously allowing me to pay up to fifty per cent?"
Shifting somewhat anxiously, Elphaba averted her eyes and nodded.
"I don't quite get your enthusiasm, but yes. Only if you want to, of course, but I know you do." She grimaced. "It's the weirdest concession I've ever made for anyone. Usually it's a matter of giving, not receiving."
Galinda squeezed her hand, then wrapped her arms around her and squeezed even harder.
"I appreciate this so much," she said. "And you are giving, Elphie. You're relinquishing a measure of control, and that's a very difficult thing to do. I'm proud of you."
"If you say so," muttered Elphaba, with just a hint of mauve creeping up to her cheeks.
They started surveying the aisles. Galinda immediately gravitated towards the prams, but Elphaba dragged her to where the different cots and cradles were displayed.
"During their first year the average baby sleeps around five thousand four hundred hours," Elphaba explained on the way. "In conclusion, sleeping arrangements are immensely important."
"That does sound like a lot," conceded Galinda.
"Well, the year only has eight thousand seven hundred and sixty hours to offer, so yes. Slumber time makes up nearly two thirds of an infant's life. In the process, however, it is said that children rob their parents of forty-four days worth of sleep in that same year. I'm not sure how that works, but I dread it."
"I don't think they mean parents like you, Elphie," said Galinda, poking her arm and giggling. "I think they are talking about the kind who actually sleep in the first place. Kiddo can't disrupt your sleep if you're already awake."
"Unless they develop the uncanny ability to sense whenever I do sleep and disturb me then. Children can be cruel."
"Oh, look!" cooed the blonde as she spotted a little woven basked on a wooden stand. "Doesn't this look just adorable?"
"And it won't last longer than a few months," said Elphaba, rolling her eyes. "What you really want is an adjustable cot with completely removable sides."
"Removable sides?"
"Yes. Later on, you can use it as a toddler bed without having to lift the little one or risking them climbing out instead. And right in the beginning, you can use it as a co-sleeper."
"Oh, like this one?" Galinda pointed at a small basinet with a dropped side. The picture on the box next to the floor model showed it attached to a bed.
"Exactly. Only bigger, so it lasts longer."
"But the basinets are so handy and portable!"
"When downstairs, you can leave baby on a blanket, maybe with a play gym or something," Elphaba replied patiently.
Galinda's eyes widened.
"What if baby runs off!"
"By the time baby is that mobile, the fancy little basket thingies you're so in love with will have turned into a deathtrap if elevated, or simply become too low if left on the floor."
After a couple more arguments back and forth, Galinda had to admit defeat. On the one hand, she was certainly glad that Elphaba seemed to know exactly what she was doing. No matter how anxious she might be about this whole childrearing business, it was obvious that she was still no less knowledgeable or thoughtful than any other parent to be. As far as motherly inclinations were concerned… well, there was still hoping that they might kick in after the birth. After all, she'd already overcome the first hurdle by even allowing her unexpected passenger to stay and grow, when she'd originally been so against the idea.
And if not? Oh, Galinda knew that it would be naïve of her to propose that she'd be the perfect mother figure to replace Elphaba. No matter how much she daydreamed about carrying, feeding and loving the tiny human being, the worry that reality could catch up with her mightily fast never quite went away. But she'd do her best, and surely, they'd be able to complement one another just enough to make it work.
But she realised that she had some catching up to do as well. Browsing through online catalogues of baby paraphernalia was clearly not enough in the ways of preparation and education, as Elphaba had successfully demonstrated to her just then. She needed to step up her game and learn as quickly as she could, or she'd have a hard time adjusting.
So she abandoned Elphaba for a moment, trusting her to figure the bed out by herself. Heading towards another corner of the shop, she pulled out her phone.
Baby carriers.
As much as she adored all the pretty prams, she simply loved the idea of baby wearing, and not only for its practical aspects. That was at least something she'd read a fair deal about. Yet it made her nervous, too. Would Elphaba be okay with her hauling junior along like this? Rationally speaking, she couldn't find anything wrong with it, but she also was aware of how anxiety inducing the entire matter still was to her. While Elphaba did seem to have softened somewhat on her stance towards Galinda's future role in her child's life, they had not yet resumed the relevant discussions, and Galinda was almost mortally afraid of stepping on her toes yet again. With not many weeks left to go, they'd have to figure it out soon though.
"See something you like?"
She gave a little start before turning around and smiling up at Elphaba.
"You approve?"
"Well, depending on the model and—"
"This one is really good," Galinda hurried to say. "It has excellent reviews. Great head support and leg positioning for baby, and comfortable weight distribution for the child bearer." She chuckled at her own wording.
Unceremoniously, Elphaba grabbed one of the boxes—to be fair, it looked like it had been opened before—and pulled out a tangle of straps and fabric. She inspected each piece critically before making some approximated adjustments and finally spreading the shoulder straps out in front of Galinda.
"Here, have a go."
Galinda blinked.
"Wha—oh. Okay."
Her chest felt tight as Elphaba moved behind her to close the clip around her waist and tautened the strap. She reminded herself not to think too much about it. Elphaba might merely be trying to assess the contraption's solidity and fit properly. If she used herself as model, she might not be able to pick up on every tiny detail straight away.
"I'm not sure if this looks comfortable," the taller girl mused, rubbing her finger against her nose. "Does it feel comfortable?"
"Well, there's no weight to carry yet," Galinda pointed out, meaning that she couldn't really answer Elphaba's question.
Elphaba tuned her head this way and that.
"Is there like a baby doll or something? For demonstration purposes?"
"Are you for real?"
Galinda laughed, but also felt her cheeks heat up a tad. It was adorable to see Elphaba taking this all so seriously.
They didn't find any dolls, except for the mannequins. Galinda stopped Elphaba from approaching a sales assistant with her unusual request, so—ever the pragmatist—she found a rolled up weighted blanket on a nearby shelf and stuffed it into the carrier from the top.
The blonde's blush intensified, and she had to look away while Elphaba was working on fitting the bundle correctly. She was too damn close to kissing her girlfriend, then demanding a few clarifications. But the kiss and the clarifications would have to wait, and Galinda needed to simply endure the procedure for the time being.
When she was satisfied with her makeshift baby replacement, Elphaba took a step back and examined Galinda and her now bulky package anew.
"So? What do you think?"
