Chapter 14
Author's Note: Thank you so much for your great reviews, James Birdsong!
Running footsteps echoed through the hospital corridor, and into Marcella's room. "Mama!" Rada who was a younger version of Marcella rushed in, and threw her arms around her. "Mama! I'm home! I'm here," she said tearfully.
Fiyero stood against the window. "So, you wait for her to get sick, then come home."
"No fighting you two," the Queen said. "You're not children anymore."
Fiyero approached Rada. "I'm glad you're finally home." They embraced each other.
After several seconds, stepping away from Fiyero, she hugged the Queen. "Auntie."
"Welcome home, sweetheart," Queen Yasaman said. "We're happy you're finally here. You're as beautiful as your mother."
"How's mama doing?"
"As well as expected, dear. She's not getting any worse. We're waiting for her to wake up and see how much she'll progress."
"So, that's a good sign?" Rada stared at her mother. "Right?"
"It means that she'll never be a hundred percent the same. She'll probably need a care giver. And you better think of moving back home, Rada," Fiyero said.
Rada turned to Fiyero. "I..."
"I what? You're her daughter, she'll need you. She'll need all of us...you in particular."
"I have a job to go back to, Fiyero. You can't decide for me."
"Yes, I can. A job? You have a trust fund! Live off of it for a while!"
"Like you?"
Queen Yasaman stepped between them. "Alright, stop it. Let's see how everything goes before making drastic decisions."
"Fine!" Fiyero stomped out of the room.
"Fiyero!" Rada called out.
The Queen held Rada's hand. "Leave him be. Come, let's sit."
"Okay," she said, wiping a tear away.
"He's blaming himself right now for what's happened to your mom. He depended on her a lot especially with Sara. His dad and sister tried talking to him, but he's an angry young man."
"But Uncle and Azita said it was because she wasn't taking her medication."
"That's right. And he's probably angry at her for not following her doctor's orders regarding her pills. He's angry at the world right now."
"I can see that. And Sara? How is she?"
"She's fine. Wants to see her nana. But she can't. She's being cared for by my staff at the castle. And you'll be staying with us. Not at Kiamo Ko. I don't want you and Fiyero in the same house. It's not the guards' duty to watch over the both of you just in case there's a fight."
"Thank you. Last I spoke to mama, she mentioned someone. Elphaba? Is that her name?"
The Queen smiled. "It's complicated. Let me tell you a story."
xxxxx
Elphaba jumped at the pounding sound of her front door. Looking out from the window, and saw it was Fiyero, she opened the door.
"What's happened? Did something happen to Marcella?"
"You think I'd be here if something happened to her?" He said, barging into her house.
"Won't you come right on in!"
He turned suddenly, almost bumping into Elphaba. "Rada's home and she's not planning on staying even though Marcella's sick and she said she has a job and can't move back home!"
"Okay...you said that in one sentence without breathing. Have you been drinking?"
"Does it look like I've had a drink? No!"
"Then you need one. I'll pour you a glass of wine, and one for me, too."
"Almost went to the wrong stupid house! They all look alike!"
She handed him his glass of wine. "We do have different addresses. Please calm down. Take a deep breath and exhale slowly."
He took a couple of sips, then sat on her sofa. Placing his glass on a table, he studied her living room. "It's nice here. You like it better than the castle?"
"It's my own place," she said, sitting beside him. "It's quiet. I've never lived by myself before."
"From Munchkinland, Shiz and Kiamo Ko, now here. It's a huge change from always being around people and now you're all alone."
"I have time to think of a lot of things."
"Like what?"
"Just things in general. Lots of things."
"Like us? Do you think of us? Ever?"
"Fiyero, this is not a good time. You've got a lot to deal with right now...Sara, Marcella's health and Rada."
"When's a good time? Do I have to make an appointment with you?" He took hold of his wine glass, gulping down the contents.
"You want a refill?"
He shook his head, and leant back comfortably against the sofa.
"What do you want from me?"
"You by my side," he said. "You with me."
Elphaba expected he would have made a move toward her, but he didn't. She stayed silent.
"I'm sorry," he said. "I shouldn't have come here uninvited. Didn't mean to barge in."
"It's okay. You're not barging in."
"So, what do you think of at nights...dream of?"
"Stop that, Fiyero. There's no us to talk about...not right now."
"When is the right time?"
"Not now."
"Because I think of you all the time. Thinking of you makes me sane, especially since what's happened to Marcella. Even in my dreams I see you. Then I wake up, and I'm alone."
"You're talking nonsense. Stop it, Fiyero."
"No, I won't. We need to talk. And I'm not leaving until we do. What are you so afraid of? You have a habit of suppressing your feelings toward certain things. You're very vocal on certain subjects like when we were in school. But you close up when it's regarding you...your thoughts and feelings."
Elphaba held in her anger, tapping a finger on her wine glass. "They're my thoughts and feelings. And they're not meant to be shared with anyone. Especially you. So, please drop the subject."
Fiyero let out a sigh. "Alright, I give up. I shouldn't have come here. I'd better go back to see how Marcella's doing. And continue my fight with Rada." He stood up from the sofa. "I'll never bring up thoughts and feelings around you anymore."
Elphaba jumped from her seat, accidentally dropping her empty wine glass onto the carpet. "Oh for the love of Oz! You're not the only one waking up to a cold bed wondering how it would feel to wake up next to the one you love! I think of that every night, every morning! And I get lonely!"
Fiyero was surprised by her sudden outburst. "What?"
Realizing what she had said, Elphaba let out a gasp. "See what you made me do! I blurted out things I never intended to say! To you or to anyone!"
He carefully approached her, talking hold of her hand. "Fae."
Her heart pounded rapidly. "I have to go."
Fiyero smiled. "Where are you going? You live here."
"Oh. It was a mistake. I...I shouldn't have said those things."
"But you did," he said, pulling her closer, cupping her face in his hands.
"What are you doing? What are going to do?"
"Take a wild guess."
The moment he kissed her, Elphaba felt as if the stars lit up the sky and her whole world had brightened.
Feeling his lips on hers left Fiyero to desire the rest of her, but for the time being, he was content in just holding her in his arms.
TBC - Chapter 15
