The Heart of Wonderland

Chapter 35

The next time Alison went to the hospital, it wasn't to see Dr. Gupta but to visit Maddox. Mrs. Kim said that he was recovering well from his many months of unconsciousness, but Alison felt nervous about seeing him again. What if things weren't the same now that they weren't in Wonderland anymore? She worried that they would have nothing to say to each other.

Even worse, what if Maddox didn't want anything to do with her? Maybe he would want to avoid any reminder of all the pain Wonderland had caused him and his family.

"What are you thinking about?" Aunt Caroline asked Alison as their car pulled to a stop at the curb in front of the hospital's main entrance. "You have such a distant look on your face."

Alison shrugged. "Just nervous about meeting Mrs. Kim's grandson, I guess." As far as Caroline knew, Alison and Maddox had never met.

Caroline smiled at her. "It's nice of you to help Mrs. Kim welcome him home. I'm sure he's going to be disoriented after being asleep for so long. It will help to have someone his own age to talk to as he gets back to a normal routine."

Alison had told her aunt that Mrs. Kim wanted her to meet Maddox because they had so much in common—after all, they had both lost parents and spent time in the hospital—and Maddox's friends from before his illness had gradually come to visit less often as his coma dragged on. She didn't like lying to her aunt, but the truth about Wonderland was simply too unbelievable and Aunt Caroline had enough to worry about.

"Thanks for the ride." Alison opened the car door and gathered up her jacket and bag. Then she smiled warmly at her aunt. "Hey, Aunt Caroline? I know I'll always miss Mom and Dad, but I'm glad you're here."

Her aunt smiled back. "Ditto."

Alison got out of the car with the smile still on her face, though her legs began to shake with nervousness as she approached Maddox's room. She couldn't quite bring herself to knock on the door when she reached it. Instead, she hovered uncertainly outside the room. The door was ajar, wide enough that Alison could hear Maddox talking to someone inside.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you the truth about Wonderland," a man's voice said. "When I think about how close I came to losing you as well as your mother... Well, I was wrong to keep it from you."

Alison drew back and held her breath. The voice had to belong to Maddox's father. Maybe she should just leave. It had been a stupid idea to come to the hospital. She backed away from the door, but she was halted by a shout from Maddox.

"Hey, whoever's out there, are you coming in or not?" he asked. "I can see your shadow, you know."

Alison blushed and pushed the door open. "I was afraid I might be interrupting," she tried to explain.

Maddox's eyes widened and he sat up in bed. "Alison! Hey! I was wondering when you would come visit."

Alison laced her fingers together. "Actually, I wasn't sure you'd even want to see me."

Maddox frowned at her. "Why would you think that? You're the whole reason I'm awake."

Alison's gaze flew from Maddox to Mrs. Kim, who sat in a chair in the corner of the room, and then to Maddox's father. He watched her from his seat on the foot of Maddox's bed. Instinct made her want to deny she knew what Maddox was talking about—she definitely hadn't told Aunt Caroline anything about Wonderland. But Maddox's father probably knew even more about Wonderland than she did, she reminded herself. It was safe to let down her guard around him. If only he didn't look so serious.

Alison cleared her throat and tried to speak, but her nerves got the best of her and she couldn't think of what to say.

Luckily, Mrs. Kim rescued her. "Why don't we let the young people talk?" she said to Maddox's father.