They hurried down to the café, managing to get in right before it closed. They grabbed salads, bread and drinks and went to sit in the common area that was always open.
As they settled in and started to eat Glinda said miserably "Elphie, I don't know what got in to me"
"I do- you are determined to unravel the mystery you seem to think I am"
"You are"
"Ok Granted- I would have told you this long ago, but It never occurred to me you would care. I mean, I've always known you get an allowance from your parents.'
"But you don't get any mail- so I assumed, no allowance."
"I do, just not like you do. Here is my situation- it's not a national secret by any means. My great-grandfather, the Eminent Thropp- Governor of Munckinland set up small trust funds for me, my sister and little brother"
"You have a brother?" she asked shaking her head
"Yes, and I told you that already- now listen. The trust funds are for our education, mine is larger, because I'm older and already in school- The fund covers all of my school expenses, books tuition and the like, for my entire three years here, as well as provides for a modest allowance for personal use. My great-grandfather didn't want my father to have control over my trust, not because he dislikes him necessarily just because he's a little… unavailable. So he transferred it to a bank here in Shiz. Two accounts, one account is the educational funds, over which he is still executor. He set up a second account into which my personal allowance is transferred every month. He arranged for me to have control of those funds, to access, as I need and to use as I see fit. So I keep a small amount with me and go to the bank if I need more. My allowance is modest, but is more than sufficient for my needs. Does that clear up the matter"
"Wow- you have a trust fund, your own bank account- this is amazing"
I didn't realize all this was such a big deal to you"
"Well. Not a big deal it's just- well, when we first got here- oh never mind."
"What my sweet, you thought I was a pauper"
"Not exactly- - but…"
She looked very embarrassed
"Glinda, what is it? Whatever it is won't shock or trouble me in the least. I'm quit aware of what you thought about me when we first arrived.
"Well it might not trouble you, but I'm truly ashamed of my behavior back then. - Anyway- Some of the girls I hang out with are, as you know Munchkinlanders and they told me that your family- the Thropps were very highly regarded there, and that the Eminent Thropp was very popular and well respected."
"I guess that is true- I haven't had any contact with him, except through the trust, since my mother died- and don't look shocked I told you that too."
"Being as I am, or maybe as I was, I could not imagine a well respect prominent family would produce- well…"
"A mean green thing like me" Elphie said eyes twinkling
"Frankly- yes- so I assumed they were just teasing me because they knew you and I were roommates."
"Well" Elphie said "We are different people than we were back then- I think we can agree that we were both equally hateful towards one another and that it really doesn't matter now- right?"
"Right" Glinda said looking pensive
"More questions?" Elphie said finishing the last of her milk.
"So your honorific, Thropp Third Descending- what exactly does it mean?"
"Here at Shiz, nothing, although for some reason the people around here seem to adore honorifics- In Munckinland it means that, technically, I'm in line to be, for lack of a better term, Governor of Munchkinland."
"Elphie, that sounds exciting"
"Hardly. When my great-grandfather dies, the title Eminent Thropp, which passes through the females, goes to the next in line. Me- seeing as I am the oldest. - But I will never hold that title, for lot's of complicated reasons. But the most basic is I simply don't want to."
"Well to be honest, you really don't have a diplomatic temperament"
"That's putting it politely." She said laughing "Nessa could be much more cut out for that kind of life, she will be an excellent Eminent Thropp, and I guess, if she declines- which is not likely at all because she craves the limelight. But if she did decline- I guess Shell could inherit, but he is still young."
"Shell, of course, now I remember."
Elphie shook her head "Any other questions about my pedigree, my finances or anything else."
Glinda looked truly chagrined. "I'm sorry Elphie- I didn't mean to pry- it's just you never talk about yourself or your family.
"Glinda, all it seems I've been doing for the past week is talking about myself"
"You know what I mean- I've told you about my family my life before Shiz"
"I know my sweet, but you know enough to understand my life before Shiz was vastly different. And although it wasn't necessarily all horrible, it wasn't really happy or even good and I just as soon not dwell on it. I'll be forced to deal with it in a year or so anyway, when Nessa comes to Shiz. Is it ok with you if we just drop this- unless you have more questions."
