confusifying | wicked | book 3/3

Elphie

This chapter takes place two days after the last one.

Nessa seemed far more tired today than she has been the other two days since the surgery.
She was moving slower and speaking at a sluggish pace.
I'm beginning to worry if she's become unwell again.
I've come back go Munchkinland to confront my demons; my family.
No one has told them what Nessarose did, or at least tried to do and that duty has fallen to me.
Albert and Fiyero have bonded rather well since I've been gone I've noticed them grinning at each other and smiling since I've got here.
They seem so happy.
I'm about to break their hearts.
"It's good to see you Elphaba." Albert choruses merrily, he grins from ear to ear.
My husband pats me gently on the shoulder from the other side of the sofa, I grit my teeth.

"I have to tell you both something." I mutter anxiously, not daring to look at either of them directly.
"Yes my dear?" Albert asks.
There's a tinge of excitement in his voice, he's anticipating good news, I feel sick.
"About a week ago Nessarose-" I stop myself, I feel that I may cry at any moment and I can't bare the thought of both my husband and Albert watching me do so.
I take a deep breath and start again.
"Nessarose tried to end her life a week ago." I announce coldly, a shiver goes up my spine.

Fiyero mutters something about dear, sweet Nessarose and how she doesn't deserve all the pain she's in, he seems to be internalising all his thoughts.
I turn to look at Albert, who's been unnervingly silent.
Albert looks broken, a spot on the wall is being burned by his stare as he glares off aimlessly into the distance, his hands are pressed so firmly into his thighs that they look as if they could push straight out the other side and his eyes are red and brimming with tears.
"Albert?" I whisper tenderly.
Immediately, he stands up and walks out of the room without saying a thing.
I glance back at my husband, who has his head in his hands, before I follow Albert out into the hallway.

He's facing away from me, towards the stairs, clenching and unclenching his fists.
"Albert-" I attempt to communicate with him before I'm hurriedly cut off.
"We failed her." He mutters underneath his breath, a stony hatred to his voice. "We let her think that was her only option."
I approach slowly and place my hand gently onto his shoulder.
"Albert shes alright now, she's just had surgery to fix the-"
"Surgery?" He gasps, making me pause and reevaluate how I've been laying this out to him. "What for?"
I hesitate in answering but I feel that I have to tell the truth.
"Nessa picked up an infection so they fixed it, she's alright Albert."
Albert shakes his head in disagreement, I can't help but wish I hadn't told him.
"Nessarose is suffering, and there's nothing any of us can do about it." He murmurs miserably.

I place my hand on alberts shoulder, it's all I can do to comfort the man.
His shoulders tense as I make contact with them and I toy with removing my hand entirely but opt to keep it there.
"Can I go and see her?" Albert asks feebly.
I hesitate before answering.
"I'm not sure there's time, it's one person at a time at the moment and there's a very strict router."
Albert scoffs at this.
"One person at a time? Who's rule is that?" He cries, turning around to face me so hurriedly that I'm forced to retract my hand at an alarming rate.
"Doctor Tip recommended it. It's so Nessa doesn't get overwhelmed." I reply calmly "she wasn't doing very well this morning."
Albert seems overcome with emotion upon hearing this as ive made myself out to be a liar since I've been telling him profusely that Nessa is fine when that's far from the truth.
"All the more reason for me to see the girl." Albert protests "please Elphaba, I just need to see her."
"I won't stop you coming back with me." I respond "but she's got a short temper at the moment due to feeling unwell."

Albert nods, seemingly comprehending every word of mine.
"I just want to let her know that I'm here if she needs me." He mutters, suddenly turning to me "this must all be so stressful for you."
If I'm honest, I haven't even given myself the time to process it.
"I really need to go back to see Nessa." I mumble, deflecting the talk of myself. "She wasn't feeling particularly well this morning and I'd hate for her to think that I've left her."
I begin heading back into the lounge, solely focused on getting my spell book and going back to see my sister.
"Elphaba." Albert calls, stopping me in my tracks before I have a chance to leave the hallway.
Slowly and hesitantly I turn back around, laying my eyes upon his solemn facial expression.
"You're a good sister to dear little Nessarose." Albert whispers, laying a comforting hand on my shoulder. "She's a lucky girl to have someone like you."

I glance nervously towards the lounge hoping that Nessa isn't missing me all that much and yet I also hope she is.
"Albert I really must be going." I announce, eager to check on Nessa.
"Please take me with you." He begs "I want to see her for myself."
It's beginning to finally dawn on me that Nessa may not have wanted me to be telling people about what happened.
I'm so terribly worried that she won't speak to me as I'm really not sure what I'd do with myself if she didn't.
I need my sister, I need my sister more than I give her credit for, as much as she needs me, I need her too.
We need eachother.