The Emerald Woman and the Little Star
A/N
Hello all who are still reading and thank you, anyway I have had a guest review noting that my story is a bit repetitive which I realised myself the thing to remember is Alice is a frightened little girl who has known nothing but abuse her whole life so it's going to take more than once for her to understand she is safe and that she will not be hurt again so please bear with me and enjoy this chapter xx
Chapter Nine
Elphaba kept her eye on the little girl for the rest of the meal but thankfully she just sat shifting about in her chair scowling, once everyone had finished their meal the maids cleared the table and everyone moved to the sitting room except Alice who shot towards the back doors.
"Alice no sweetie you can't go in the garden right now" said Elphaba. The little girl ignored her and carried on towards the back door "Alice I said you can't go out right now, you can either come into the sitting room with us or go and play in your room" The little girl stopped and turned to Elphaba
"I have to go outside Elphie please" said Alice panic in her voice she turned back to the door and pulled at the handles
Noticing the panic in the little girl's voice Elphaba walked down the hall, gently removed Alice's hands off the door handles then knelt down in front of her "Alice I said you can't go out right now how about we show Amilie one of your books"
Alice shook her head then put her arms around Elphaba's neck. "I need to go outside Elphie please please please"
Elphaba lifted the little girl into her arms and stood up "what's the matter Sweetheart come on tell me" Alice stayed quiet her head buried into Elphaba's neck trying to ignore the feeling in her bladder, her hands grabbed Elphaba's top in a vice grip.
At that moment Fiyero pokes his head around the sitting room door "Fae what's taking so long Mother is getting antsy she has something she wants to give to Alice.
"We are coming now Yero" said Elphaba she put Alice back on her feet and the two of them followed Fiyero into the sitting room where his mother was sat on the settee a parcel in her hand she smiled when she saw Elphaba enter the room with the little girl.
"There you are sweetheart I have something for you" said Amilie holding out the parcel to the little girl. Alice looked at Elphaba then at the parcel.
"It's ok baby it's for you go on take it" said Elphaba the little girl smiled and took the parcel and slowly pulled the pink wrapping paper off inside she found a princess colouring book and a set of brightly coloured felt tip pens, the little girl smiled and turned to Elphaba.
"Look Elphie" said Alice holding up the book and pens.
"They're lovely sweetheart can you say thank you to Amilie" said Elphaba.
"Thank you" said Alice before dashing over to the coffee table to start using them.
Elphaba watched the little girl pulling the different coloured pens out of the packet her mind began to drift trying to work out why the little girl was being so naughty all of a sudden she was knocked from her thoughts by a tap on her shoulder.
"Elphaba are you listening" said Amilie
"What.. oh sorry Amilie I was miles away" said Elphaba her eyes not leaving the little girl, noticing her watching Alice, Amilie smiled.
"You can look away you know she will still be then when you look back" said Amilie with a laugh.
"It's not that it's just she has been fine since she got here on Friday afternoon and she was fine yesterday until last night other than her being afraid of things like going to the toilet but last night and today she has been playing up the whole time and I can't work out why" said Elphaba with a sigh "I feel like a stuck record the amount of times I have had to do the time out speech today"
"Oz Elphaba I thought Yero was the brainless one" said Amilie.
"Thanks Mum I heard that" said Fiyero from the other side of the room where he was sat talking to his father.
"What do you mean" said Elphaba confusion on her face.
"Alice has spent her whole life being battered and abused by a person she trusted for the slightest little thing, she ends up here and you start to show her love and tell her you would never hurt her no matter what, so I think she is testing you to see what she has to do before you hurt her" said Amilie.
Elphaba sat in shock for a few minutes before she spoke "you mean she is being naughty because she wants me to hurt her"
"Elphaba the little girl has been hurt all her life so being here with you and Yero who are kind and loving is probably very confusing for the poor girl even if you tell her you are not going to hurt her it's going to take a long time for her to believe it" said Amilie "in her little mind she's thinking you haven't hurt her yet but if she is naughty enough you will, you and Yero have to just keep reassuring her"
"Believe me we are I mean we might only be her foster parents but Oz she feels like my own daughter already and we've only had her three days" said Elphaba.