"I think…" Galinda twisted and shifted awkwardly, but tried to pass it off as her considering the merit of the carrier. "I don't know. It seems fine to me, but maybe you want to try it too? Can you, with your bump?"
"Probably not. But that's okay. I trust your judgement. And in the event that I hate it, there's at least one of us who can use the thing."
And just like that, Galinda could breathe freely again. As casual as they'd sounded, Elphaba's words had taken a huge load off her shoulders. On its own, in the absence of that pressure and uncertainty, the carrier and weighted blanket were featherlight. A testimony to both, the carrier's construction as well as Galinda's relief.
They bought the carrier, along with a bed Elphaba had chosen, and a multipack of plain, breathable swaddling blankets. Galinda insisted on picking an outfit or two. In the end, she bought eight. They preordered a pram that was the next upgrade up from one of the display models. Everything was starting to come together now, and Galinda began to dare picture their future in earnest.
"Oh my Oz, I think I just started developing a serious case of nesting behaviour," she laughed, pressing the shopping bag with the clothes and blankets to her chest. "Am I allowed to buy some smaller items online? Please say yes!"
Snorting, Elphaba shook her head.
"If you're really that keen, you can research stuff like diaper creams and lotions and so on. I guess that wouldn't hurt."
"Not the really cute stuff that I was hoping for, but I'll take it," agreed Galinda diplomatically.
"By the way," said Elphaba, "did you know that a placenta grows 50 kilometres worth of blood vessels?"
"How is that related?"
"It's not, but it's cool," she grinned. "The word also is derived from the ancient Ozian word for cake."
"Ew! Not a cake I'd eat!"
"No. But baby does, right? And some mothers do as well."
Galinda groaned.
"Oh no, please don't tell me that you're gonna get those weird capsules made for yourself?"
"Why not?" replied Elphaba with a cheeky smirk on her face.
Studying her carefully, Galinda cocked her head and pursed her lips.
"You're teasing me," she determined at length.
"Of course I am! The true benefit of placentophagy in humans is not yet proven, and the methods currently available may carry a real risk of contamination, possibly endangering mothers and infants alike. I'm not into that at all."
"Okay. Good. I'm glad that science is on my side for once."
"I almost like this part. The baby growing part. It's nothing but pure science. Rearing the little monster will be a different matter entirely. I'm far more intimidated about that."
"Well, good you have such an unscientific partner to help you then," said Galinda softly, looping her arm through Elphaba's and leaning her head against her shoulder.
"Did you know that only five per cent of all babies are born on their due date?"
Galinda jumped in her seat on the sofa, her computer sliding from her lap. Luckily, she caught it before it could drop to the ground.
"Elphie!"
The girl behind her cackled, clearly proud of her successful ambush.
"Well, at least you're in a good mood, I guess," grumbled Galinda.
"I'm in a fairly average mood, but I shan't complain. What are you looking at?"
"About seventy per cent of all babies are born before their due date," said Galinda, proud to impart her own knowledge. "Therefore, I'm working on expanding our equipment. Preparation is everything."
Elphaba half shrugged and leaned forward when Galinda placed her laptop back where it belonged and adjusted the screen.
"Ah, I see," she said. "Yes, a mobile is the one thing we definitely could not live without if junior made an early appearance."
Galinda huffed and shot her a glare.
"Don't be like that, Elphie. I'm just taking a break from researching changing tables and car seats. The car seats in particular are doing my head in. I want baby to be as safe as possible, but there's just too much to look out for."
"Maybe we should compare notes on that one. I've read a couple of reviews and articles. We'll figure it out."
She nodded at that and patted the spot next to her on the couch, inviting Elphaba to sit down. Just when her girlfriend circled around the couch to take her seat, her phone rang.
"Mumsie." She read the name on the display with some surprise, showing it to Elphaba before picking up. Elphaba stiffened mid-motion as she was in the process of lowering herself onto the sofa.
"Mumsie! How nice to hear from you. How are you? How is Popsicle?"
How peculiar. Her parents almost never called outside of the very occasional video chats they organised from time to time. She hand't expected to hear from them before Lurlinemas.
"We're both just fine. Don't you worry, my darling. I didn't mean to alarm you."
A sigh of relief escaped her lips, even though she hadn't realised that she'd even been fretting all that much in the first place.
"Good. I'm glad. But why the call then?"
"Am I not allowed to ask my only daughter how she's getting on with university life, whether she's happy and well? Are you still together with Elphaba? Is she alright, too?"
"Sure."
Galinda cast Elphaba a brief look. So much time had passed since their weekend trip to Gillikin, since the start of their relationship, that she was sure that Elphaba must have expected her to tell her parents at some point, even though she'd never mentioned it. Or at least she shouldn't be surprised by it. She wondered whether Elphaba had heard anything her mother had just said, sitting as close as she did. It didn't seem like she had, or otherwise she took it in one, smooth stride, entirely unfazed.
But with that minor worry out of the way, Galinda's brow furrowed. Licking her lips, she considered her answer.
"Everything is fine on my end. And I'd think nothing of your call if our contact wasn't usually so, well, sporadic."
"Well, that's entirely on you, my darling, and you know it." Her mother sounded rather cross, or at least hurt. Galinda didn't dare to argue. "I know, we should have been better parents and tried harder to keep in touch. We should have insisted more, but we believed that loving our child meant to let go, so we gave you as much freedom and independence as we possibly—"
"Mumsie, what's going on?" demanded Galinda, nonplussed and deeply concerned.
"Well, that's the million-dollar question, isn't it?" the older woman sniffed.
"I—I don't understand."
"Oh, sweetheart. You don't need to hide anything from us."
"Hide?"
There were a couple of things she'd been hiding from the world as a whole, but her parents were, either by design or accident, already privy to most of them. Except for one, but she didn't think that they would have heard. Not yet.
"Oh, why do you have to make this so difficult on your old mother?" cried Larena dramatically. "Fine. Very well. I'll come to the meat of the matter. Your father went through the online statements yesterday, and your credit card was charged a sum of nearly two thousand dollars."
"Which is within my allowance," countered Galinda swiftly, offhandedly, but with her heart beating hard in her chest.
"Yes. Of course. But why would you spend such an amount of money at a business listed as The Cradle Factory?"
Her breath hitched. Usually a quick thinker, she found herself stumped and unable to reply. What should she tell them? In search of support, she turned to Elphaba, with an uncertain expression on her face. Elphaba who didn't know what was going on merely cocked her head and looked at her questioningly. Rallying her remaining wit, Galinda switched to the speaker function.
