Disclaimer, you know.
In the evening when everyone parted ways for the day, dorothy was now content with Betsy and Trot, but soon grew anxious when she remembered that alex was going to be with his dad, for a minimum of a month, that would mark the longest time the two had been apart.
"Dorothy, you'll be fine, it's not like last time, where you two were left apart by force." Madeline said walking in now wearing a light green nightgown.
"Maddie, it's not me I'm worried about, it's him, he despises not having me around." Dorothy said.
"well, dorothy, there's nothing we can do, besides, you said it yourself, he and his father need to bond over something that isn't carpentry." Madeline said.
"I know, but, oh I just hope he doesn't make himself miserable." Dorothy said laying down on her bed.
Madeline smiled and sat down on the bed.
"He'll be fine, hopefully, he's as headstrong as you are." Madeline said.
Dorothy looked at Madeline and smiled.
"that's true, I hope you're right." Dorothy said yawning.
"anyways, we should get some sleep, maybe we can help alex with some of his packing in the morning." Madeline said.
"you know how protective alex is of his things, there are plenty of things I'm not even allowed to touch." Dorothy said.
"true, but he's going to want to spend as much time as he can with you before he leaves." Madeline said.
"true." Dorothy said closing her eyes.
"anyways, enough chitchat, or neither of us will get any sleep." Madeline said waving her hand causing the lamp to click off.
"where'd you learn that trick?" Dorothy asked
"you fell asleep before I could do it last night, you sleep like a log." Madeline said.
"ironic, since I'm dating a carpenter." Dorothy said smiling.
Just as dorothy was about to close her eyes Toto and Pockets ran into the room and jumped up on the bed. curling up at the foot of it. dorothy smiled and nodded off. She awoke to the sound of the clock striking five in the morning and knocking on her bedroom window. Dorothy snapped up and noticed Madeline was already awake and dressed. Looking over to her window she saw alex, dimly illuminated by the rising sun. getting up she opened the window and looked at him.
"alex, what are you doing here so early?" dorothy asked.
He looked at her and sighed. Real worry in his eyes.
"Dorothy, I want you to assure me you'll be fine without me." Alex said.
"only if you promise me you won't do anything stupid on purpose." Dorothy replied.
"When do I ever?" he asked.
Almost immediately, as if on cue the bucket he was standing on tipped over and he fell. Dorothy laughed and stuck her head further out the window.
"Incredibly often, you know there's a milkcrate by the chicken coop, right?" dorothy asked.
"yea, I know, you know, one of these days I'm going to break my arm or something from these falls." Alex said standing up and dusting himself off.
"Alex, I'll be fine, if you'll be." Dorothy said.
"Dorothy, I always worry about you, you know that?" Alex asked.
"I know, but, you really need to bond with your dad, I've been to your guys' shop, now called, teak and son's hardwood furnishing, and that's all you guys do, work, and make idle chat, now you can work, and make idle chat, but you and him will be the only ones around besides Mr. Alistair and the Maitlands." Dorothy said.
Alex sighed and then thought about something. Something he should've noticed a long time ago.
"is it bad that I'm only just now realizing that our last name is also a type of hardwood?" alex asked.
Dorothy thought about that, for a moment. She had never actually thought about it. she did know that teak was a tree but for some reason she never made the connection.
"no, I've only just noticed as well." Dorothy said.
"Hm, funny, I've never made that connection before, wonder if that's why the teak men up to this point have all been carpenters, sort of as a family joke." Alex said.
"maybe, who knows, but anyways, go 'round front, Maddie will let you in, I'll change and we can chat quietly." Dorothy said.
Alex nodded and ran around to the front of the house. Madeline smiled and walked out of the room shutting the door behind her. dorothy quickly changed into some sensible clothes and put on her glasses. Toto and pockets then jumped off the bed.
"what is alex even doing here so early?" Pockets asked.
"he's worried about me, rightfully too, I always manage to get myself into trouble one way or another, don't I?" dorothy asked.
"yes." They both said.
"Okay you two, let's not ruin my self-esteem." Dorothy said giggling and then turning to look at the scepter.
"you look at that thing every morning, why don't you just carry it with you?" toto asked
"because, well, I don't know really, I just don't feel safe carrying it anywhere." Dorothy said.
Without another word the three of them left the room. Walking to the living room she found alex and Madeline. Madeline had already made tea it seemed.
