Careful with the tea

Part 23

Owl, Alice and Hatter were in the dining-room waiting for us. I was happy to see that Alice was resting in Hatter's arms again. When we looked at each other, we held together after a second of silence with tears in the eyes.

"Dear Alice, can you ever forgive me?" Then I looked at Hatter. "And you?"

"It was just the tea, little girl... Just the tea..." Hatter laughed, and I kissed him on the cheek before I stepped to Owl.

I thanked everything to her, as her sense saved us all.

"I shall miss you..." I held her close too, the took Marcus's hand.

"If the desire is strong enough... True, Owl?" I asked, and the woman nodded.

There was a huge mirror standing at the wall of the dining-room. We stood in front of it close, with Alice and Hatter behind us.

I looked at Marcus in the eye, squeezed his hand, and said in a determined voice.

"I want to go home with you."

We heard a growling noise and the surface of looking glass trembled for a second, as if it was moving.

Marcus nodded and we jumped in the Looking Glass with one step.

The blue whirlwind took us away, and I felt dizzy for a moment. But Marcus held my hand strong, so I didn't worry.

We fell upon each other when we arrived at the other side of the Looking Glass.

"This time it was much more pleasant, than before..." Marcus giggled, pushing his face to my neck.

"We should get up, Alice and Hatter are coming behind us..."

"Right away..." he whispered, but I pushed him, so he grabbed himself up and pulled me up to him. He kissed me before I had the chance to get my cloth and hair together.

I didn't resist.

He let me go in time, when Alice and Hatter jumped out of the Looking Glass. Although they seemed to have more routine, they needed some help at the arrivals.

I helped Alice up from the ground, and when I turned, I saw Marcus standing there with my straw-hat in his hands.

"My hat..." I cried happily, but them something seemed a bit strange. I looked at Hatter.

"Is that the same forest?"

"And the same afternoon..." he smiled. "You still can have a drink before the reunion ends."

I went sad when I realised we had to say goodbye. Even I had somebody with a shoulder to cry on.

"Can we see each other again?" I asked Alice hoping.

She laughed at me and we walked back to the park hand in hand.

"You bet! Next week, on Wednesday, at five at Thomas'..." I looked at her with questions in my eyes, but she blinked back to Hatter, who was following us with Marcus.

"I want a hat like yours too."