"My darling. You know that we'll support you no matter what, but you need to tell us the truth. If you're still with Elphaba, then what happened, and how far along are you?"
"Oh!" Galinda had to keep herself from erupting into hysterical laughter. "No, Mumsie! Goodness, no! You've got it all wrong. I'm not pregnant."
There was a pause while Larena seemed to consider the chances that her daughter might be lying about something that was ultimately so impossible to conceal.
"Well… I suppose that's good news, as it would really make life unnecessarily hard for you at this stage," she finally allowed. "But know that we love you either way. And of course you're a grown woman now. Timing is not always something that we have complete control over."
"I am not pregnant," reiterated Galinda calmly. "Really. I am not."
Her mother hummed thoughtfully.
Listening to the painful sound of silence as the conversation ground to a halt, Galinda knew exactly what she wanted to say, what she craved to say. But even though these were her parents, it still wasn't her place. She bit the inside of her cheek to keep her mouth from opening prematurely and looked at Elphaba again. She appealed to her with pleading eyes, the weight on her chest once again increasing with every second. In her head, she conjured a prayer for release.
Elphaba for her part appeared to understand what she was hoping for. She returned her gaze with alarmed eyes, her distress palpable. That was all she'd give Galinda. There was no word of forbiddance, nor allowance. Galinda took that to mean that she could do what she thought right, but was it right to confess the truth when it upset Elphaba so? Would it spook her further, or would it enrage her, because Galinda should know not to spill the beans, even when not explicitly told not to?
It was frustrating and torturous, but Galinda decided against revealing anything without express permission. She tore her eyes away from Elphaba and shook her head in defeat.
"I'm helping a friend," she told her mother. Not quite a lie, not quite the truth. "She found herself in a difficult position, and I couldn't not help."
"That's very admirable of you, my darling," said Larena slowly.
"Yeah. In any case… You see? Nothing worth worrying about."
They finished their call off uneasily. Once she'd hung up, Galinda let her phone drop on the couch next to her and brought her hands up to rub her face.
"That was… interesting," commented Elphaba, her feet tapping.
Galinda swallowed the terse reply that came to her mind.
"Ah, well. That's that for now. But they are bound to find out eventually." She shot Elphaba a side glance, but still couldn't discern any helpful clues. "You know, it would probably be a good idea if we told them before the baby arrives. They are aware that we're together, which means that they'd expect me to be involved one way or another once they learn about your kid. We can't just pretend like I've got nothing to do with all this."
Pursing her lips, Elphaba seemed to mull over the situation. Her feet became increasingly restless, until their movement came to an unexpected stop. Baffled, Galinda watched as she pushed herself off the sofa and started to walk away without providing any answer at all.
"Elphie."
She paused and glanced back.
"Did you know that some midwives and obstetricians are campaigning for forty-three weeks rather than forty-two as the new cutoff for normal pregnancy duration? There are plenty of babies that need to bake a tad longer than the average forty."
The blonde scowled at her, but to no effect. Elphaba was already on her way out and not looking.
"Not for you, if impatience is at all hereditary," Galinda muttered under her breath before grudgingly continuing her carseat research.
The topic didn't come up again for several days. Galinda was in more than just two minds over what the best timing might be and didn't expect Elphaba to bring it up either. But she was proven wrong when Elphaba abruptly said, "So what do you want to tell them exactly?"
It was Monday afternoon, and they were on their way to yet another maternity appointment—this time with their alternate midwife, Sahfeeya. Caught entirely off guard, Galinda merely stared at her.
"Sorry, what?"
"Your parents," replied Elphaba, as if she was especially daft for not catching on quickly enough. "What exactly do you think we should tell them about the baby?"
"Oh, that." Galinda's confusion did not lift entirely. "What in Oz do you mean? What's there to discuss? You're pregnant. We're having a baby."
"We?"
Hearing the tone in Elphaba's voice, she had to pull herself together so as not to abruptly slam the brake.
"I… I kinda thought we'd arrived at a we by now," she said quietly. "Despite the fact that we haven't actually talked about it recently. I thought actions speak louder than words." Her hands tightened around the steering wheel.
There was a small pause before Elphaba, in an unusual demonstration of compassion, put a had on her thigh and rested it there.
"We have," she said solemnly, first glancing her way, then turning away to look out of her own window. "But think about it: to tell others that we are having a baby, that sounds awfully deliberate, doesn't it? But the truth is that it was all a terrible accident and not even remotely a joint decision. I don't reckon we could lie to your parents about this? If we did, they'd still not like it, I think. And if we told them the truth… look, I don't think this is the grandchild they've been hoping for."
"They suspected it to be my accident," countered Galinda. "And they indicated that they'd be fine with it regardless."
"Because you're their darling daughter. Me? That's different. I'd be the unreliable scoundrel that got you into this mess."
Galinda missed the right turn and groaned, annoyed with herself. She wanted to tell Elphaba that none of this would matter to her parents, but was she entirely sure about that? Perhaps not, for she held her tongue and made a swift manoeuvre to make up for her mistake.
Arriving at the clinic, they were waved through at once. The waiting area was unexpectedly and pleasantly empty for once, and their midwife for the day was already waiting for them when they entered the room.
"Hello, hello! Nice to see you again, Elphaba and—"
"Galinda."
"Yes, of course." The brunette grinned broadly at both of them. "It's a lot easier when I can learn the father's name from the forms, but unfortunately we only take the details of biological parents at this point. For medical reasons mostly. Maybe in the future they'll wake up to the reality of alternative family structures and add the relevant questionnaires, who knows."
Galinda and Elphaba exchanged looks. While the blonde couldn't quite tell what her girlfriend thought about this, she herself felt simultaneously charmed and taken aback by the woman's open, yet awkward attitude. Perhaps she was still new to this.
"By the by, how did you decide who'd carry the baby? That must be a very difficult decision in your situation."
Both girls were startled by the forthright question. Yes, definitely new to this, thought Galinda, still unable to mange her shock.
"Oh dear, I'm sorry!" exclaimed the midwife, trying to back-peddle. "I thought you two were—"
"We are!" Galinda hastened to clarify, putting her out of her misery.
Elphaba added, "Only, the baby wasn't part of the plan."
"Ah." The woman shut her mouth firmly, smiling sheepishly.
"It's okay, we're not offended or anything," said Galinda. "Isn't that right, Elphie?
