Chapter Nine:

Dear Elphie,

I am most sorry for not getting the chance to say goodbye to you. Chuffrey and I have been residing at a wonderful hotel and-

Galinda stopped writing here. She glanced at the trash bin next to her desk at the numerous crumpled letters she had already tried to write to Elphaba. No matter how hard she tried, Galinda couldn't find the right words to explain her situation to Elphaba without lying to her or sounding horribly fake and cheery. She couldn't just come out and say what had happened a few days ago when she had gotten to the hotel after the miscarriage. She couldn't tell Elphaba that she could never see her again. Galinda yearned to see Elphaba, at least one more time, just so that she could force her features and characteristics into her mind so that she could never forget her.

Galinda sighed, and put her pen down.

She hadn't had a moments rest since they got to the hotel. Chuffrey had now become obsessively explosive and angry at every little thing. He exploded at a poor bellboy who had switched Galinda's towels with Chuffrey's.

While Galinda sat trying to write, Chuffrey was downstairs in the lobby of the Florinthwaite Club badgering the front deskman making sure that the ballroom was all set for tonight's ball. It was the first ball that Chuffrey and Galinda would be presenting as husband and wife, and Chuffrey was too infuriated to let anything slide by him.

At the thought of her husband, Galinda crumpled up the letter, threw it in the trash, and started another one.

Dear Elphaba,

Did you really mean what you said, when everyone had left… that you didn't know if you regretted kissing me or not? It has been driving me mad since you said that. I can't help but think that you are angry with me. Or maybe you are angrier with Chuffrey than you are with me. Well, none of that matters because Chuffrey has forbade me to-

Galinda paused, her pen mid air. This was turning out to be more of a therapeutic effort than writing a letter to her friend. She folded up the paper harshly and left it on the bureau as her door opened.

"Galinda, darling!" called out her mother worriedly as she rushed in the room and wrapped her arms around her daughter, "Your father and I just heard what happened at Shiz, and oh darling I am so sorry about… well everything. It must have been so horrific for you, is there anything I can do to help?"

Larena's blue eyes looked into her daughter's as she hugged her.

"No, I'm doing fine Mother," lied Galinda as she tucked a loose curl behind her ear, something she always did when she was not telling the truth.

Larena let go of her daughter and knelt down in front of her in a gold and white tight dress, "I know you're lying."

Galinda sighed, and put a hand to her chin, "Mother I am fine…" Galinda stopped, thinking that maybe her mother would understand what she was going through, give her some advice on how to deal with Chuffrey.

"Well I mean there are a couple of things that I want to ask you something about…" Galinda paused waiting for her mother's reaction.

Her mother's gaze turned more concerned, "Anything dearie."

But just as Galinda was about to speak the door burst open, and in barged Chuffrey.

"Galinda, Larena," he greeted coldly as he walked right past them, "It's nearly four, Galinda you should get ready for the ball," and into the next room where he slammed the door behind him.

Larena looked at Galinda who sighed and ran a hand through her hair.

"Galinda," her mother's voice was gentle but underlying an emotion of worry.

"It's nothing, never-mind Mother," she got up and looked at her mother, "Help me get dressed?"

Soon enough Galinda was dressed to the nines in a dark blue form-fitting gown that cut in a 'V' to show enough acceptable cleavage. Her hair was in loose bouncy curls, thanks to her mother, and her heels were black.

She faced the mirror with her mother behind her, and placed a hand to her hair.

"How do I look?"

Larena's eyes snapped up, "Beautiful."

Galinda turned her head around, "You look sad," she remarked.

In truth, Larena did look sad. She was wondering if this had all gone horribly wrong. Galinda, in her eyes, didn't look happy. Galinda looked miserable, putting on a brave face for her mother but Larena figured Galinda would cry in the corner when she left.

Larena regained a smile on her face, a watery and fake one at that but a smile nonetheless.

"I'm just worried about you! I've missed you, Galinda," Larena grasped her daughter's hand and hugged her.

Galinda slowly hugged her back, "I love you, Momsy."

"I love you too, Galinda-kins," said her mother as she kissed her forehead, and pulled away, the knot in her throat heavy.

Chuffrey chose to come out of his room now dressed in his suit. He took one look at Galinda and said gruffly and with no emotion, "You look nice. I'll be waiting on the staircase," and then left.

For some reason, once he left the room, Galinda felt tears well up in her eyes. She blinked rapidly, and dabbed a hanker-chief at her eyes.

"Galinda, oh Galinda come here," said her mother as soon as she saw the tears. Galinda started crying now, not even concealing it, and she fell into her mother's arms.

