I'm Not Sad Anymore- One-Shot 9: It Means Something to Me and My Mom
AN: This is based on a request I got from a reviewer. I put my own spin on it because I LOVE writing for Melena, but I hope you like it. I'm sorry for the long wait. I'm a senior in high school and I'm always pretty busy with school work. I'll try not to make you guys wait any more than two weeks from now on, but I can't make any promises. Please leave suggestions because the more I get, the easier it is for me to update. Sorry this chapter is so short. I really needed to get it out. I hope it's short and sweet though.
Disclaimer: I do not own Wicked or any of its characters and I don't own Melena's name.
"Melena! Sweetie, are you almost ready to go?" Glinda called from outside her daughter's room.
"In a minute, mom!" The seven-year-old replied.
Melena was celebrating her birthday and her mother had promised her a girl's day in the downtown part of the Emerald City. The Chuffrey Manor lied on the outskirts of town in order to give the royal family some privacy, but it meant that going into the city was something of a commute.
"Melena, darling, we have an appointment to get pedicures in one hour. We have to be there on time."
Magnus walked by during this exchange and reminded his wife, "Glinda, you probably didn't even need to make an appointment. Anyone would be honored to serve you and EC's darling sweetheart for her seventh birthday."
"Dad, you're embarrassing me!" came from the closed door.
Both adults laughed. "Are you sure she's just seven?" Magnus questioned his wife.
"She's sure taking as long as I did when I was twice her age," Glinda giggled.
"That's our girl," Magnus mused and kissed his wife on the cheek. "I have to be at a meeting. Have fun, girls."
"Bye, Dad!" The rumbling inside of the bedroom became a little bit louder and faster, as Melena was attempting to hurry to get dressed.
Magnus walked into his study.
"Melena! Seriously, we need to go."
"I'm coming!" The little girl stepped out of her bedroom decked out in her two favorite colors. "Alright, are you happy now?" Melena questioned her mother.
Melena's wisdom beyond her years came with a drawback—she often acted like a stereotypical teenager.
"I've very happy, my love. Now, let's go. Bartel is waiting for us."
When they arrived to the nail salon, many tourists stared at them. Glinda smiled and waved and so did Melena, now used to the attention she got by Ozians.
The crowd yelled greetings to them; they were Oz's most popular celebrities.
"Glinda!"
"Melena!"
"You look so beautiful!"
"Happy birthday, Melena!"
A guard that accompanied the royal women to places around the EC escorted them into the salon. Glinda always appreciated the promptness of the royal guard especially when in the Emerald City. The place was beautiful and she enjoyed being there and showing her daughter around, but the place brought back many emotional memories for her, some of which Melena was now aware of.
The two got the same amount of attention as before when they walked into the salon, however it was more respectful. Polite nods and waves were exchanged between both girls and their adoring fans. Glinda often didn't feel worthy of the attention she received and the admiration of all of Oz, and sometimes she worried it would affect her daughter in a negative way, especially now that Melena was aware of the reason behind her mother's fame.
"Lady Glinda, Miss Melena, this way please," an employee of the salon invited after a few moments. Glinda nodded to her and took Melena's hand to lead her behind the employee.
"What is your name?" Melena asked the employee once she had sat down in the pedicure lounge chair. The young girl never liked the way royal people generally treated their subjects. She knew she was lucky to be born into the family she was, but it didn't mean she was inherently better than any other Ozian. She made a point to address people by their first name in a respectful manor whenever she could.
"My name is Arani," the woman said as she gently guided Melena's feet into a bowl of warm water. "Is this too hot, Miss Melena?"
"No, it's perfect, Arani. Thank you. And you can just call me Melena."
Glinda smiled at her daughter, always proud of her kindness. There were rumors throughout Oz that it could be a façade, that Melena was only kind to people in a non-genuine way. Glinda had the privilege of knowing that was not true.
Arani smiled at her young customer. "My, that is a unique color combination you have on your dress, though the green goes well with your eyes," she commented.
Melena nodded. "I think pink and green go amazingly together."
Glinda grinned at her daughter's explanation. Ever since she had become aware of Elphaba and her true place in her mother's life, Melena had gone out of her way to pay respects to her in any way she could at any time she could, and that included asking the town seamstress to sew her a dress that was made entirely of pink and green sparkles.
"It is very pretty," Arani observed, beginning to scrub Melena's right foot with a sponge.
"It means something to me and my mom," Melena explained.
"Hmm," Arani pondered. "I think that's sweet."
After their pedicures, the Chuffrey women spent hours wondering around the Emerald City, seeing the sites and speaking to their charges, Melena as charming and sweet as ever.
On the carriage ride home, the two sat quietly for a while. "Thank you for today, Mama."
"You are so very welcome, my sweet daughter. You deserve it. I'm so proud of you," Glinda beamed.
"I love you, Mommy." The young girl moved to cuddle with her mother.
Glinda wrapped her arms around her daughter. "I love you too, Melena. Never change."
AN: What did you think? What do you want to see next?