"And you're alright. I can tell this is coming from a place of genuine curiosity. No Biggie. Just move on and don't worry about it."
"Okay." Sahfeeya cleared her throat. "So, uh… We're at thirty-one weeks now. Congratulations. You're almost there. Any complaints? Elphaba?"
"Occasional sciatic nerve pain, annoying Braxton Hicks." She shrugged. "The basic package."
"Taking it like a champ, I see. Good. Then let's move on to the usual checks, shall we?"
The remainder of the appointment continued without a hitch. On the way down the stairs, Galinda initiated an animated debate over their new carer's merits.
"I don't really mind either," maintained Elphaba, but Galinda wouldn't believe her.
"Oh come on! She's so much nicer and accepting than that Vittolea hag!"
"Wow, you're being rude," replied the green girl with a smirk.
"And it is entirely your fault for annoying me so. Please, admit that it's nice to be treated like a normal person for once."
"Well, she was awfully weird about it."
"Only initially," pointed out Galinda. "She's still learning, but she's obviously trying. Besides, it's a tempting question, isn't it? Straight couples simply have no choice in the matter. Two women hoping to become parents are in a very unique situation, you must admit. What if they agree on wanting a child, but not on who should be the birth parent? It's a privilege to some, a burden to others. And ultimately, only one can be the biological mother. That's an important factor for many parents."
"It's still nobody's business, unless such information is surrendered voluntarily. In our case, I would never have been the natural choice, even in the absence of the typical genetic risk factors and defects. My appearance would have been detrimental enough for me to shirk any responsibility as the genetic sponsor.
"I personally wouldn't have been fussed. In case you can't tell, I would have been happy enough without any progeny running around our house, blood related or otherwise. If you wanted to have a kid, I would probably have left that up to you to decide and carry out. Still, other women might feel deep shame or regret over not being able to conceive or bear a child. So it's really not a good question to ask."
"Yeah, true," murmured Galinda, then contemplated whether she might one day wake up in the morning, upset over not being the kid's biological mum. She doubted Elphaba would be keen on having another one, just so they could switch places the second time around. She wasn't sure whether she would be up to it either. No; this one would have to do, and she was confident that she couldn't possibly love any child of Elphaba's less than her own.
"Shouldn't nurture be the more important factor that really makes a child one's own?" she ventured then, and Elphaba noncommittally hiked her shoulders.
"In an ideal world perhaps? Yet by and large, the field of evolutionary psychology begs to differ. Paternity certainty is a major topic there. Under normal circumstances, females can be sure that the offspring they care for does, in fact, carry their genes. For males that's another story, of course. Some research even suggests that perceptions of paternal resemblance may predict family violence."
"How cheerful. Well, I couldn't imagine being so primal as that," replied Galinda, crossing her arms and pressing them tightly against her chest.
Elphaba hummed thoughtfully and regarded her for a few clock-ticks before wrapping an arm around her shoulders and pressing a quick kiss to her temple.
"Oh? What's this?"
Galinda turned the white and gold embossed envelope this way and that, trying to figure out what it might contain. She was at the Old Buttery, waiting for Shenshen and Pfannee to arrive, and also Milla. Fiyero had decided to come, too. It was him who gave her the letter, or whatever it was. It didn't look like a love note.
"Nothing too special, I'm afraid. It's one of eighty invitations."
"Invitations to what?"
"My birthday bash."
"Oh, cool! Wait—you mean you actually know eighty people around here well enough to invite them?"
"Yeah, sort of," he laughed. "A couple of people will arrive from out of town though."
"And you're handing out invitations to this event like for a child's birthday party?"
She ginned as she began to unseal the flap.
"Hold on to this one. It contains the tickets. Technically you're my plus one, but you can bring your own as well."
"So… eighty invitations and plus ones? Lord Tigelaar, this is quite some party. I'm impressed."
"I might have flown under the radar so far, but I am a prince after all. It is expected of me to mark each year that I get closer to becoming my father's successor."
"Is that an age thing in your culture?"
"It is. The aim is for a new leader to be inaugurated on his fortieth birthday. It is considered ill luck if it's done before or after, though the before can't be helped sometimes."
"I suppose. Well, may the odds be ever in your favour, oh Prince of the Thousand Year Grasslands."
They chuckled and proceeded to sip their drinks.
"It's alright with you though?" he asked at length.
"Coming to your fancy party?"
"Being my girlfriend for the night. It's not a big deal. No one takes this too seriously. I'm allowed to have dalliances."
"Well, I…"
Just then, Milla arrived with Boq in tow. Galinda had not expected that. Though, on the other hand, why not? Despite her sudden urge to flee the building, she rolled back her shoulders, lifted her chin and welcomed them with a serene smile.
"You made it before Shen and Pfannee. Well done!"
Milla greeted her with fleeting air kisses on both sides while Boq barely managed to lift his hand for a wave. It stung, but she brushed it off as best she could. To her horror, Fiyero passed one of his many envelopes to Boq. Of course he did! That party surely promised to be challenging.
Back at home, Galinda was initially startled to find Elphaba on the couch, absorbed in a book. She didn't sit jackknifed as she was wont to do—her expanding belly was making that more and more difficult by the day—but with her legs only slightly bent, and one arm over her bump.
No work today? Galinda nearly asked, until she remembered that this was her girlfriend's first day as an unemployed, dependent partner. She'd do well not to mention it.
Still, the realisation put a grin on her face, and she quietly snuck up on her, then leaned over the backrest of the couch to kiss her forehead.
"Good day to you, my beloved!" she singsonged, eliciting a grunt from Elphaba.
The girl on the couch marked her page, put her book aside and peered up at her.
"Had a good day?" she asked, quirking her lips."
"Passable," Galinda said in answer, after which Elphaba reached up to cup her cheek and kiss her.
When their lips parted, the blonde's face remained hovering above her love's, and she smiled.
"This is perfect," she said softly and rubbed her nose against Elphaba's.
Elphaba remained where she was and picked her book back up. Galinda circled around the couch, lifting up her long legs, got comfortable and lowered the legs back down onto her lap.
"That alright?" she asked.
"You're asking me?" replied Elphaba and snorted.
It was more than alright, and Galinda took out her phone to capture the moment in a photo of Elphaba, half hidden behind The Science of Pregnancy.
The hand with her phone resting atop Elphaba's knees, she continued to stare at the picture. Eventually, her smile faded, and a strange sadness came over her. She thought of Fiyero's birthday party and couldn't help but feel that what she was doing was wrong.