"Maddie, how did you…" was as far as she got before she decided it was best not to question it.
She sighed, sat down next to alex, and poured herself some. Alex looked at her and sighed, but he was still smiling.
"Dorothy, while I'm gone…" Alex said stopping himself.
"you want me to try and stay out of trouble?" Dorothy asked.
"yes, and I know that's difficult, because even when you don't do anything, trouble manages to find you." Alex said.
"ain't it the truth?" Madeline said.
"Maddie, you're not helping, now quiet down before we wake the rest of the house up." Dorothy said
"Sorry." She replied.
"anyways, alex, what are you doing here?" Dorothy asked.
"well I got all my clothes packed last night, helped dad out, went to bed, woke up early, and came here." Alex said.
"Did you come here just to make idle conversation?" Madeline asked.
"as much as I can, since it will be a while before I get back I imagine, man, as much as I love donna's parents, they can be so, annoying, for lack of a better term." Alex said.
"any idea what they are moving this time?" Dorothy asked.
"according to dad, there's an entire storage facility that they are cleaning out, I don't know if it's theirs, or another they bought out, but our family is moderately wealthy, always have been, so, I assume it's just one that they bought out, since there hasn't been a tornado in a while they haven't had the need to stockpile supplies, I guess it's just habit." Alex said.
"how long were they at it before they called your dad and uncle?" Dorothy asked.
"according to dad; they said they were at it for three days, but they found a lot of heavier materials, and they needed some abled bodied men." Alex said.
"you know, I think I've only met donna's parents on a few occasions, they're going to run themselves ragged I swear." Alex said.
They all shared a chuckle at this. Dorothy sighed and set her cup down, and leaned her head on his shoulder.
"I'm going to miss you." Dorothy said.
"I'll miss you too, what you thinking about Madeline?" alex asked.
"huh, what?" Madeline asked.
"I asked what you were thinking about." Alex said.
"how did you know I was thinking?" Madeline asked.
"because, I know that face." Alex said.
"That's cheating." Madeline said.
"Not really." Dorothy said kissing Alex's cheek.
"well anyways, I was thinking about, alex, do you own a hand mirror?" she asked.
"no, why? Wait a minute, dorothy, the potion bottles, you can get them from ellie or Glinda, can't you?" alex asked.
"I guess so, but ellie wasn't sure if she had any left, and Glinda returned to her castle to oversee her domain, besides, where are you guys staying?" dorothy asked.
"in my uncle's trailer, he's got it hooked up to his truck already, I saw it while I was on my way here." alex said.
"dorothy, if I might make a suggestion, you're allowed to come and go from Oz as you please, you can keep an eye on him from the crystal ball in the chambers." Madeline said.
"I thought you guys moved it?" dorothy asked.
"yes, to the back of the chambers, near the umbrella stand that was left by Evanora." Madeline said.
"Well, no it wouldn't be right, who knows what I might look in on." Dorothy said.
"yea, like my dad trying to have a heart to heart, you might die laughing." Alex said.
"oh come on, your dad isn't that bad." Dorothy said.
"Not that bad? He treated me like his own father treated him, I know he didn't mean too, but he wound up doing it, I think the only difference between him and his father is that at least unlike his father, he has a heart, and the ability to smile." Alex said.
"oh I'm sure he smiled once." Dorothy said.
"Alex's grandfather, that old gargoyle barely ever did a good thing in his life." Em said causing everyone to jump.
"Auntie Em! Don't do that." Dorothy said making sure she still had a pulse.
"Hush, the triplets are just waking up, but I'm sorry if I frightened you." Em said.
"I thought that you didn't like waking up early on Sundays?" Dorothy asked.
"I don't, but the triplets weren't already out of their cribs and climbing into our bed, so I'm going to make some oatmeal, alex, are you staying for breakfast?" Em asked.
"if that's alright with you ma'am." Alex said.
"It's fine with me, but what of your parents?" Em asked.
"they won't mind, so long as I eat something and stay safe." Alex said.
"fair point." Em said.
"no that's not a fair point at all, he really should be at home this early." Madeline said.
"Donna does the same thing." Dorothy said.
"okay, now that's a fair point." Alex said looking at Madeline.
"fair." Madeline said.
"Well, I'll start breakfast, you three can go back to chatting." Em said walking into the kitchen.
The three of them sat there in silence until Em emerged from the kitchen. When the three of them had eaten, they went outside and sat on the porch. Within minutes they were joined by Aislynn who once more had her nose in a book.
