"What are you all smiles about?" Mrs Kingsleigh wondered aloud.
Alice shook herself from her reverie. "- what?"
"Smiling. You've not stopped since I returned home. You see me everyday so I cannot possibly be the reason."
Alice blushed. "Oh, well- I..."
Her mother pursed her lips, trying to contain an amused smile at her daughter's stutters. "I heard the news though. I bet you two wanted to keep it a secret."
The young blonde stiffened then she frowned in confusion. "What-?"
"I heard Mason passed his exams." Now Mrs Kingsleigh was all grins.
"Oh," she laughed lightly and a bit awkwardly. "Yeah, yes, that's it. That's why I'm... happy. No more teaching his irritable arse-"
"Oh, Alice!" Mrs Kingsleigh tsked sharply. "At least try to get along with him. Now that he is no longer your pupil."
"But he is irritable, Mother- Took him three months to read one book!" Then she muttered, "Kept insisting I read it with him-"
"The boy's fond of you, dear." She let her words hang in the air for a bit before she continued. "He's not Hamish."
"But he's another insignificant boy, Mother. They're all alike," she scoffed.
She glanced at the clock then. There was only one significant man for her. The corner of her mouth quirked upward. But she quickly corrected herself before her mother noticed again.
Mrs Kingsleigh passed through the room and into the kitchen. "Margaret and her husband are in town and they'll be joining us for dinner. As a celebration," she called over her shoulder.
Alice wanted to groan. She dramatically slumped to the floor from the sofa. Celebration?! It's a lousy exam! And her lovely Margaret will be bringing that cheating bastard she calls a husband- She harrumphed.
Alice looked miserable, chasing around an olive with her fork. She didn't want to participate in dinner conversation. They all acted as if passing one little exam set out her entire future - and she wasn't even the one who took said exam!
They were, again, meddling in her life, running her life. She swore she would never let it happen again. But just as Iracebeth stole the chronosphere once more, she should have known her mother's old habits wouldn't so easuly dwindle.
She grumbled and smooshed her face against her closed fist, occasionally glancing up at the others. And that's when she made the unfortunate move of making eye contact with her mother.
Her mother had a twinkle in her eye and Alice felt her stomach sink. "Alice is so proud of you, Mason, as am I," she happily beamed.
Mason chuckled and gave a firm nod. "Thank you, Mrs Kingsleigh." Then he reached over and placed his hand on Alice's arm.
She tried not to glare at him. She gave a false smile that she hoped passed as an innocent one.
"Now that I've passed my exams, I can run a ship and crew on my own."
His fingers were rough and scratchy on her skin amd his grip wasn't soft and caring lIke Time's.
He glanced down at her arm and his lip twisted in disgust at the greyish scar. He met her eyes again. "Alice doesn't need to work so hard. In fact - we haven't discussed it yet-" He sent her a soft look. "- but she could stay home more often, keep you company Mrs Kingsleigh, keep up the house." Mason smiled proudly and squeezed Alice's arm.
"Oh, how thoughtful," she heard her mother say.
He wasn't going to get away that easily. Such things might enchant her mother still but not her. She turned to Mason. "What gives you the right to say what I should and should not do? Any of you, for that matter? I am my own person, woman or not, sea captain or not! Hm, perhaps you haven't heard why I turned down Hamish."
"Alice!" Margaret scolded.
She sent her sister an equally scrutinizing look. "I won't stand for it. Not again." She rose from her seat. "Do not believe you can control my life-"
"Alice, for goodness sake!" Her mother snapped. "Time, for you, is running out! I-"
"Time is not running out- in fact, he runs like a bumbling idiot. But he's my bumbling idiot," she smiled. She glared at Mason. "I don't know what you think. We're merely teacher and student. Nothing more." She glanced at the clock and felt her heart flutter - Time never sleeps, always overseeing the minutes and seconds of Wonderland. He would be up and about...
"My apologies, Alice. I was only thinking of your mother. But you're right. You are capable of making decisions on your own - after all, you are a sea captain." He tried to correct his mistake, but he was too late. He chuckled awkwardly then cleared his throat.
Alice straightened her shoulders. "Mason. I am not interested in whatever you're about. Frankly, I don't think I'll ever be interested." Her hand twitched. "I'm sorry yet again, Mother. But you should know better-"
The clock chimed nine.
"I have to go," she said quickly, abruptly, excitedly before scurrying away.
This idea came to me when I rewatched the first movie, and I also remembered Margaret. But why did you write this? It's not needed.. Oh, but it is needed... ;)))
Hope you liked it!