I thought I would give you a Christmas present. When I sat down to write this, it all came pouring out, so it is longer than it would normally be!
053. Lurlinemas
"Imagine this:
"You are a young child. Lurlinemas is upon you and all you can think about is the presents you are bound to receive.
"Now imagine it is Lurlinemas Day and your father bestows several gifts upon your beloved little sister. Obviously he is saving your present 'till the end.
"You wait and wait. Finally there is just one present left and your father hands it to you. It is small, but it is something.
'You didn't think I'd forget you, did you Elphaba?'
"You tear the paper eagerly. You see a small doll in the midst of the paper. Looking closer, you realise it is the doll you thought you had lost in the previous move. You have been wondering where it was. Now it is clear your father took it. He smiles and you push tears from your eyes and thank him.
'Happy Lurlinemas Elphaba.'"
Galinda gasped. "Surely your father couldn't have done that."
Elphaba smiled bitterly. "But he did. Every year he did."
Galinda patted her friend's shoulder sympathetically and then pulled a carefully wrapped gift from her bag. She handed it over to Elphaba, who opened it, confused.
It was a book. The Wizard of Oz: Power and Politics. She had wanted this ever since she first saw it in the Shizkin Bookshop.
Elphaba felt tears come to her eyes. "Thank you, Galinda. It is the best gift I have ever gotten."
Galinda hugged her. "Happy Lurlinemas, Elphaba. May the rest bring you happy memories."
-
Elphaba stared at the book; the one thing she had kept from her time at Shiz.
"Happy Lurlinemas, Galinda."
Wherever you are.