She'd pretended to be together with the handsome Vinkun, to be in love with him, or at least attracted to him. All the while, she did have such a special person already in her life, someone whom she loved more dearly than anything else in all of Oz, and who trusted her enough to let her be part of her and her child's world.
"I need to fix this," she said to herself without noticing.
"Huh?"
She turned her head to see Elphaba glancing at her from behind her book.
"Nothing," she told her dismissively, willing her face not to blush.
Later that evening, with her girlfriend out of sight in the bathroom and immersed in her cleaning ritual, Galinda pulled out her phone.
'If I told you that we need to break up… would it be better if I didn't come to your party at all?'
Hitting send was harder than expected. After all, this wasn't a real break up. Somehow, she felt terribly guilty nevertheless. Fiyero had been so immensely helpful over the last couple of weeks. In fact, she didn't know how she'd have managed without him. Breaking their arrangement up so soon was far from ideal. What would the others say if he got dumped so quickly? Should she offer to make it look like he was the one to have called it quits? Either way, the rumour mills might spin mercilessly in neither of their favour. That had been a mostly overlooked risk from the start, but the shorter their love affair, the greater the chances were that it could all end rather badly.
Her phone chimed.
'LOL'
"What?"
Not one of the reactions she'd imagined to receive. The continuation, however, was not far off.
'Why the hurry? You can't break up with me just before my birthday! XD'
Okay. A bit closer to what she'd expected.
'Yeah, I know. The timing sucks.'
'No, but really. Babe. This is so sudden. And right before my birthday? They are all going to make a huge fuss over poor, downtrodden me. Why now?'
Because I love my girlfriend too much. Because she is a few weeks away from giving birth to her child? Our child? Because…
'I can't do this anymore. The idea looked good on paper, but it's just not right.'
'Right.'
'Don't be mad. I highly appreciate your help. What you offered was beyond generous. Helping a friend like that was an amazing act of kindness. But we need to call it quits.'
'Okay, I get it. But can't we stretch it out just another few days? I'll think of a good reason in the meantime.'
Contemplating his suggestion, she sucked her lip into her mouth and ran her tongue over it. Didn't she owe him at least that much? It was a reasonable request, was it not? But today was only Monday. Waiting until after the party… that was almost a whole week.
Soft footsteps on the staircase drew her attention away from her phone. Elphaba descended the steps slowly, an adorably shy expression on her face. She had her hair bunched up in a messy bun, and it was glistening with oil. Her body was merely wrapped in a big bath towel—a sight that made Galinda's heart leap with joy each time she was fortunate enough to see her like this.
It was the green girl's very own brand of trust. She could have somehow managed to pull a shirt over her head and ruin it in the process. Yet instead, she'd opted to use a towel that, though well secured, could still potentially unravel any second, slip off her angular frame and small chest. Even just taking that small risk meant that Elphaba was no longer terrified by the idea of being seen by her.
Galinda felt honoured and relieved. She craved Elphaba's trust more than anything, and these seemingly mundane, little things were far more important to her than any other type of intimacy. Maybe Elphaba would allow her to help combing the oil out of her hair later. She'd come to love doing that.
'Sunday,' she typed out quickly. 'We'll meet up on Sunday and break up. I can't wait any longer than that.'
The rest of the week was pure torture. The days dragged by, and now that she'd made up her mind that this charade had to end, she felt like she was treading on eggshells, in constant fear of being found out last minute. This new sense of betrayal wasn't at all reasonable, she realised as much. She'd previously defended her actions ardently in front of Boq and had been thoroughly convinced of her own justifications. Nothing had really changed. And yet, she couldn't help feeling on edge.
By Saturday her nerves were frayed. She'd told Elphaba that she was going to some party, but hadn't disclosed any details. It was okay. She usually didn't. Elphaba wasn't particularly interested in the intricacies of her social interactions, for which she was grateful overall. It made keeping her two lives separate so much easier.
Choosing her outfit for the night Galinda debated with herself how far she out to go. Surely, the occasion demanded a certain degree of class and style, but at the same time, she didn't want to raise Elphaba's suspicions. If that was even possible. Still, if in doubt, she preferred the safest alternative.
The end result was a black playsuit with long, wide sleeves, culminating in a multilayered miniskirt. The material was mostly sheer, except for a bustier-shaped section at the top and the final layer of the skirt. It was cute and not too formal, while also being extra enough to stand out if paired with the right accessories. Nevertheless, Galinda momentarily wondered whether the thousands of sequins were a bit too much.
"That's pretty," commented Elphaba casually as she walked into the room in search of her own change of clothes for after her evening toilette.
Galinda's cheeks heated up considerably at the rare compliment, and she immediately decided to slip the jewellery she'd picked out for the night into her purse. She'd accessorise herself later, when she was safely seated in the taxi and on her way to the hotel. Out of Elphaba's sight. Tonight was not the night to impress her girlfriend.
"You have my leave to wear this whenever we go out together," the green girl expanded on her earlier comment.
Galinda immediately added her deep red lipstick to the earrings, bracelets, and necklace in her purse before answering, "That would require you allowing me to take you out in the first place."
Elphaba gave a little grunt at that and placed a peck on her cheek.
"Have fun. Don't tease the thirsty boys too much."
Arriving at the venue, she was directed up a grand staircase where an entire level was dedicated to the prince's party. A good portion of the guests had already arrived and were either dancing, talking, or helping themselves to the wide selection of canapés and drinks offered by waiters and waitresses on heavy trays.
Fiyero was strategically positioned near the staircase to greet his guests. When she walked up the final steps, his eyes lit up, and he met her at the landing.
"I woke up this morning thinking you might not come," he said, then kissed her first on the cheek, then her lips.
Her stomach lurched at the contact, and she made sure to withdraw as swiftly as was appropriate.
"Happy birthday," she said, mustering a brilliant smile.
"Will you stay with me until everyone has arrived?"
Already, her smile threatened to falter.
"How about I make my rounds and we catch up once you're relieved from reception duty?"
He let her go, albeit reluctantly, and she went on to scout the crowd.
Pfannee was already here, as were Avaric and Shenshen. Galinda passed them unseen for now, not in the mood for their shenanigans right away. From behind a pillar she watched the arrival of Boq and Milla. Oz no, she wasn't ready to deal with them right off the bat either.