"Morning ace." Alex said.
"Morning." She replied
"you seem really engrossed in your book today ace, what is it?" Madeline asked.
"Just some old science text book I found at the library, it's pretty funny, the way people used to think." Aislynn said.
"and in the future people will be reading our text books and say the same thing." Alex said.
"I know, but it's still fun to look back and see how people before us learned." Aislynn said.
Before anyone could say anything Em came out of the house.
"Alex, your mother just called, she wants you home so that you and your father will both be absolutely prepared for the evening." Em said.
Alex sighed and looked at dorothy. She smiled and kissed him.
"can you call her back and tell her I'll be there soon?" Alex asked.
"sure, do you need a ride?" Em asked.
"no, I have my bike, can dorothy come with me?" Alex asked.
"Alone?" She replied.
"If it's alright with you, I'd rather not have my mom asking too many questions, I, may have forgotten to mention Madeline." Alex said.
"and how has this stopped Annabella, or Donna from mentioning it? I thought you told Annabella, and your parents must have seen her yesterday." Dorothy said.
"they did, I said she was good friend, they didn't get a chance to talk to her at all, or see her face, thank lord." Alex said.
"I see." Dorothy said rolling her eyes.
"anyways, do you know if that old bike is still in the barn?" Alex asked curiously.
"yes, I was fixing up one of the tires the other day, dorothy, go to your room and get your helmet." Em said.
Dorothy sighed and got up, walking inside she went straight to her room, going under the bed she pulled out the bike helmet her aunt had given her. she changed her shoes as well, putting on the slippers, she didn't like wearing them while riding a bike, but she knew that it was hard to ruin them given how much they had been through over the years. She sighed and walked out of the house again. walking out to the barn she grabbed the old metal bike that her aunt had found in the storm cellar. Walking it out of the barn and over to alex, she gave Madeline and Aislynn a wave and rode off alongside alex.
"you know, I don't think we've ever gone for a bike ride together." Alex said as they rode along.
"we haven't." Dorothy Replied smiling at him.
They rode along in further silence until they reached Alex's house. Alex walked his bike to the back of the house, telling dorothy she could leave hers by the porch so long as she kept it out of the flowers. She sighed and waited for him to come back. When he did he helped her with the helmet and sighed. As they walked in immediately dorothy was nearly tackled by Annabella.
"Annabella what are you doing awake?" Alex asked.
"I woke up shortly after you left brother dear." Annabella said.
"She's like you, won't move an inch when you're needed, but as soon as action is being missed she's off like a rocket." Mr. Teak said descending the stairs followed by his wife.
"Alex, you sure you have everything?" Mrs. Teak said.
"yes mom." Alex said groaning.
"Don't groan at your mother." Mr. Teak said.
"Alex why don't you bring dorothy upstairs, maybe she can help you make sure you have everything?" Mrs. Teak suggest
Alex sighed and took Dorothy's hand dragging her upstairs with him to his bedroom, there were three large suitcases as well as four large luggage bags. Dorothy smiled and walked over to his desk, pulling out the chair she sat on it and looked around the room. All his dance shoes had been moved to under his bed, freshly polished, she could tell as she could still smell the shoe polish in the room.
"Dorothy, can I ask you to do something for me?" alex asked.
"of course, what is it?" she asked curiously.
"While I'm gone, can you drop by every now and again? make sure my dance shoes aren't collecting dust and if need be polish them?" he asked.
"sure, but you know how much I hate the smell, remember what happened the last time we were up here?" Dorothy asked.
"Oh, yea, that was kinda funny." Alex said trying to stifle a chuckle.
"you aren't the one who fainted from the fumes." Dorothy said pouting.
"oh don't look at me like that." Alex said going around her and opening the desk.
"what's in there?" dorothy asked.
"spare key to this room, I have the other one." Alex said pulling out a standard key on a silver chain.
"Fancy." Dorothy said.
"I had the chain lying about so I put the key on it one day." Alex said.
"clever." Dorothy said taking the key from him and putting it in her dress pocket.
Alex smiled and walked over to his bed, moving one of the bags and sitting down he looked at her.
"you know, it's been a while since anyone in the family has done anything with my uncle's trailer, I think the last time it was him and my father, I can't remember for the life of me what for though." Alex said.
"hmm, it will come to you eventually, that happens to me a lot." Dorothy said.