Over at the coffee table Alice was trying to colour the pictures in her book but the feeling in her bladder was getting stronger and harder to ignore now is was accompanied by pressure in her bottom, putting down her pens she looked over to where the adults sat talking she watched them for a few seconds then slowly stood up and made her way towards the small waste bin in the far corner of the sitting room, she had just got to it when Elphaba spotted her.
"Alice where are you doing sweetheart" asked Elphaba. The little girl froze for a few seconds then slowly turned to face Elphaba.
"I have to go Elphie" said Alice panic in her voice she then turned back to the bin, pulled her tights and knickers down and sat on it.
"Sweetheart no baby you don't have to wee in bins here" said Elphaba dashing over to the little girl but it was too late Alice started to empty her bladder into the small bin, then seeing Elphaba coming towards her she panicked and tried to stand up but Elphaba quickly put her hands onto the little girl's shoulders.
"Baby it's ok you're ok, don't get up until you are finished" said Elphaba she knelt beside the little girl and gently rubbed her back. After a few seconds the little girl sighed then started to make little grunting noises, realising what the little girl was doing Elphaba turned to Fiyero "Yero can you go up to our room and get the packet of baby wipes I keep in my bedside draw please"
"Of course Fae" said Fiyero he stood up and left the room, once Fiyero had left the room Elphaba turned back to the little girl who was now red in the face and grunting hard a second later she heard a splash then Alice turned to her panic in her hazel eyes.
"I'm done Elphie I'm sorry" said Alice she lent forward and buried her head into Elphaba's chest just as Fiyero came back into the room.
"Here you go Fae" said Fiyero handing the packet of wipes to Elphaba.
"Thanks Yero" said Elphaba she then turned back to Alice "come on baby let's get you cleaned up"
The little girl slowly stood up her eyes locked on Fiyero and his father, Elphaba opened the wipes and pulled one out of the packet then handed it to the little girl who took it and wiped her bottom before dropping it into the bin then took another wipe and repeated the process before pulling her knickers and tights back up.
"Good girl well done" said Elphaba "let's go and wash our hands" she stood up picking the waste bin up as she did so then lead Alice into the downstairs bathroom she emptied the bin into the toilet, flushed it then put the bin into one of the double sinks and filled it with water before turning to the other sink and both of them washed their hands, once their hands were washed and dried Alice held her arms up to Elphaba and she scooped the little girl up.
"I'm sorry Elphie but I really had to go and I couldn't get outside to the bucket so I tried to hold it but I couldn't " said Alice burying her head into Elphaba's shoulder.
"Oh baby is that why you wanted to go out after dinner" said Elphaba as she carried the little girl back to the sitting room she felt the little girl nodding into her shoulder "Sweetie why didn't you tell me you needed to go to the toilet remember what Fiyero and I told you it's ok to use the toilet in our home".
Amilie looked at the little girl in Elphaba's arms and her heart broke for her she sat down beside Elphaba and put a comforting hand on her arm.
"Elphaba are you alright dear" asked Amilie.
Elphaba shook her head and sighed still holding the little girl close to her "she's terrified of going to the toilet her father only let her use a bucket and he would hurt her if she went anywhere else, Fiyero and I have both told her it's ok to use the toilet in our home I have managed to catch her trying to go in a bucket a couple of times and got her to the toilet but it was a fight"
"Oh dear poor baby it seems to me you might need to potty train her the way you would with a two year old I know she is eight but she has never had any sort of normal home and teachings she obviously knows when she has to go and where she is just so terrified of being hurt again maybe you should start with a small potty chair rather than the toilet I know she's a bit too old but she is small for her age so it might still work also try a sticker chart it worked wonders with my granddaughter" said Amilie.
"Thanks Amilie, I need to go into town tomorrow and get some books so I can start teaching her I will pick up some stickers and a potty chair and see how it goes" said Elphaba.
