She catches the sugar tongs flying towards her head with practised ease.
"You're getting better at that," a familiar voice says from somewhere behind her.
Alice doesn't look up from her book on toadstools, placing the sugar tongs back on the kitchen table behind her, but, this time, far away enough from Ambrose so that he can't reach them again. She continues to cut the cake she made this morning with her free hand.
"Welcome home," she says, distractedly plating the slice of cake. "Do you know there are some types of toadstools that can turn you invisible?"
Arms come about her waist, soft lips brushing her ear. "Of course. I ate one once that turned me blue for an entire hour. How was your day, dearest? Was our son much trouble?"
"Only as much as he ever is." Alice grins, snapping her book shut and turning in her Hatter's arms. "Though March has been teaching him a few things."
Her statement is immediately evidenced by the sugar cubes that come flying towards them. Hatter takes the pelting with grace and a wide grin.
He kisses his wife's lips. "I missed you."
She sighs in agreement. "Did it go well?"
"Of course! I'm not the Royal Hatter for nothing, though the Queen could have been a little more...considerate of our special day."
He says this with a shamed expression, as if speaking any sort of ill of Mirana is entirely wrong.
"No one's perfect," Alice soothes, running her hand through his hair. "And she has kept you all to herself for two days to make hats you could have easily made here."
Hatter shrugs, before dancing her across the kitchen and into a chair. He then turns and grins down at his son, who sits in his highchair, blinking owlishly up at his father, all big dark curls and large blue eyes, his fat little fists grasping at the sugar cube bowl.
"Now, now, Ambrose," he chides, kissing the top of his head. "When you throw things at your mother you must make it more of a challenge, otherwise it's not fun for her at all."
Their little boy laughs as if he knows what his father is saying, though it's not likely as he's only nine months old. Alice smiles as he babbles back, making Hatter look as pleased as punch.
"Clever boy," he says, ruffling his hair, eyes glowing as they land on Alice.
He reaches for the cake on the side and takes the seat next to her at the table, his arm around her waist as he slides the plate towards her.
"Happy un-anniversary," he whispers in her ear, and she smiles down at the piece of lemon cake she had cut.
A single, long-stemmed, blue flower lies on the side of the plate where it hadn't been before. He takes it and puts it in her hair, tucking it just behind her ear and lovingly kissing her cheek. She takes his hand on her knee and rubs the ring on his finger there, smiling as she does.
"Happy un-anniversary," she murmurs back, ducking Ambrose's latest throw as he giggles delightedly.
Hatter beams.
Finis