Alex smiled and gestured for her to come over. She smiled and got up, walking over to him she sat down on the bed and smiled. He looked back at her and kissed her. she giggled and blushed.
"I'm going to miss seeing that face every day." He said kissing her again causing her to blush a deeper shade of red.
"Alex, stop your making me blush." Dorothy said
Alex smiled and chuckled. Dorothy hugged him tightly, she began to grow worried, some sort of dread was building up inside her. she shook this off as paranoia since it had been a while since the two had been apart.
"Alex! Start bringing your stuff down!" Came his father's voice.
"Alright dad!" he shouted.
"I thought you guys weren't leaving till this evening?" dorothy asked.
"we aren't, dad just likes being prepared." Alex replied.
"Would you like some help bringing stuff down stairs?" dorothy asked.
"if you don't mind, I know I don't normally let you anywhere near my things, but that's only because I have everything in an order for which I think best suits me." Alex said.
Dorothy nodded and got up. Grabbing two of the suitcases she followed alex out of the room and down stairs.
"oh, and don't let anyone else in my room, unless it's my mom." Alex said.
"what about Annabella?" dorothy asked.
"last time I let her in there I ended up remaking my bed twice." Alex replied.
"you know, I'd never take you as the persnickety type." Dorothy said.
"yea, well, please don't." He said as they reached the bottom of the stairs, put the stuff down and went back up to grab the last few cases and bags.
"I won't then." Dorothy said.
"Good." He replied as they started back down the stairs
When they were back down stairs and had set the luggage down they went to the living room where Annabella was busy playing with some of her stuffed animals. Her stuffed bear in the middle of all of them, Alex had put together a little black top hat and suit and fashions and small cane out of a piece of oak which had found in a pile of wood scraps. Dorothy had watched him make the little additions for the bear, and every time she looked at it, it made her smile, she made one contribution to the bear and that was its bowtie which was fashioned using some of her red hair ribbon.
"Dorothy?" Annabella eventually asked.
"Yes Annabella?" dorothy asked.
"can we go to Oz again at some point?" she asked.
Dorothy looked at alex who shrugged and then walked out. He returned a few moments later.
"Mom says maybe later Annabella, not today." Alex said.
"we'll see Annabella." Dorothy said walking over to here and sitting down.
"Please?" Annabella said taking on big, cute eyes.
"Annabella, I said we'll see, I don't even know the next time I'm going to Oz." dorothy said.
"alright." She said handing dorothy a stuffed kitten.
Dorothy took the stuffed animal and looked at it for a moment. She realized that she wasn't sure where Annabella had gotten it. alex walked over and looked at it. he then chuckled.
"Oh, mom got Annabella that the last time they went to the store, she said it reminded her of you." Alex said sitting down.
Dorothy giggled and held it up to Alex's face.
"Meow." She said.
"I see resemblance." Alex said.
This caused all three of them to burst out laughing. Dorothy laughed until she had tears in her eyes. When they managed to calm down both dorothy and alex were a little lightheaded from laughing
"oh, and brother, mom got you this little wolf doll, she thought it could fill up that little corner on your desk." She said picking up a small wolf doll and handing it to him.
Alex looked at the wolf doll. He then held it up to Dorothy's face and growled causing dorothy to giggle.
"you'll always be my protective wolf." Dorothy said.
"and you'll always be my little kitten." Alex said.
They both smiled at each other and were about to kiss again when Annabella started making gagging noises.
"Mama! They're being! ..." was as far as she got before she found herself at a loss for words.
Immediately Mrs. Teak was in the room. She chuckled and walked over to them. Sitting down on the couch.
"you two having a moment?" she asked.
"Way to ruin it mom." Alex said getting up.
"Mama, you said we could look at the photo album." Annabella said.
Dorothy looked at Annabella and then too Mrs. Teak, she knew that there were pictures of her parents in the mix.
"If we're going to reminisce over the old days, why don't you bring the album and Annabella over to the farmhouse tomorrow afternoon, that way you all can share the memories?" dorothy suggested.
"dorothy?" alex asked curiously.
"yea?" dorothy asked turning to him.
"where'd that idea come from?" alex asked.
"some of the photos in the album, have my parents in them." Dorothy said.
"oh, right." Alex said.
"I think it's a splendid idea." Mrs. Teak said.
Dorothy smiled and then looked at alex. He was looking out the window.
