Accidents Will Happen

Chapter Twenty-Eight

"Did you pack the diapers?"

"Yup!"

"What about the formula?"

"All in the two bottles on the side of the bag."

Galinda double checked all items anyway.

"Okay. We got everything. You done yet?"

Elphaba emerged from the upstairs bedroom, fixing one of the clips of her nursing top with one hand while cradling little Liir in the crook of her other arm.

"He hasn't burped yet," she said as Galinda took the child from her.

"Urgh. Why do you always leave all the hard work to me?" Galinda answered jokingly.

"At least none of that makes you feel like a dairy cow."

Elphaba's much more serious remark made her wonder whether she'd missed the humour in her own.

"Hey." She freed one hand to take hold of her girlfriend's wrist. "You okay? You know we can just—"

"Yeah, yeah. I'm peachy. Sorry. It's nothing. Almost half-way through the six months already, right?"

Elphaba offered her a faltering smile.

"That was your goal, but you don't have to reach six or even four months. Liir doesn't care as long as we don't stop feeding him altogether."

"It's just the stress. After the exam today, my brain will be free to think of nothing else but baby for a while. I'm sure that will help."

"Help drive you insane," muttered Galinda. "You need that work to distract yourself from your parental responsibilities. It's okay, Elphie. We don't all have to be born child entertainers and carers."

Elphaba shrugged. She knew that Galinda was right, but admitting it still made her feel dreadfully inadequate.

"Oh, Fiyero is coming over before dinner this afternoon," she suddenly remembered and was glad for the change of topic.

For a clock tick or two, Galinda simply stared at her.

"Again?" she almost whined.

"Yeah."

She hadn't thought much of it at the time when Fiyero had sent her the message, but seeing Galinda's expression made Elphaba wince.

Heaving a small sigh and rolling her eyes, Galinda moved past her misgivings. With a shrug of her shoulders, she turned around to pick up the tiny cardigan that was lying sprawled across the backrest of the couch.

"Well, it's only one more week till he leaves town, I suppose."

"It is," nodded Elphaba, her mouth tight. "So... you're okay with it?"

"I..." Her hands that had been busy fiddling the infant's arms through the sleeves and adjusting the jacket's fit stilled for a moment. "Yeah. Alright."

"I mean really okay," emphasised Elphaba. "I don't want to—"

"I know. It's fine."

All was not fine, even Elphaba could tell. And yet there was something in the way Galinda so forcefully lightened her voice that made it sound like she wanted to convince herself that it was. Elphaba respected her effort and accepted her consent at face value.

"Okay. Cool," she said slowly. "Well, I must be off then."

Having finally finished dressing the baby, Galinda looked up to meet her gaze. She grinned widely, as if nothing had happened.