She spotted a less familiar group by the not yet open buffet. The men's skin tones came in various shades of brown, and their hair was dark and thick, obviously Vinkun. Intrigued, she ventured closer, still undecided over whether she should be so bold as to introduce herself. Walking past, looking in the other direction and feigning interest in the layout of the dining tables, she hoped to spy on them, but they were conversing in a foreign language she could not understand. Annoyed, she spun around, leaning against another pillar. When the opportunity presented itself, she plucked a flute of sparkling wine from a tray so she could nurse her drink while observing them on and off.
Before long, one of the young men began to steal furtive glances her way in return. He was attractive, with a wild mop of curly hair on his head, but managing to look reasonably polished in his white t-shirt and navy suit jacket. Galinda almost felt flattered under his attention.
His mates caught on one after the other as his looks lengthened in duration, and their demeanour began to change. They were chuckling now, and their tone was different. Their grins were cheeky, and they were obviously teasing her not-so-secret admirer. The man to his left gave him a pat on his back, prompting the four others to join in. The short guy to his right elbowed him playfully, and the one who'd initiated the back-patting finally shoved him in her direction.
Even in her general state of annoyance, Galinda couldn't hide her amused smile, especially when her attempt to cover her mouth with her hand only made her appear more coquettish.
The young man approached her with a charming, shy grin, his hand rubbing at the back of his neck. He was even more handsome than she'd given him credit for. Objectively speaking.
"Hello," he said, surprising her with his incredibly thick accent. Perhaps that went some way to explain his bashful behaviour. "My name is Tawim. Would you, er, mind some company?"
"Galinda. And I'm always open for a chat," she replied, and they rather quickly fell into comfortable conversation over his first visit to Shiz and their overall travel history.
"So you've never been to the Vinkus?"
"No. My parents prefer city tours over nature trails, shopping over hiking. But I hear it's beautiful."
"You should come see for yourself," he told her, his face a picture of sincerity.
"I suppose I should," she answered, wondering to herself when she'd possibly have the opportunity.
His friends soon joined them, ostensibly bored with merely watching their all too smooth interactions.
"Little lady," the one who'd most encouraged Tawim's approach said in an even heavier accent and with a clumsy choice of words. "You are very much brave."
Galinda tilted her head in confusion. The men laughed and exchanged a few words.
"He admires your openness," Tawim explained. "You seem very comfortable talking to us dark fellows."
"Well, we are at your countryman's birthday party," she reminded them.
"Ah, Fiyero." Tawim grinned.
"Fiyero like a coconut," the friend who had yet to give his name snickered.
"He grew up in the Vinkus, but learnt from Gillikinese tutors and was exposed to all kinds of foreign dignitaries and travellers. He knows how to speak and act your way."
"I see. I suppose that explains things. Though I wouldn't say that he had an easy start here."
"Talking about me?"
"The man of the hour!"
Biting her lip, Galinda turned around and looked up at him.
"I meant to say you did very well for yourself, even if it wasn't a walk in the park," she told him, and his lips quirked into a lopsided grin.
"It's alright."
With that, he leaned in to kiss her.
"Oh! You're Fiyero's girl!" Tawim exclaimed. One look at him told her that he was at least mildly embarrassed, and maybe a tad worried about having trespassed on royal territory.
Fiyero wrapped his arm around her waist and magnanimously forgave his acquaintance for any interest he might have harboured for his supposed girlfriend. She hated it, more so than she usually would have.
She deftly freed herself from his grip and shot him a warning look, at which he frowned.
"I'll grab another glass of bubbles," she announced and walked off. Smooth. Very smooth, she berated herself, rolling her eyes when she was sure that nobody would notice.
In order to try and level out her perhaps undue anger, Galinda sought out Shenshen and Pfannee. A chat with them might distract her for a moment or two, until she'd mostly forget about that tiny incident.
"You look gorgeous tonight," said Shenshen after their greeting ritual had concluded. Given their current relationship, Galinda concluded that she must really mean it and felt somewhat bolstered.
"Thanks, Shen. So do you." This, in contrast, was not an entirely honest remark. Galinda thought she was hopelessly underdressed in her simple, red cocktail dress and plain, gold jewellery.
"Why aren't you with the birthday boy, darl? Tonight of all nights you shouldn't abandon him like this!"
"He's a grown boy." She shrugged. "He can take care of himself."
"For future reference, Shen, I wouldn't take kindly to my girlfriend neglecting me so," chimed in Avaric who'd just returned with two glasses of wine. One of them was clearly meant for himself, but now that Galinda had joined their group, he surrendered it like a true gentleman.
"I'm not his show pony," Galinda sniffed. "I'll keep him company when it suits me. I don't know what's so horrible about that."
"Independence issues," snorted Avaric, and Pfannee added, "Is that why you found it so difficult to settle on someone? Well, I dare say you'll get used to it rather quickly."
"I will?" She couldn't help the snarky tone in her voice and she wasn't sure whether she regretted it. This wasn't useful. If anything, this conversation was even more triggering. "And where is your beau, Pfann? Does he have independence issues as well?"
The Munchkinlander's eyes welled up with tears.
"They broke up this morning!" Shenshen hissed at her and wrapped a comforting arm around their friend's shoulders. "Seriously, Galinda, what the heck is wrong with you?"
She readied her rebuttal, but ultimately held her tongue. Closing her mouth and pressing her lips together, she swallowed the words and crossed her arms. Although an apology might have been a good idea right about now, she couldn't bring herself to form one.
"I need to talk to Milla," she lied. Putting her wineglass down on the balustrade, just as full as she'd received it, she turned around and marched off once again.
She had no idea where Boq and Milla were by now, nor did she care. She ended up in a quiet corner, shielded by large potted plants and complete with blue velvet sofas and a glass table. Baffled to be entirely alone, she was grateful for the opportunity and sat down, the absence of a drink her only regret.
Instinctively, she pulled out her phone and checked her messages, hoping against hope that Elphaba had left her one.
Nothing.
So, she took matters into her own hands.
'Heya. How's it going? Missing me yet?'
She'd barely dispatched the text, when Boq walked past the little refuge, spotted her through the leaves of a palm tree, and turned on his heels to find the entrance.
"The vegetation obviously isn't doing its job well enough," she greeted him tersely.
He laughed it off, unnaturally.
"Isn't it a bit early in the evening for you to seek seclusion? Aren't you supposed to be one of those bright social butterflies? Or is dear Elphie rubbing off on you?"