Glinda had millions of questions "Oh my precious Elphie- this not the conversation I had in mind when I was curious about your shopping habits- not at all. But thank you for delving into your life for me. It means a lot to me that you trust me enough now to share things like this. But the subject of the Thropp family is hereby closed."
She banged her glass on the table and they both laughed.
"Speaking of families, if you haven't already, although I'm sure you have, you may tell your parents that I will join you for spring recess in Gillkin."
"The train tickets arrived this morning," the blonde said sheepishly. "But it's nice to hear you say it- it will be such fun."
"I might be fun to get away from here for awhile- leave school behind." She suddenly looked very tired.
"Are you ready to go back up?" Glinda asked
"I think I am- yes. Do you know if there is anything up there for me to drink- I need to take my pills"
"I think there is some cider left over from lunch"
"Of course. - Ready?" She rose from her chair, flinching slightly.
"Are you still in lot's of pain Elphie?" She didn't even try to mask the concern in her voice.
"It comes and goes, but it is much more tolerable. My side hurts usually when I move to fast and I still have some internal pain, but that is also abating. So please don't worry"
Glinda took her friends hand and kissed it. "I'll try, but it would be easier to give up shopping."
They headed up to their room laughing loudly.
As they reached their door, they heard a voice calling from down the hall.
"Glinda, A bunch of us are going to the sing-a-long bar tomorrow night. Would you, and you too Elphaba, care to join us."
Glinda glanced at Elphie, who nodded slightly
"We'd love to- it sounds like fun." Elphie smiled and nodded.
"Great! We'll see you there after dinner. Goodnight Glinda, 'Night Elphaba"
"Goodnight- see you tomorrow." Glinda was bubbly
"Goodnight" Elphie said politely
Glinda was too squirmy to open the door, so Elphie took the key and let them in. As soon as they got in Glinda threw her arms around her friend, jumping up and down, "Thank you Elphie- Oh thank you"
Glinda, please- I did promise we would do something special together tomorrow."
"I know, but I just thought you meant dinner"
Well that was my thought- but since I have a lovely new outfit I might as well hit the town- We can do both, if that is Ok with you"
"Ok! Ok" Glinda, said flouncing around the room "It's heaven- Thank you thank you Elphie"
"You know you don't have to wait on me to go out with your friends."
"Oh I know that silly- It's just more fun for me with you- I'm so excited."
Elphie wished she felt as enthusiastic.
They started getting ready for bed.
"Glinda, would you mind helping me with this bandage" Elphie called from the bathroom as she was getting ready for bed.
Glinda came skipping in, still giddy about going out with Elphie tomorrow night.
"Certainly my love."
Elphie was sitting partially wrapped in her robe, with one hand trying to reach over to rip the bandage off.
"Elphie, stop that you know you can't reach." She playfully slapped the green arm away. "Now, hmmm, "
She pulled at the corner and it came off slowly, but pulled Elphie's sensitive green skin causing her to yelp.
"Oh- I was afraid of this- bandages like to pull." She walked over to Elphie's oil shelf. "Anything here of the plain simple oil variety."
"Just pull the dam…"
"Elphie!"
"…Darn thing off already"
"Elphie, I can't, it's too big, too stuck on and will hurt too much- if not you feeling it, then me seeing it- trust me. Oil?"
"Ok Ok. The light blue bottle is just a plain scentless oil, like the kind used on infants."
"Perfect"
She put some oil on her fingers and rubbed it around the edge of the bandage, working it carefully as she went.
"Elphie, are you ok? I'm trying not to hurt you."
"I fine" she said wincing slightly "
"Ok all off" She said at last. Oh Elphie you side looks much better" Elphie stood and looked sideways in the mirror. What once was a deep, angry multicolored bruise, looked like purple-blue smudge.
