Tailored Hats, Cats and White Rabbits Original

38// This Is Not Wonderland

38// This Is Not Wonderland

"Sandra what are you doing here?" I would have expected Absolem to have said this but instead it was Hatter.
"I could ask you the same thing Mr Lantara. Did I not make it clear enough that I would make a citizen's arrest if I ever saw you with my daughter again and here you are yet again."
"You are fucking mad woman. You're daughter overdosed on cocaine because of you!" Hatter clenched his fists and he stepped forward, he looked like a dark angel, protecting the rest of us who were all dumbfounded to find that he was the one who had stepped up first.

"You took her from me, killed her rabbit and you threaten me with arrest" he put his arms out, he looked to be surrendering.
"Fine, arrest me but I think you'll find that if you do you'll have to arrest all of Wonderland"

The Red Queen didn't budge an inch. Her tight mouth just pouted and she turned her nose up at all of us. I looked up at Absolem and he gave me a confused and sad expression. The haze of his image wasn't concealed with smoke anymore and I saw him for what he really was. Someone who cared for me and would protect me.
"Howard, what are you doing?" The Red Queen snapped, her eyes turning away from Hatter like he didn't even exist.

I hated the way she did that. The way she managed to make even a king seem like nothing with merely a glance.
"I am here to collect my daughter and take her home"

The Red Queen gave a one syllabled laugh. Cold. Calculating.
"Her home is with me. You have no right"
"Sandra, I do not believe that to be the case any longer. We have enough evidence against you to have you charged with neglect. I'm a senior investigator and I know those are some pretty steep fines".

"You are banished from Wonderland" I snapped at her. I looked to my left and Cheshire gave me a smile that was half way between condescension and triumph. Only Cheshire could make a smile look like that. The Red Queen stepped forward the red ends of her dress swirling against the floor like wine.

"But my dear, this is not Wonderland...and you are not Alice"

The whole room erupted in chaos. Cheshire drifted and swore, Hare gasped and hopped on the spot, Hatter was statue still, Absolem was calling for security to take Sandra while the Tweedles were beginning and starting their sentences repeatedly. It was I who knew what to do. I laughed. Hard and long and light like a bubble.

Everyone stopped freaking out on my behalf and they just watched me laugh like this entire situation was a joke. Well it was, wasn't it? A huge joke that Sandra thought she could insult me by saying that Wonderland didn't exist and that I wasn't Alice. I know.

I know.

I know.