Chapter 8
When the next day came everyone was on edge. Elphaba hid upstairs as a carriage pulled in front of the massive house.
"They're here." Clara said, as she looked over her dress for any imperfections.
"Are you alright?" Fiyero asked, as she gripped Glinda's shoulders.
"Yeah, I guess so." Glinda whispered, as she let out a ragged sigh.
"No, worrying now, it's not good for the baby." Clara added, as she took a place next to the Good Witch. Glinda answered, by stroking the maid's cheek. It wasn't long before a knock could be heard.
"Here we go," Glinda said, walked up to the front door and as she opened it.
"We're here! Hello again, Glinda, darling," Melinda exclaimed, as she hugged her daughter.
"Hello Mother. Hello Father," Glinda greeted them.
"It looks like we got here just in time. Look at our little Glinda's stomach!" Glinda's father Galal replied, as he dumped his suitcase into Fiyero's arms. The Prince faltered slightly because of the weight.
"Oh, Galal, you just have to see all the baby clothes I bought Glinda last time I was here! They are just too cute," Melinda said, as she grabbed her husband's hand, and led him up to the upstairs room. Glinda only let out a sigh as Clara took her arm.
"It would be best to sit, your Goodness, come and rest in the livingroom."
...X...
After Galal and Melinda were settled, they joined their daughter and pretend son in law in the livingroom as Clara brought them tea and liquor.
"So have you two thought of any names yet for your little one?" Melinda asked, as she gave them a smile.
"To be honest we haven't." The Good Witch answered, as she took her tea cup.
"Well I think you should combine yours and Fiyero's name together. That's how your father and I named you Glinda. Isn't that right dear?" Melinda replied, as she nudged Mr. Upland.
"Yup," Galal muttered as he stared at Fiyero with a scowl.
The Prince gulped in a nervous fashion as he darted his eyes away. Mr. Upland's eyes were a light blue, well, almost grey really. He was on the heavier side, but he had a strong built and Fiyero worried that one wrong word would have Mr. Upland snap him like a twig.
"Do you know the gender of the baby?" Galal barked, at Fiyero, as he took a long drink his bottle of liquor.
"We don't know. Glinda want-ed to be... surprised." Fiyero stuttered. His hands were shaking so he folded them across his lap so no one would notice.
"That's my girl," Galal answered, his voice soft and kind, as he stared at his blonde daughter. "She did always like surprises, even as a child she loved them. Is that's right Princess?"
"Yes, father," Glinda replied as she gave him a smile back.
"You know I agree with your Mother. I like the idea of combining you and your spouse's name." Mr. Upland said, as he placed his bottle down. "So let's see we have the names Flinda or Gliyero. Yes, both sound nice. Flinda for a girl and Gliyero for a boy."
"Well to be perfectly honest I'm going to let Glinda decide the name of the child." Fiyero answered, as he reached over and took one of the blonde's hands into his own. "She's better at things like that. Besides I don't feel like I have any right telling her what to name the child." The Prince found him saying words without thinking totally. But in his own way he was being honest with the Uplands. The child inside Glinda wasn't his own, so to play it up like it was his child was wrong in his mind.
One of Mr. Upland's eyebrows rose as he stared at the Prince for a few long moments. He didn't speak just made a few mumbling sounds as he grasped his chin and rubbed it lightly. When he finally looked like he was going to speak Mrs. Upland spoke up first.
"Is the nursery done?"
Glinda nodded and gave her mother a smile before answering, "Would you like to see it?"
"Oh, yes, of course! Come, Galal, let's go. You can drink later." With that Melinda nearly jumped up as she followed her daughter up the stairs.
...X...
Glinda let her parents into the room that was going to be the baby's room once it was born. The room was just next to the bedroom, so the parents would never be too far away if the babe needed them for one reason or the other.
"So what do you think?" Glinda asked, as she took a seat on a rocking chair.
"What interesting colors you chose for the room." Melinda replied, as she looked about. "Pink and green."
"Yes, well you know pink goes good with green." Glinda replied, as a hidden smirk came across her face.
"Oh, Glin, I know that." Melinda said, as she fixed her hair. "I am the one that taught you about fashion."
"What if the child you are carrying is a boy?" Galal asked, as he fumbled with his pipe. "I don't think all this pink is proper for a boy. Don't you think so, Fiyero?"
"Um, well, I let Glinda design this room. I mean she wanted these colors so badly. Who I was to deny her?" The Prince replied, as he shuffled to the door.
"Well Fiyero you are the man of the house. You should make some decisions, " Galal muttered as he went to light his pipe.
"Galal don't you dare!" Melinda shriek as she grabbed the pipe from his mouth. "Maybe you have forgotten but our daughter is pregnant. You dare take one puff of that pipe, and I'll jam it down your throat!"
"I'm sorry, dear." Mr. Upland whispered, as he darted his wife's cold stare. Fiyero chuckled at this and pretended to cough to hide his laughter.
Glinda then gave a fake yawn as she rose to her feet and said, "I feel all of a sudden very tired. I think I will lay down."
"Good idea, darling, you must rest for yourself and your little one." Melinda said, as she began to shoo everyone away. "Go on, get out so she can go to her room and rest." No one dared to argue with Mrs. Upland as then hurried away.
"I'll see you all after my rest." Glinda assured them as she entered her room and locked the door behind her.
