confusifying | wicked | book 3/3

Elphie

My sisters a wreck, she has been ever since the incident in the throne room.
She was so adamant that she had to go home and now she's willing to wait it out in order to converse with Franklin.
It just doesn't seem right, she seems distant and troubled.
"Elphaba, would you put my dress back on me please." My sister asks anxiously.
I look towards her battered arms that she's extended before her face.
With great hesitation I slowly ease her back into her dress and she winces as I do so.
The motion causes Nessa to breathe heavily for a moment before she resumes breathing at her normal pace.
She turns her head hopefully towards her chair.
"I should get up now."

There's a great amount of bickering in the room about wether or not Nessarose should be allowed to leave her bed or not but it all boiled down to what I agreed on.
If I had it my way, whilst Nessa is exhibiting such drastic emotions I would be keeping her in bed but I feel so swayed by what little relationship my sister and I have now that I'm almost forced to place her into her chair, in the hopes that she hasn't lost all love for me.
Nessa once again breathes heavily and all eyes are on her, watching for any slight movement that means she's unable to support herself whilst sitting perfectly upright.
Now with Nessas bruises concealed, Nessa sits places her hands upon her wheels and takes her first push in about four days.
The relief on her face is exhilarating even for me.
"Everything alright?" Boc asks gently, Nessa nods without saying a word and continues to push herself cautiously around.
I can tell her arms are giving her a great amount of grief and that she'd rather be at home with little to no obligations rather than here, needing to remain positive for the public.

"This seems wrong." Glinda whispers to me, tilting her head in Nessas direction, "Nessa has been out of it for so long and now she expects to just go and talk to Franklin like nothing has happened."
I shift my gaze over to my sister who is struggling to hold her weight in a conversation talking to Boc, occasionally she will smile and nod her head or she will avoid eye contact until Boc repeats himself, he's asking more questions than usual in a fruitless attempt to get Nessarose to engage in the conversion.
There's a hint of anger in Bocs face, who it's directed at, I can't tell but it surely cannot be Nessarose as it seems he's incapable of hating her of any sort.
Glinda leans in again.
"Elphaba you have to do something about that." She whispers, gesturing subtly to Nessa, who by now has stopped replying to Boc all together and is just sitting in her chair, cursing and moving her fingers slightly.
I finally decide that I can't do this anymore and that letting my sister stay here any longer would be a huge mistake.

"Nessarose this isn't working anymore." I state bluntly, "I'm taking you home."
Nessa doesn't even react to my voice, she's but a husk of the cheerful girl I know her to be.
I step towards my sister and grip one of the handles of her chair, then I place my other hand upon her shoulder.
Glinda nods at me sadly, as she knows she is going to have to stay behind and clear up the mess caused by our stay.
Boc grabs the other handle and looks at me anxiously.
I can't wait to go home.

I muttered the spell quickly and effectively, within what felt like seconds the spell had worked and we were all safely in the lounge of Munchkin Manor.
I breathe a heavy sigh of relief and Boc immediately goes to fall down upon the sofa and close his eyes, for I'm sure he must be exhausted to.
The door to the back garden suddenly opens and my husband steps in slowly, his eyes widen with joy when he sees me.
"Elphaba!" He cries gleefully "your back, I can't believe it's really you."
We engage in a warm embrace momentarily before my mother rushes in, shrieking excitedly like a madwomen, she's followed shortly by Albert who tries to calm her shouts of joy.
"You didn't tell us you were coming back today!" My mother cries, she bends her knees and waves at Nessarose, who to everyone's concern, doesn't respond. "Nessarose, are you alright my dear?" Mother asks shakily, she stands up and looks at me, she seems rather furious but she has no right to be.
I brush her off and take my sister out of the lounge into her downstairs bedroom.
There, I shut the door behind us and go and sit upon my sisters bed, attempting to make meaningful eye contact with her.
"Nessa." I say sternly "if you want to be left alone that's fine, but I need you to tell me."

Nessa tilts her head up towards me, she sighs and blinks slowly, as if fighting off tears.
"No, stay." Nessa mumbles.
It's hardly anything, it's hardly a sound but it's the first sound she's made in a few hours so it means that she can't be entirely traumatised.
"Would you tell me what's the matter?" I ask cautiously, I'm afraid of asking her too much too quickly and that she'll go back to being mute and absent.
"I'm tired Elphaba, would you please put me to bed."
I oblige and carefully carry my sister into bed, once I see that she's safely upon the matters, I turn to leave.
"Elphie no!" Nessa cries, suddenly sobbing "you can't leave, I don't want to be alone."
I turn back around instantly, hearing the fear in my sisters voice fills me with an instantaneous flood of guild and regret, she looks so shaken by the idea of being alone.
"I won't leave you." I reply, attempting to remain composed "I promise you Nessie."