"You are most welcome my dear don't hesitate to ask if you need anymore help" said Amilie then noticing the little girl was dropping off on Elphaba's lap she smiled "I think a certain little lady is getting tired"
Elphaba looked at her watch and sighed "no wonder it's past six o clock"
"Right son I guess we should get going so you can get the little one fed and into bed" said Harold "come on Amilie"
"Goodbye gorgeous girl"said Amilie to Alice "goodbye Elphaba and remember what we talked about"
"Goodbye Amilie, Harold and I will" said Elphaba she watched as Fiyero said goodbye to his parents and then turned to the little girl who was virtually asleep on her lap. "Come on baby you need to wake up and have something to eat"
The little girl stirred and looked at Elphaba "Not allowed to eat after breakfast Elphie"
Elphaba shook her head just as Fiyero came back into the room followed by Mary Ellen who was carrying a try with plates of sandwiches and two mugs and a beaker of juice she set it down on the coffee table and left the room again.
Fiyero sat down on the settee opposite Elphaba and grabbed his plate then he smiled when he saw Elphaba watching him "what"
"Nothing I just love you" said Elphaba then she turned to Alice again "come on baby let's eat these sandwiches then it will be bath time" the little girl sighed and slipped off of Elphaba's lap she reached out and picked up a sandwich stuffing it into her mouth in two bites.
Elphaba smiled and grabbed her own plate she made short work of her sandwiches then turned back to Alice who had also finished eating and was gulping her juice down once she had finished the little girl put her beaker down then climbed back on to Elphaba's lap and snuggled into her with a yawn.
"Love my Elphie" said Alice her eyes starting to close.
"I love you too baby let's go and give you a bath" said Elphaba she stood up with the little girl in her arms as she turned to leave the room Alice lifted her head off of Elphaba's shoulder and looked at Fiyero.
"Night Fiyero" said Alice and she put her head back onto Elphaba's shoulder.
A huge smile spread across Fiyero's face "Goodnight baby sleep tight" then he turned to Elphaba "will you be alright Fae or would you like a hand"
"Could you run the bath for me while I get her undressed and find her pyjamas please" said Elphaba.
"Of course Fae" said Fiyero he followed Elphaba up the stairs and headed for the bathroom while Elphaba headed into the the little girls bedroom she sat the little girl down on her bed then opened one of the draws and pulled out a pair of pyjamas and a clean pair of knickers then turned back to the little girl only to find she had fallen asleep still sitting up.
"Come on baby let's get you undressed" said Elphaba. Alice woke with a start and slipped off the bed, Elphaba unbuttoned the little girls dress and took it off her Alice then pulled her tights off before stopping and looking at Elphaba "You can take your knickers off baby" the little girl pulled off her knickers just as Fiyero stuck his head around the door.
"Baths ready Fae" said Fiyero "I'll be in my office if you need me"
"Thanks Yero" said Elphaba she lead Alice down to the bathroom, when she entered the room she saw that Fiyero had added bubbles to the water smiling she lifted the little girl into the bath she quickly washed the little girl's hair and body before lifting her out and wrapping a towel around her then walked her back to her room. Once in the room Elphaba dried the little girl and helped her to get dressed.
"Right let's go and brush your teeth baby" said Elphaba she took the little girl to the bathroom and handed her toothbrush to her, Alice quickly cleaned her teeth then put her her arms up to Elphaba "baby can you try and do a wee for me first"
"No no no toilet Elphie" said Alice. Elphaba sighed and picked the little girl up who immediately buried her head into her neck "it's ok let's just try you don't want to have an accident like last night" she gently pulled the little girls bottoms and knickers down and sat her on to the toilet Alice kept her head in Elphaba's neck as she did so after a few minutes the little girl still hadn't weed.
"Come on sweetheart do a wee wee for me" said Elphaba.
The little girl shook her head "No Elphie don't need to"
After another few minutes had past and the little girl still hadn't weed Elphaba sighed, lifted her off the toilet and pulled her bottoms up "Ok baby good girl for trying let's get you to bed" she carried the little girl down the hall and into her bedroom then tucked her into bed, leaving the bedside lamp on she left the room pulling the door a jar she was about to go and get into her own pyjamas when she heard the little girl start to cry.
"Elphieeeee" sobbed Alice appearing at the door.
"What's the matter Baby" said Elphaba scooping the little girl up and carrying her back to bed she tucked the little girl in and sat on the bed beside her rubbing her back after a few minutes the little girl was fast asleep. Once she was sure the little girl had settled Elphaba left the room.