"where did dad go?" alex asked.
"to go check on your uncle, you know how your uncle Alexander worries." Mrs. Teak said.
"that man would be a wreck if it weren't for his wife, as well as donna and Kelly keeping him firmly on the ground." Alex said.
"well, that's his life, his choice." Mrs. Teak said as her daughter got up and climbed onto her lap.
"mama, can dorothy take me to Oz?" Annabella asked.
"I told your brother to tell you we would see." Mrs. Teak said.
"I told her that." Alex said turning on the radio.
Immediately it started playing violin music as it normally did and he immediately shut it off.
"Annabella, I also told you we would see, I'm not even sure the next time I'm going to Oz." dorothy said.
"why's that dear?" Mrs. Teak said.
"well, to be honest, since I can really only go during weekends and holidays, there isn't really much time to go there." Dorothy said.
"I see." Mrs. Teak said.
"oh, dad's back, with Mr. Alistair, and his trailer." Alex said.
"there are some stories I have to tell you about that trailer." Mrs. Teak said.
"it's been in the family for years, hasn't it?" Alex asked curiously.
"yes." Mrs. Teak said smiling.
"are they funny stories?" Annabella asked.
"Yes honey, there are plenty of funny stories, you know, dorothy, your father used to have a trailer of his own." Mrs. Teak said turning to her.
"He did?" Dorothy asked.
"yes, he used to keep it in town in your aunt and uncle's barn, if I seem to recall, the Johnsons keep it in their backyard." Mrs. Teak said.
"oh." Dorothy said, her face falling.
The Johnsons were Alex's aunt and uncle from his father's side. They had a daughter around Dorothy's age, named Eliza, she and alex had always had a strained relationship given his constant antics, but after dorothy changed him, well the relationship was still a bit strained but it wasn't as much. They were tasked with taking care of Dorothy's childhood home and all her parent's belongings.
"Dorothy, how about, when I get back, we go there, have your aunt and uncle take my aunt, uncle, and my great, yet somewhat intimidating cousin Eliza out on a day trip or something, just you and me, you can tell me more about your childhood?" Alex asked walking over and placing a hand on her shoulder.
"I'm just saying alexander, that we should try to get it done as quickly as possible, I wouldn't want to get caught in a snowstorm or anything." Mr. Teak said walking in followed by Mr. Alistair.
"is alex just a popular name is this family?" Dorothy asked.
"Sort of a running gag on both sides, hoping that one alexander in the family will eventually be great." Mrs. Teak said snickering,
"hey, I've done great things." Alex said.
"fair point." Mrs. Teak said.
"Look, alex, why don't you, dorothy, and Annabella go play in the backyard, I have to talk to your mother and uncle for a bit." Mr. Teak said.
"yes sir." Alex replied helping dorothy to her feet.
As they went out the back door alex grabbed a bowl of fruit from the counter and set it out on the back table. He didn't like interrupting family conversation. They tossed a ball around the backyard until the late afternoon when they stopped to eat. And as late afternoon ticked into evening Dorothy's aunt showed up with the pickup truck. As alex loaded his bags into the trailer Em looked at it and smiled.
"Oh, I remember this old thing." Em said.
"Alex, don't dawdle!" Mr. Alistair said.
"Alright Uncle, just give me a minute." Alex said running over to dorothy.
"Alex, you really shouldn't talk too long, I don't like it when your father and uncle yell at you." Dorothy said.
Alex smiled and hugged her tightly. Kissing her and causing her to blush.
"Dorothy, don't spend any time alone, you're really bad at that." Alex said.
Dorothy chuckled and kissed him quick before embracing him.
"like I said, don't do anything stupid." Dorothy said
"I won't, I promise." Alex said kissing her again and running off, getting into his dad's truck.
As they drove away, dorothy walked over to the bike and picked up the helmet.
"Do you want to ride home, or shall we put it in the back of the truck?" Em asked.
Dorothy looked at her aunt, she smiled and put on the helmet.
"I'll ride, see you tomorrow Mrs. Teak." Dorothy said turning to her.
"I'll be looking forward to it." Mrs. Teak replied.
Dorothy smiled picking up the bike, she rode off.
Okay well this was a long chapter. How will alex and dorothy take to being separated from each other? When will dorothy make another visit to Oz? and will she bring trot and betsy? Will she ever visit her childhood home? Or her parents grave? Find out in the coming chapters.
