Wonderful | wicked | book 2/3

Elphie

I can't comprehend this, my father.
The wizard.
I want to hate him for all he's done to my family, but I can't, he seems like an honest man who regrets what he's done.
And all I've ever wanted was my father to love me.
Albert seems very open to discuss my mother, which is very nice since I don't remember a lot about her and Frex refused to talk about her.
Albert is saying that he wants to speak with Nessa, at first I didn't think that he should just because of what happened yesterday, but he said he wants to care for us both.
Even though he's not her father, he wants to be.
I know how guilty he feels, how much he wants to change, Nessa would be lying if she said that she didn't empathise with that.

I hope they learn to get along, Albert says that he doesn't want the people of Oz to know that he's back, he doesn't want to be The Wizard ever again.
I can't blame him, I think it's quite admirable, if he says here the Munchkins might find out, I can only think of one option and Nessa isn't going to be too pleased about it.
If they do end up getting along, he could stay with her at Shiz, once Dr Dillamond retires.
He's told Nessa that he's going to this week but he will still come by and check on her.
I know she's still sick as well, I've explained everything to Albert, I've told him so many stories about my childhood.
From Nessa breaking her arm to Aunt Sophias suicide.
It's a wonder that he didn't run.
I sent Glinda to go and ask Nessa if she would be okay with spending some alone time with Albert, apparently she said she would be fine with it and that he should come tomorrow.
I think she's lying, I think he bothers her greatly, given that he worked so closely with Madame Morrible.

Albert suddenly peers into the lounge and sits down on the sofa beside me.
"Your husband is delightful," he chuckles, I smile emptily.
"Don't take anything Nessa says to heart" I say calmly "she doesn't mean it"
Albert puts a hand on my shoulder, I shudder slightly.
"Your quite protective of her," he says sweetly.
I look aimlessly around the room,
"So was our father..." I say, pausing at the word, "I mean, he's not my father but."
Albert holds my hand gently.
"But he was albeit not a very good one, from the stories you've told me, it sounds like he was extremely protective of her."
I sigh deeply.
"Overly so, she can't really function on her own because he never let her learn how."

Glinda suddenly walks in, dragging her feet behind her.
"What are we talking about?" Glinda asks chirpily,
Albert and I glance at each other, then I turn back to Glinda.
"Nessa," I say calmly,
Glinda jumps and rushes over to where we're sat, she joins us excitedly on the sofa.
"I've been trying to convince her to come home for the winter holidays," Glinda says her tone suddenly sad, she sinks down into the sofa.
"She doesn't want to?" Albert asks, Glinda rolls her eyes subtly enough for Albert not to see but I do.
Glinda shakes her head,
"No, she said she's spent too much time at home,"
"But the rest of the staff are going home," I protest "she's going to be so lonely,"
Glinda shrugs,
"Nessa doesn't care, she says that Harley will be there so it doesn't matter."
I rack my brains.
She can't just stay on her own.
"Harley only comes in the morning and evening." I mutter, dismayed at my sisters sudden urge to isolate herself.

"Perhaps I could convince Nessa to come back for the holidays, since I'll be spending the last few weeks with her."
Glinda doesn't look as though she likes the sound of that.
"It's worth a try," I say encouragingly, Albert looks pleased with himself.
Glinda stands up triumphantly,
"Good luck with that," she says, mildly condescendingly.
Glinda bows slightly and then leaves.
I'm left alone with Albert again.

"I think you best stay here tonight, I'm sure we have a spare bedroom."
Albert smiles,
"Elphaba thank you," he says suddenly "thank you for not hating me, I truly deserve it but you didn't."
I feel myself smile internally, it feels good to have a father that loves me, even if he did try to murder me.
The relationships in Oz are so confusing.
"Did she know you were the wizard, my mother?" I ask shakily, it's something I've longed to ask since he got here.
Albert scratches his head.
"Your mother had no clue, people very much knew I exited but didn't know my face,"
I think for a moment, then another question springs to mind,
"Did you know she was married,"
Albert looks guilty, a look I've seen many times before, this time it's real.
"I knew she was married yes, but I didn't know who too," Albert eyes looks sad.
"She was a kind woman, unfaithful, but kind" he says slowly "how long did you know her for?"
I feel myself start to cry.
"Two years," I mumble, trying to keep myself together "she died in childbirth."
Albert shakes his head slowly,
"Such a beautiful woman, Melena was such a treasure."

We both sit in silence for a long while, both grieving the same woman but both knowing completely different sides of her.
I can barley remember her face unless I look at a picture, I'm ashamed to admit that.
Frex rarely ever talked about her, even if Nessa asked, he used to put a finger to her lips and say that he wasn't ready yet, I think speaking about her in the past tense made it more real, solidified that she was gone.
One time however Frex places is finger upon her lips and Nessa screamed that it, wasn't fair that she wasn't allowed to know about her own mother, I saw Frex cry too that day.
That was something I rarely saw.