"Where did you leave Milla?" she countered. "Apparently, it's a social faux pas now to set foot anywhere without one's significant other."
"Trouble in paradise?"
It was a remark she could barely deign to reply to at all, so an irritated huff had to suffice. It wasn't like he was as oblivious as everyone else.
"Left her with your other two cronies," he went on to explain. A peace offering? "Not exactly interested in hanging out with those ninnies. How do you girls both stand it?"
"I can't stand myself right now. Neither can you. Yet here you are."
"You know this isn't true. I'll admit that there's some tension between us at the moment, but I believe it can be resolved."
"Once I did what you want me to?" He opened his mouth, but she continued before he could say anything. "Don't worry, you'll get your way sooner than you might think."
Her phone chimed.
'I'm fine over here. Malky's great company. Don't even try to make me jealous.'
She tired to chuckle, but nearly chocked on the sound instead. Her hand holding the phone sank slowly as she turned off the screen.
"Trouble in paradise?" Boq repeated his earlier question in a very different tone of voice, talking about a very different paradise.
Galinda shook her head.
"Not really. But I'm feeling miserable about this whole situation. I don't even want to be here right now." Looking up at him and reading his expression, she help up her hand. "And don't you dare saying 'I told you so.'"
He shrugged and stayed quiet for the time being.
From somewhere behind them a large group could be heard erupting into boisterous laughter. Galinda imagined she could hear Fiyero's voice carry above the general noise.
"Hey, Boq. Do you think you could… just leave me be for a few moments? I only need a minute, then I'll come out and save Milla from Shenshen and Pfannee, and we can spend some time together."
"Sure. Though I think you might actually want to check in with Fiyero after all. I mean, you are pretending to be madly in love with him."
And with that he got up, leaving her behind with slumped shoulders.
'Good to know I'm not missed. Means I can stay out longer then,' she typed out before putting her phone away and nestling herself tightly into the corner of the sofa. Noticing a cushion just within reach, she grabbed it and pressed it to her stomach.
It was hard to tell how long she'd stayed like this. Without the benefit of a clock, a watch, or even her phone, she existed in a timeless vacuum. The background noises blurred together like a thicket of laughter, meaningless conversations and drunken speeches, surrounding her small, quiet clearing. She was bored in a way, and maybe even lonely. Still, she didn't wish to head back into the woods, lest she got lost again.
Then, a prince came to find her and show her the way—the prince being Fiyero, hoping to retrieve his personal showpiece of a girlfriend.
"You alright?" he asked, and she didn't know how to reply.
He held out his hand, and she took it, because there was no good alternative.
The buffet had opened in the meantime, and Fiyero made some announcement to that affect. Her brain didn't really process the exact words, but they were met with a loud cheer in any case. All she did was to stand there and smile, pretending to go along with all of this as best she could. For the moment it appeared to be sufficient.
"What do you feel like? Shall I bring you anything?"
"Anything." Merely repeating his last word was the simplest answer she could give.
They sat down at a round table with Shenshen and Avaric, but also a number of guests she didn't know, two of them Vinkun. Pfannee, having come on her own and seemingly attached to Shenshen at the hip, was afforded an extra chair, making the seating arrangement a bit more tight and cosy than intended. Galinda suspected the initial idea had been to seat the guests at the prince's table according to rank.
A Vinkun woman took the chair next to Galinda. It was the first Vinkun woman she'd ever seen, as far as she could tell. She was older than her, but not by much, she guessed. Her dress was made of the same materials as many of the other females' garments, but cut in an exotic pattern. A kind of fusion fashion. Galinda appreciated the effect and probably would have marvelled at it if her mind hadn't already been so preoccupied.
"So you are Fiyero's…"
"Girlfriend?" Galinda ventured.
It was a tricky business. She knew that Fiyero was already married, and so did his compatriots, of course. What did that make her in their eyes? His concubine? The notion didn't sit quite right with her.
"I know about his wife," she clarified, so as not to seem clueless. "It's a temporary arrangement that suits us both. That's all."
Yes. Very temporary indeed.
The woman nodded approvingly, and Fiyero returned with two plates.
"Curry creamed chicken," he told her as she set a plate down in front of her.
"Thanks, love," she managed and inhaled the dish's scent.
The woman to her right turned out to be a distant cousin of Fiyero's, married to a Yunamata prince. The prince himself was with his people while she was off studying in the Emerald City. From there, it was only a stone-throw to Shiz, so she attended the party in his stead. It was the first time that Galinda heard Fiyero speak of his clan, the Arjiki. Though knowing the name helped her little; she wasn't at all versed in Vinkun tribal politics, nor their geography.
The conversation was tedious. The young men discussed hypothetical trade agreements and partnerships like old statesmen, which struck Galinda as rather ridiculous. But then again, she'd never dealt with Fiyero's princely side before. Just as he was already married, he perhaps was also already a valuable extension of his father's influence. Maybe Vinkun nobles simply matured this early. She found it a lot harder to take serious any of the phrases and promises coming from Avaric's lips, but who knew. It wasn't impossible that they would come true one day, in the spirit of longstanding friendship and college camaraderie.
"What about you?" asked her neighbour. "What is your family background?"
"Minor Gillikinese aristocracy. Not all that relevant these days. I have no alliances to offer, I'm afraid." She mustered a tight smile.
"But you might yet marry into wealth and influence, no? Watch and learn, my dear. You might find this exercise useful one day."
Galinda didn't disagree with her. There always was a slight chance with Elphaba. Though she doubted whether marriage was in their cards in the future, or the Eminency. It wasn't something she generally spent too much time contemplating, much less discussing.
The Vinkun man to Fiyero's left rose to propose a toast. After a brief speech and some hip hip hurrah-ing, everybody clapped, and the prince himself stood and took an exaggerated bow to his guests' amusement. He thanked his friend, ally, bloods brother—whatever he was—and went on to say a few words himself. More cheering.
"Let's drink now and celebrate! Raise your glasses and kiss your girls! It's a party tonight!"
With that, he half bent down, half lifted Galinda from her chair and kissed her hard.
She wished she'd seen this coming, but she certainly had not. There was nothing wrong in his actions, she knew that. It was nothing but an expression of their agreement. She'd done the same to him at Avaric's party, even before they'd discussed any of this. It was clearly her who owed him at least that much and still…
She pulled away from him as quickly as she could and sank back down in her seat. Her gaze darted across the room, taking in every pair of eyes that was watching them. Her. Oh, cursed impulsivity. She shouldn't have done that, but now it was too late.