After letting out a sigh she walked over to the bed and gently laid down. Glinda placed a hand against her stomach and closed her eyes. A few seconds passed before she heard a figure coming her way. The Good Witch opened her eyes to see her green wife only a few inches from her with a grin upon her face. Both women said nothing at first as they let silence consume the room. Elphaba then took a new position on the other side of the giant bed before beginning to speak.
"I'm sorry, am I disturbing your rest? I just have this feeling of wanting to hold you."
"Elphie, you know that I'm always willing to be engulfed into your warm embrace," Glinda whispered, as she rolled over so she was facing the green witch.
As the blonde focused on Elphaba's face she noticed for the first time that her brown eyes looked tired and stressed. The cuts and scratches on the green woman's face did little to hide the strain that lingered.
"Elphie, oh my love, what's wrong?" Glinda asked, as she moved closer and took a green hand into her own. Elphaba rarely showed her emotions and when she did the green witch did everything in her power to hide them, but the blonde wouldn't be fooled. "Elphie? Please, talk to me."
"I'm sorry." Elphaba whispered, as she moved over and pulled her wife against her body.
"Sorry for what?"
"I'm sorry I wasn't by your side sooner these last few months. I'm sorry about everything that's going on with your parents has been so hard. I'm just sorry for everything." Elphaba's words were strong but her voice was weak. "Things are just so complicated and it's all because of me." After hearing this Glinda lifted a hand so she could cup a wounded emerald cheek. She then peered into Elphaba's eyes, with such a loving gaze, that the green woman could feel her heart melt.
"Oh, Elphie, I think you have forgotten that you're my everything. I love you and I don't care what happens as long as you are here with me. I never want you to leave me again. Stay with me forever."
"As long as you want me forever," Elphaba answered, who was clearly calmed by her blonde wife's words.
"I do," Glinda whispered before her eyes widen and she pulled away fast.
"Glinda? Are you alright?" Elphaba asked in concern.
"Sweet Oz...my water...it...it broke!" The Good Witch exclaimed.
"By Oz! CL...!" Elphaba tried to yell but she was grabbed forcefully by the arm.
"No, Elphie, you can yell. My parents will hear you. You go hide and I'll call Clara."
"But..."
"Don't worry, I'm only letting you and Clara be in this room while I'm giving birth." Glinda assured her, before yelling the maiden's name at the top of her lungs.
"But don't you need a midwife?" Elphaba asked in worry.
"Clara is a midwife. Surprising I know. We found out a few months before you came back." Glinda explained, as she held her stomach.
Clara ran upstairs and made it through the door. When she saw the scene she answered, "It's time. The baby's coming."
...X...
Clara was quick to lock the door to make sure no one else could come in. Mr. and Mrs. Upland weren't happy they couldn't watch the miracle but they had no choice, like Fiyero. So they had to wait outside the room. Hours passed and tensions were running high.
"Oh, Elphie, it hurts so much," Glinda growled between clenched teeth.
"It's alright, my sweet." Elphaba said, as she grabbed her hand and tried to soothe her wife.
"This is all your fault!" Glinda spat at the green witch suddenly, but Elphaba ignored her wife's angry tone. She knew she was just speaking like this because of the pain.
"You can hate Elphaba later now... push!" Clara demanded.
"You can do it, my love, push." Elphaba whispered, hoping that this would end soon.
...X...
"What's taking so long?" Galal spat, as he went to take out his pipe but thought against it.
"It takes awhile to have a child." Melinda replied, as she fiddled with a string on her dress. "Oh, I just can't wait to see my first grandchild! And you must be excited as well Fiyero. This is your first child. You must be so proud that you are finally going to be a father."
Fiyero answered by making some sort of muttering sound. Even though it didn't sound like anything it was enough for Melinda as she went back to examining the string she was toying with before.
...X...
"Come on, your Goodness, just one more push and your child will be out," Clara said, her voice excited.
Glinda merely nodded her head that was consumed by sweat. She then looked into Elphaba's eyes for encouragement and gave one last push with a hoarse cry. Suddenly a new cry could be heard and both Elphaba and Glinda could feel tears of joy rising once it reached their ears. It was the cry of their new child.
"Elphaba and Glinda Thropp, congratulations, it's a girl ." Clara said, as she held up the child. Both women gasped when they saw the child's skin color was a very faded green color. After the cord was cut Clara wrapped the baby up and placed her in Glinda's arms.
"Oh, Elphie, she looks just like you," Glinda whispered, as she brushed the baby's dark hair before lifting her head up so she could share a kiss with her wife. Suddenly the new baby opened her eyes and looked at her parents for the first time.
"She's not just like me," Elphaba noted as she gestured to the baby's eyes which were blue as Glinda's own.
"Sweet Oz, our child is beautiful," Glinda whispered, as she kissed her new daughter on the head a few times.
"She certainly is," Elphaba replied, as she stroked her daughter's green cheek. Just then a loud pounding came from behind the door.
"Glinda, we want to see the baby!" It was Melinda.
"Yes, Princess, open up." Galal added.
Elphaba, Glinda, and Clara all suddenly became quite worried. What were Glinda's parents going to say about the green baby?
"Elphie, you must hide." The Good Witch whispered. Elphaba nodded and kissed her wife and child once before running off to hide in the closet.
"Your Goodness?" Clara asked, in an unsure tone, as the knocks behind the door only grew louder from Mr. and Mrs. Upland.
Glinda only gave a sigh and answered, "Let them in,"