"I see that" she breathed "for some reason I thought these bruises were going to become permanent parts of me."
Glinda gently motion for her to sit down and kissed the top of her head.
"Soon" she said as she rubbed oil over the smudge, cleaning it and getting off excess adhesive. "These hurts will disappear, completely, and the other hurts, while they may never disappear, should fade with time."
"I know" Elphie smiled
"All clean and fresh" Glinda said. "You look tired."
"I am, that nap was nice, but…"
"Finish getting ready for bed, and then I'll give you a massage- I felt the tension in your back."
"Glinda, You don't have to give me a massage"
"I know, my love- I want to- but it is up to you, forced massages are really besides the point"
She chuckled and left Elphie alone to get dressed. Elphie buttoned up her gown and walked out to bed.
"You know Glinda, I was going to decline your offer of a massage, but I think I'm actually in a position to enjoy it. So Ok- "
"Goody!" Glinda bubbled "do you want to sit or lie"
"You're the expert, you choose- oh and please calm down just a little I'm about to overdose on perky" Elphie smiled and laughed. "Besides, I have an idea that I fear may cause more perkiness, and you might explode."
"Elphie, don't be absurd, no one explodes from perky- they implode" she winked at her chuckling friend.
"So what's the idea?"
"Do you promise no squealing, or other perky sounds"
"Elphie stop teasing me"
"I'm sorry- Ok It occurred to me that last weekend was the time I normally run personal errands- but circumstances made that a little tricky- so I'd thought I'd go tomorrow, and thought I'd ask you to accompany me, if you want."
Elphie had been watching her friend closely, after the first few words she figured out the idea and by the time she got it all out the blonde was wriggling and bouncing.
"Elphie, you want me to go shopping with you!" Glinda squealed
"No I wish you to accompany me when I go to purchase items I require." She stood up and put her hands on her hips. "But if you insist, yes- we're going shopping- Elphie style!"
Glinda was so effervescent, Elphaba thought she was going to bubble right out the window. The bouncy girl threw her arms around Elphie's neck
"Oh Elphie, how grand- I'd love to go with you"
"And I want you to go- you seemed so curious as to my world off campus- I thought we'd just make a day of it"
Elphie managed to get Glinda seated back on her bed, laughing merrily.
"I'm glad your excited- would you like to hear the plan?"
"Elphie, I know this is silly, but I am excited. And I love a plan especially a shopping plan"
"Ok I need to go to the bank first, because it closes at noontime on non-weekdays, then there's a small café where I normally eat lunch close by, so we can stop there for lunch- then I have two or three other things to do. That should leave us time to come back here and freshen up- then catch a cab across the river for a bookstore spree, dinner in that restaurant you found then the sing-a-long bar. How does that sound?
"I can't think of anything else I'd rather do" Glinda sighed happily
Glinda you do realize that these are shops in an area of Shiz that I doubt you've ever been."
"I figured that Elphie" Glinda was still bubbly "But that's what makes it so special- You want to share your secret places with me.
"Must you be so melodramatic? - But yes, I do."
"Yes I must and thank you" Glinda took her friends hand and led her over to her bed. "Now, lie on your stomach and I shall massage away your tension. After all we have a big day tomorrow"
"Glinda, " Elphie said lying down and lowering her gown from her shoulders. " We are only going to pick up a few things I need."
"I know that my love- but the key word here is we- now hush, relax and let me work my nimble fingered magic"
Glinda took some oil and rubbed it between her palms to warm it. Then starting at the lower back slowly worked her way up using her thumbs and fingers to work the tension out of her precious friend's back.
She worked her shoulder blades, shoulders and neck gently. Elphie sighed and let out an occasional moan.
Glinda could feel her relaxing and loosening up. In less that 5 minutes the exhausted green girl was fast asleep.
Glinda kissed her gently on the cheek put her gown back in place as best she could then covered her up. "Fresh dreams my love"
Glinda took a bath, and got ready for bed quietly and went to sleep ecstatic at the thought of being allowed to share in Elphie's life.