"He hates me, he hates me, he hates me for losing the baby and then-" sobbed Galinda as she tightened her grip around her mother, "the things he does to me at night, oh Mother I don't want to be married anymore. I think I'll die if I do!"

Larena shed tears as she listened to her daughter explain the details, and could only hug her tighter with each gruesome example.

"I'm so sorry, Galinda, I'm so sorry but- there is just no such thing of a wife and a husband separating. I would if I could darling, I really would if I could," whispered Larena tearfully, feeling horrified with herself that she could do nothing for her hopeless daughter.

Finally both mother and daughter stopped crying and put on fake smiles as they took their places on the staircase for the ball. As Galinda and William made their way into the golden ballroom, Galinda felt empty and broken. Still she kept smiling as the crowds cheered for her. No one but her mother knew on the inside that she was breaking down.

The band started up, playing a lively tune as couples began to dance in whirls of different colors. Chuffrey left Galinda's side, saying he was going to get a brandy and she was left alone. Her mother stood a ways back and sipped on her glass of champagne, watching her daughter with a broken heart.

Suddenly an older man with gray hair and a gray and black striped suit appeared in front of Galinda with two Gale Force guards surrounding him.

"Lady Chuffrey," he said as he kissed her hand, "I am the Great and Powerful Wizard of Oz."

Galinda gaped at him for a moment, forgetting her manners and then she managed to produce a flimsy curtsey for him in her tight dress.

He chuckled, "That wasn't necessary but thank you."

"Your Ozness, I am so happy that you came here tonight, but may I ask why you are here?" stuttered Galinda looking at the old man. He looked very nice and sweet with that kind of old fashioned look about him. He had very nice brown eyes just like Elphaba's. Galinda cringed and felt a lump in her throat form as she looked at the Wizard's eyes, which looked exactly like Elphaba's. Galinda couldn't think about her now, not ever again.

"I came to talk to you about a partnership," said the Wizard, "I want you to be a pubic figure for Oz. With your youth and beauty I think that you will easily be able to inspire hope and goodness to our great Land of Oz, and not to mention the sorcery classes that come with the offer."

Galinda couldn't believe her ears, a chance to work with the Wizard! Elphaba would have been as jealous as anything if she had heard.

Just then Galinda's eyes caught the figure of her husband and anger grew up inside of her. He was flirting in a corner with some other blonde woman, touching places on her body with his hand that were surely not acceptable in public. For some reason she felt betrayed. He was supposed to be her husband and if she couldn't cheat on him why should he be able to cheat on her?

"So what do you say?" asked the Wizard with a smile.

Galinda's eyes returned back to the old man and she smiled, "I accept."

The rest of the ball was a blur to Galinda who could not keep her eyes off of her roaming husband. When he did not come to their room at all during the night Galinda expected the worse and that he was sleeping with one of those girls. But she felt quite happy about it. She was glad that he would leave her alone for one night.

Instead of sleeping Galinda sat up and wrote a letter to Elphaba, and this one she did send.

Dear Elphaba,

I cannot explain nor deny what happened between us but I wanted you to know that I will accept whatever you feel is right for you. I am more than content with living with the basic knowledge that you do not have the same feelings for me. I will not be lied to, though as you well know. But I must confess that Chuffrey had forbidden me to never see you again. But if you do return my feelings then let me assure you that I will stop at nothing to be with you.

I promise.

As for things that are going on with me, tonight Chuffrey and I had our first ball and I met the Wizard! He wants me to work with him and become a public figure! I hope you're proud of me…

Until we speak again,

Galinda Chuffrey

In reply, Galinda got a letter from Nessarose two weeks later.

Dear Galinda,

I am sorry to hear that whatever happened between you and my sister ended in a battle of feelings but let me tell you that Elphaba is not one for them. I wrote back to tell you that Elphaba has gone missing. She went to see the Wizard in the Emerald City a week ago by request and she hasn't been back since and she's not at the Palace. She left us, all of us behind. I, for one, do not care if I ever see her again but I just wanted to tell you what has happened.

May the Unnamed God have mercy on your soul unlike Elphaba's soul,

Nessarose Thropp

Galinda was crushed when she read the letter and found herself sobbing uncontrollably. Elphaba had been her only comfort in her marriage and now that she was gone, Galinda didn't know how much longer she could hold on without breaking…

The next chapter is set five years later. I've written up to chapter 12 now. I am so excited that you all love this story. Thank you for your lovely reviews! Keep them coming!

Bubble