Her heart raced. She suddenly felt sick. Dear Oz, what had she done? She wished she could simply deflect the attention with an apologetic smile, but knew that it wouldn't be enough. Initiating a second kiss wouldn't work either. Too unnatural, too awkward. What was done was done. She couldn't think of anything to remedy the situation, and she couldn't bear sitting there either as if nothing out of the ordinary had transpired.
Uttering a hasty apology under her breath, she got up with as much grace and dignity as was possible under the circumstances. Then, she fled to the bathroom.
With her bladder actually beckoning for relief, she dashed towards the stalls. After that, she washed and dried her hands, checked her hair, re-applied her make-up. Trying not to think was the name of the game. It didn't work for long. With her golden curls on fleek and her lips on fire with that sumptuous, red colour, she soon had no other trivial concerns left to worry about. She looked at herself in the mirror and saw a mess. A beautiful girl, but a mess all the same.
Sweet Lurline, she shouldn't have come tonight. Maybe she shouldn't have started this whole thing in the first place, who could say? But she definitely, certainly, absolutely should not have agreed to be at this party tonight. It was a disaster, worse than any premature breakup could have been.
And what now? Should she just leave? Maybe that would be better than crashing the entire event. Nevertheless, she was hesitant.
In the end, she decided to text him and, in the interim, returned to her safe haven among the potted plants. As everyone was still busy with their meals, she was once again alone there.
'Where are you?' was his immediate reply in complete disregard of her message. Unsure whether she wanted him to find her, whether she'd be able to endure a face to face conversation, she didn't tell him straight away. Eventually, however, her conscience won out.
He must have been on his way already, for he arrived within seconds. His expression was unreadable. She didn't doubt that he was at least somewhat angry with her, but it wasn't as obvious as she might have expected. Rather, he looked tense, with his brows slightly furrowed, his jaw flexing as he regarded her with his slightly squinted eyes.
"I'm sorry," she said, mostly to break the silence. She did mean it, but didn't have the energy to really put her heart in it.
"I'm sorry, too," he said, and she couldn't tell if he actually meant it. "I know I begged you to stay in character for this one final night, even though you already said that you didn't want to. It's just a matter of timing. I hoped you'd understand, and I hoped you'd be able to just pull it off. I didn't realise it was so much to ask for."
"Well, I came. I tried. I don't think I can do any better for now. Maybe I should have done you a favour and told you no outright."
"But what happened?" He raised his open arms in confusion. He plopped down next to her and took her right hand. She retracted it promptly and clasped it with her left. "You're not the girl I thought I knew. What's going on?"
His voice started to sound more and more accusatory, or maybe that was just her imagination. She inched away from him and lowered her gaze. Looking at him was too painful.
"I don't know," she muttered, barely loud enough for him to hear.
"Well, if it has anything to do with that incident—"
"What incident?"
She looked up at him sharply, eyes wide. At once, her stomach began to twist and churn. Was this what premonition felt like? Or was this mere paranoia? Perhaps she shouldn't go off like this, based on practically nothing. But the queasy feeling persisted, so she couldn't simply let it go either.
Fiyero watched her for a moment before waving his hand, probably determining that the incident he was talking about hadn't been the cause for her odd behaviour after all, since she didn't actually know what he was referring to.
"Never mind. Forget it."
"No," she said slowly, shaking her head stubbornly. "Too late. I won't forget about it. Go on, tell me. What happened?"
"I thought you somehow knew about it. I shouldn't have said anything."
"Knew about what, Fiyero?" Glaring at him didn't seem to work very well, so she said his name one more time, in a cutting tone she'd barely ever used before. "Fiyero!"
With a sigh, he ran his hand through his hair. Working his jaw, he didn't say anything for a good while, until she stood and prepared to leave.
"Wait," he said tiredly and beckoned her to come back.
Too curious to walk away in case there was any chance that he might give up his secret at last, she did. Standing before him, her hands both desperately clutching her small handbag, she briefly considered resuming her spot on the couch. Something inside her reeled at the idea, so she decided to remain where she was, rather peering down to him than up.
"Well," he began, licking his lips, "it's a little cringey, I know. But you two weren't together back then, I believe?"
He was talking about Elphaba. In lieu of a reply, Galinda only swallowed hard, too unnerved to say anything.
He continued.
"I can sorta remember what happened, but not exactly how. It was a strange business, but—"
She couldn't take it any longer. He hadn't said much yet, but that very sentiment he was trying to describe was all too familiar. She knew at once, knew without him spelling it out.
"You… are the guy from the Philosophy Club," she breathed. Her heart felt like it had stopped beating for a moment.
He stared at her. Astounded by her quick deduction skills perhaps?
His slight nod set off a cascade of emotions. Her pulse was rushing, her head was reeling. She felt dizzy, she felt ready to explode.
She wanted to shout at him, but her throat was so choked up she couldn't form the words at all. Instead, she brought her hand up to her mouth and tried to contain herself, to hold back tears.
"Shit." Fiyero dipped his head for a moment, pinching the bridge of his nose. When he looked back up, he jerked forward slightly as if wanting to reach out, then changed his mind mid-motion. "Yeah, sorry. I'm sorry. I really am. I know this is super awkward, but—"
"Awkward?" she exclaimed, somehow managing to speak. "Awkward! Fiyero. This is… it's… You have no idea what you've done!"
If anything, his expression was even more perplexed now. As it would be. She didn't expect him to have as much as the faintest clue. And she knew exactly what would happen next: he'd ask her what he'd done so terribly wrong, and she wouldn't be able to answer him.
So, she heaved a shuddering sigh, wiped at her eyes and turned around.
"I gotta go," she choked out. "I can't have this conversation with you right now, I need to go."
"No, wait!"
"I can't say no more."
"You must!"
He jumped up then, grabbing her arm, though reasonably gently.
Galinda took a step back and yanked herself free.
"Don't. Don't touch me right now. I can't stand it."
Meeting his eyes was too much, so she rather concentrated on his limp wrist. From his motionless stance she could tell well enough that he was in shock, entirely oblivious to what was going on, his simple world suddenly turned upside down. Maybe she was totally overreacting. Maybe that's why he was so bewildered.
"I must go," she repeated herself once more, and this time she actually did.