For Your Eyes Only

F o r t y - s i x

Taylor stared at whole room, trying to think where Alison really hid. She sat on the bed, just wondering where. "Hey, princess. . . we kind of need to talk."

Unfortunately, Taylor didn't get a response. She thought maybe Alison was just playing with her so she started looking around. "Don't matter, I'm it and I'll find you." Taylor spoke sweetly and looked around once again to find some places a six year-old could easily hide in.

Taylor looked under the bed. . . nothing. She looked at the bathroom. . . not a sign of Alison. She looked in every corner of the room. . . still no Alison. Then it hit her. She faced the one place left that she had in mind, Closet!

The closet was big enough for Taylor to enter which brought her to the question, why haven't I thought about it earlier?! The white closet was six feet tall, filled with her and Alison's clothes. She pressed the button while pulling the closet door.

"Aha!" Taylor exclaimed when she saw Alison. Alison giggled and smiled widely while seated like a curled ball. Taylor raised an eyebrow at her. "Do you really think I wouldn't find you here? I see fairy dust all over the place." She smiled.

Alison continued giggling. "There's no fairy dust, I didn't leave any." She replied.

"You accidentally did. You sneezed here, didn't you?" Taylor asked, realizing it was a bit dusty. Also, it adds up to the little fantasy story they are playing right now.

Alison giggled again and nodded her head. "How'd you know?" She asked, a bit surprised and also with a high pitched voice.

"Ah, the White Queen knows, especially when you're in her royal white closet." Taylor replied, with a soft laugh. Somehow, her awful feeling from this morning finally disappeared. She felt much better talking to Alison, but much sadder to think she won't be able to do this anymore. "Can I come in?" She asked, since she knew Alison and her could easily fit inside.

Alison scooted over to the side and Taylor sat beside her. She didn't close the door since it was more comfortable to let her feet outside the closet. There was a few minutes of silence until Taylor decided to ask something. "Why are you hiding? Don't you want to go home?"

"Yes. But I was scared." Alison replied, looking down on her fingers.

Taylor bit her lip. It's about Harry. As usual. "Of who? Daddy? Why?"

"Because he comes home sometimes with that bad smell and he walks funny but he shouts too much. Mommy and him fight all the time." Alison replied. Okay but I already know that part.

She sighed, "Would you believe me if I say: Daddy has changed?" I wouldn't. I wouldn't believe it even if it was me who said it.

"Yes." The child smiled up at her.

Taylor looked at her straight in the eyes, she felt herself back in that trance. "He has. In fact, daddy wouldn't come here for you if he didn't change. Have you seen him today? He's walking normally, talking normally and he smelled like his usual perfume." She said, slightly regretting the last part. She also didn't want Alison to get her hopes high for her father but, as agreed, she had to go home once everything is finally settled.

"In those days when he isn't like his usual self, imagine he's in his own bubble, but it's not like yours, it's darker. It's like he's wearing dark sunglasses that'll take him a while to take off." She started explaining. "See, I've been daddy's friend for a while now. And I've seen him like that."