Alice's Life in Wonderland

Chapter Seven - Cycles and Changes

During the two months, Hatter and Alice's schedule became tighter and tighter as the business went up.

The Queen of Heart was a daily visitor and sat at Table Number Eleven, closest to the counter.

"So I can see you every day," said the Queen, as Hatter came up with the question. "Or I'll be dull and unhappy. You won't reject me, won't you?"

"No," sighed the unwilling Hatter, and he trudged away into the kitchen.

Bunny came with Her Majesty every day, so she also became a daily visitor. As she hanged out near the counter most of the time, she and Alice became fast friends. They always chatted when Hatter was ordered to sit next to the Queen.

"So you're getting used to Wonderland's madness, I suppose," said Bunny one day.

"You're not just called Bunny, are you?"

"Of course! My real name in Bethany, but I'm the White Rabbit's daughter and I start with a 'B', so I guess you understand. It's a Wonderland thing."

"Is that why Hatter is called the Mad Hatter?"

"It's just his title, Alice. He has a better name than that."

"Of course, as the Countess says."

"What countess."

"Nothing, nothing."

Countess William Chester was also a frequent customer. She came to the shop mostly in the evenings and always ordered the same thing.

"You're Raspberry Tart and Twillydigs ma'am."

"Thank you, Alice. Would you mind fetching me two more of those screamberries please?"

"Sure!"

Mad always observed at the Countess. But he could never clearly see her face, for her back faces the counter and chose the farthest seat from the window.

The Countess allowed no one else to sit by her except Alice alone, so poor Hatter could only keep his doubts about the Countess.

Two months of socializing also did Hatter good. People stopped criticizing him and often chatted with him at their tables. He began to smile more and was never lonely. Even the Hare and the Dormouse were affected by the new surroundings.

One thing the Hatter noticed was that what he shared actually made others happy. All the food, drinks, people gulped them down happily. They laughed and smiled. It was years before Hatter had seen groups of people so happy and gay (besides his crazy friends) at his presence.

Another thing he noticed was that Alice was beautiful.

Or we should say too beautiful.

She was so attractive that many men flocked to the shop to dine there just for that reason, TO SEE HER PRETTY FACE.

For the first time, Hatter actually felt envy boiling inside him. He envied those men who watched his friend with shimmering eyes and lovesick attitude. For the first time after so many years, he felt that Alice was his and his alone and no one else could have. His face always darkened at the sight of those men and wished the hours pass more quickly so they would go away.

For the first time after Melanie went away, he felt that he was in love with Alice and Alice all alone. And he never wished to part with her.

Just...

He never knew if the girl he admired so much was in love with him too. And it made him very sad at the thought of that.

He enjoyed her smiles, he liked her laughed. Her laugh was like tinkling bells on sleighs and her smile shone like the sun. She was as beautiful as springtime flowers and as graceful as the floating snowflakes in winter. She had blue eyes that shimmered under the light and golden curls that fall down her back like a waterfall. For some time, he thought she looked like Melanie.