The Many Colors of the Rainbow: A Collaboration of Oz Stories for Pride Month

| Meeting Her Relatives | Dorothy x Ozma

"In truth, a family is what you make it. It is made strong, not by the number of heads counted at the dinner table, but by the rituals you help family members create, by the memories you share, by the commitment of time, caring, and love you show to one another. By the hopes for the future, you have as individuals and as a unit."

— Marge Kennedy

Written by: The Gale Narrator (@GaleWritings on Wattpad)

Story Outline by: Queen Vanessa on the Wizard of Oz Amino

Title Drawing by:  Asian Scarecrow/Clockwork on the Wizard of Oz Amino (@ArtsyReap on Wattpad)

🏳️‍🌈 ~ Love is Love ~ 🏳️‍🌈

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     Aunt Em was setting the table and preparing dinner for her family while Uncle Henry read his newspaper in the living room. Dorothy was coming to visit from Oz with her new girlfriend. Both her and Henry didn't know much about her, but they couldn't wait to meet her. From what her niece had told them, she seemed like a very sweet girl. It was clear that they loved each other. They hoped she was as lovely as Dorothy made her sound!

     "Henry, I'm wondering how you feel about something..." Emily remarked, wanting to understand how her husband felt about the situation. "Do you think Dor's girlfriend will be the one?"

     Henry looked up from his newspaper and at his wife in the kitchen. "I don't know for sure, Em." He then smiled. "I trust our niece's judgment, though. If she thinks that this girl is right for her,  I bet she is."

     Emily laughed at her husband's response. "I agree." She beamed with happiness. "I'm so excited! I'm glad that Dorothy finally found someone!"

     Henry chuckled at his wife's cheerful mood. "I am too!" He looked down at his watch. "I think they'll be arriving soon. I can open the door for them." He got up, putting his newspaper down, and walked over to the door.

     "Thank you, honey!" Emily called, checking on the pie in the oven. "The apple pie is almost done, and it looks delicious."

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     Dorothy knocked on the door of her relatives' farmhouse with Ozma by her side. They were holding each other's hands tightly. She heard her uncle come to the door. They were both very nervous.

     Uncle Henry opened the door and smiled brightly at the young couple. "Hello, you two! Come on inside. Your Aunt Em is finishing up dinner."

     "Hey, Uncle Henry!" The teen smiled and walked inside with her girlfriend. "This is my girlfriend, Ozma!"

     Ozma waved at him with a nervous smile. At first, she didn't know what to say. She wasn't feeling as confident as she usually did. She was meeting her girlfriend's guardians after all.

     "Well, nice to meet you, Ozma!" Henry remarked in a friendly way. He looked at his niece. "Let's go talk to your aunt, so we can both get to know her better."

     Dorothy nodded at her uncle's idea. "That's a great idea! What do you think, Ozma?" She hoped that Ozma was feeling better about meeting her relatives since Uncle Henry seemed to like her

     "Sure. I want to meet her." Ozma replied with a slight grin. She was glad that the nervous feeling in her mind was fading away, slowly but surely.

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     When they walked into the farmhouse, Dorothy's aunt greeted them with a warm smile.

     "It's a pleasure to meet you, Ozma! I've already heard so much about you." Em exclaimed, embracing Ozma tightly. She also was wondering if this was the girl that had helped Dorothy several times. "Are you the girl that saved my niece from those wheelers?"

     Ozma blushed a little and hugged the middle-aged woman back."Yes, Mrs. Gale, I did. I had to help her, whether she was my friend or not. Those creatures are dangerous, and their lair is an awful place."

     "When I first heard about it, I wanted to thank you immediately. I don't want to imagine what would've happened if you hadn't been there." Em pulled away, remembering that she had "Oh, and please sit down! I made turkey, onion soup, mashed potatoes, and a lot of apple pie for dinner."

     The young couple nodded and sat down in their designated chairs at the table while Em and Henry handed out the food. The turkey looked, smelled, and tasted delicious. It was a golden brown with a tasty outer skin and chewy white meat. The onion soup was also divine. The chopped onion in the soup mixed in with the melted butter and cooked wine created different flavors. Aunt Em also made some whole-grain bread rolls to go with the soup. The mashed potatoes tasted like herbs and butter and an excellent addition to the turkey breast. And the apple pie, made from the Gale family recipe that had been passed down for generations, was delectable. It was bursting with the sweet flavor of various kinds of apples.

     By the time the food was eaten, everyone was completely full. Ozma, having not been used to eating so much, went to rest after cleaning up her plate. Dorothy decided to do the same, snuggling next to her girlfriend on the couch.

     "Are you sure they liked me?" Ozma asked her girlfriend, looking down. "I honestly don't know how your relatives feel about me yet..."

     "Ozma, trust me. I know my aunt and uncle very well." Dorothy replied with a smile. "They love you just as much as I do! And, you know I love you a lot."

     "Aww, Dor. That's so sweet of you!" Ozma remarked joyfully. "I think everything is going to be alright now that you said that."

     The teenage queen had been expecting Dorothy's relatives to dislike her. After all, she was a woman, a foreigner, and a stranger to them. However, they treated her like a part of their family. It may have been unusual, but Ozma was grateful for their generous hospitality and their friendly faces. Everything about them made her feel welcomed and needed. From this experience, Ozma realized an important truth.

A family isn't the same without love and acceptance at its core.