"Alice, dear? What troubles you so?"
My mother put her hand on my shoulder, turning me towards her.
"It's nothing mother, just a bit uneasy from the storm" I said turning back to the window. The rain gently pats the window, making a soft hypnotic rhythym. The clouds were dark and thunderous, a flash of lightning a bit of ways away.
The sudden light startled me, making me jerk back slightly. I sighed and turned back to reading my book. I looked up just enough to see my mother reaching out to me.
She gently pushed the stray strands of hair out of my face to behind my ear."Do you honestly think a mother doesn't notice when her daughter is upset?" She traced her fingertips down my jaw and to my chin, lifting my head so our eyes meet. "What is troubling you?"
I tightened my jaw and pulled back. "Mother, if I told you, you wouldn't understand. You would say I am mad for thinking up something as impossible as it seems." My eyes drifted back out the window.
My mother took a quick breath and built up enough muchness to ask me, "may I show you something?"
Out of curiosity, I found myself looking back at my mother. "That certainly depends. Is it pleasant?"
She sighed and took my hands, "come with me." She stood, pulling me along behind her.
I reluctantly followed her out of the drawing room, unaware of the surprise ahead of me.
Mother led me upstairs and to the locked room at the end of the hall.
"Mother? What are we doing here? You told me to never enter this room."
She sighed in frustration and reached far down into her pocket. She pulled out a very small key and a small bottle of liquid, she handed both to me.
I had only seen these once before, that I can remember, I swallowed. "Mother? What's going on?"
"Alice, darling, I know everything. This key", she pointed to it. "Unlocks this door. And when you enter, I ask you not to panic."
I gave her a sideways glance and unlocked the door. The door slowly creaked open, into a black abyss, or just a very dark room.
"Alice, listen to me, before you go in there, I want you to know that all I want is your happiness." Before I could answer, she pushed me.
Then, to my surprise, I was falling down a rabbit hole, the one that takes me to Underland. Instead of screaming, I laughed. 'How wonderful! Mother wants me to go back to Underland!' I thought happily as I crashed through the floor and landed on the ceiling. Then everything literally flipped upside down. A small dress floated down right behind me, I grinned big and undressed. I drank all the contents of the bottle I received from Mother. I coughed then I shrunk, I ran to the now perfect side dress and put it on. I spun. Perfect! I left the key on the ground so now I didn't need to grow. I picked it up along with some Upelkuchen, for later on. I dragged my normal dress to the door, I was shaking so badly from excitement that I nearly missed the keyhole.
After I entered and yanked my dress through the door, I ate one bite of Upelkuchen and I was my right proper size again. Then I got dressed, leaving out my corset and stockings of course.
I looked around me smiling brightly, I finally had returned home.
I looked around, it was, what I believed, midnight. Perfect. Now I won't attract nearly as much attention.
Using my instincts, I followed the path to the windmill. The very same where Hatter and I reunited. My Hatter.
I stopped at the clearing to my destination. My legs nearly gave out from under me, I stumbled to the tea tables, steadying myself on the edge. I smiled at the lovely, familiar, contrasting tea set strewn about. I walked along the table towards Hatter's throne, running the tips of my fingers along the silky ivory tablecloth. I moved my hand onto the chair. I've always admired this chair, almost as much as his hat. But never as much as the man that wore the hat. I proudly set myself down in his place. After looking looking across the tables, I closed my eyes. What wonderful memories.
