CHAPTER 11
In the week since Hatter spent the night on her couch, Alice had become adept at avoidance. She artfully dodged texts and phone calls from her boyfriend whom she planned to break up with AND any sort of personal interaction with her bartender whom she intended to pursue once she was single.
Of course, she didn't plan on avoiding Hatter that evening. It was the day before his birthday, but Alice wouldn't see him then because his friends would be back in town to celebrate.
She'd be facing Jack soon, as well. He had promised to return by Valentine's Day. She knew it was poor form to dump somebody right before the heart-filled holiday, but wasn't it worse to do it right after?
Especially if you might be (maybe already had) fallen for someone else?
"Hello, Charlie, this is a pleasant surprise," Hatter greeted the white-haired man.
"Is it? Mmm," the accountant replied, opening his laptop at the far end of the bar. He operated in a state of perpetual distraction.
"Care for a drink?" the bartender asked. Charlie nodded without looking up.
Hatter returned a moment later. He placed a napkin and glass in front of the older man. "I think she finally figured it out."
Charlie's head rose. "And?"
Hatter frowned. "And so now she avoids me."
"Oh. I thought… I guess I thought wrong." Charlie gave him a kind smile. "She lights up when you're around. I assumed."
Hatter leaned against the bar, fiddling with his hat. "Yeah, I sort of hoped myself."
"Sometimes people miss what's under their very nose," Charlie offered.
"If she wasn't so fixated on Jack..."
"Speak of the devil," Charlie mumbled. Hatter turned his head to see the boss' son approaching the bar. He motioned for Hatter to come over.
"Better go see what his highness wants," Hatter muttered.
Normally, Jack didn't bother to make eye contact when he spoke to Hatter. But he addressed him clearly on this occasion. "I need a bottle champagne. Chilled, of course."
The bartender bristled. "What for?"
Jack gave him a level gaze. "I'm asking Alice something."
Hatter felt his stomach drop.
He wordlessly handed Jack what he'd requested. Then he went back to the Charlie's end of the bar and poured himself a shot.
When Alice got to Wonderland, she was immediately waylaid by Charlie looking for receipts. She waved to Hatter at his post behind the bar, and though he nodded in acknowledgement, she didn't get a smile.
Jack, however, surprised her with a red rose.
"I didn't expect you until tomorrow," Alice told him.
"I couldn't wait to see you," he replied, kissing her temple. "You look lovely this evening, darling."
"Thank you." Alice had on her blue dress. And she'd worn red tights for the upcoming holiday.
Jack placed his hand on his chest in a humble gesture of interruption, but when he spoke, it was with the notion that whatever he said would be heeded. "Charlie here can spare you for a moment, surely?"
"Airs and graces," Alice thought immediately. The aging accountant agreed to wait.
"Come, I have a table set up for us on the mezzanine," Jack said.
"Oh. Okay." She followed him up the stairs. Now seemed as good a time as any. "I'm glad you're here, because we need to have a talk about our relationship…"
Jack stepped out of the way and Alice spotted the table with a single candle and a bottle of champagne. Her insides twisted. Her timing was even worse than she'd imagined.
Her boyfriend pulled a chair out for her and she sat in it numbly. Jack noted the change in her demeanor. Alice managed a small smile.
He took a small blue box out of his pocket and set it on the table without fanfare.
"I suppose you know what that is. And what I'm asking."
"No, Jack," Alice said softly. "You are... everything I thought I wanted."
"But?"
"I've changed."
"I wonder if I will be out of a job soon," Alice mused. Perhaps Kathy would be pleased that her son would no longer be dating the help. Alice couldn't fathom having that woman for a mother-in-law. She shuddered to even think of it.
But she did like Wonderland. She hoped she'd get to stay.
When she returned to the main floor, Alice noticed that Dormie was behind the bar. That was odd. She went to investigate.
"Where's Hatter?"
"He's... in the back," Dormie answered hesitantly.
"Stocking up?" Alice asked.
"Sure... maybe."
Dormie wasn't much help, so Alice went looking for her bartender. She passed Charlie on her way through the Employees Only door.
"Charlie! Did you find those receipts?"
"Indeed," the older man answered. "I was just on my way-"
Alice stopped him. "Hey, and have you seen Hatter?"
"Ah, yes, I have." Charlie paused to stroke his beard, and she knew something was up. He did that when there was news he'd rather not share.
"Where is he?" Alice asked firmly.
"He's… this way."
She followed Charlie to the room where the staff often spent break time or made personal phone calls. Hatter was slumped in one of the metal chairs; his hat had fallen off. A bottle of whiskey was on the table next to him, empty.
"Is he... passed out?"
"It would appear so," Charlie confirmed.
Alice took a deep breath and blew it out slowly. "Getting an early start on his birthday, I take it. Charlie, do you have a car?"
When he nodded, Alice said "Good, you have to help me get him out of here. Kathy will have his head if she sees him like this."
Hatter roused when they raised him up between them, but barely. Between Wonderland and his apartment, everything he said was total gibberish. Apparently somewhere, there were crumbs in some butter.
Charlie left once they had Hatter deposited on his bed. Alice thanked him for going above and beyond the call of duty. But truly, she thought the older man had gotten a kick out of smuggling someone out from under their employer.
Alice removed Hatter's boots and rummaged in his bathroom cabinet for painkillers. She knelt down by the bed and shook him a little. He murmured, so he wasn't out just yet.
"Okay, I'm afraid if I try to get you to drink anything, including water, that you're going to throw up on me. But I've put some aspirin here by the bed. Will you be alright?"
Hatter turned his head at the sound of her voice and opened his eyes. He seemed to focus on her for one lucid moment. "Alice." He put his hand to her cheek, a clumsy movement that still made her warm inside. "Please don't leave."
Her heart leaped into her throat. She chose to make a joke.
"You are going to vomit, aren't you? And you don't want to clean it up by yourself."
He dropped his hand and laughed, closing his eyes. He mumbled something unintelligible and like that, he was out.
Alice texted her mom that Hatter didn't feel well and that she'd be spending the night on his couch. She still couldn't get over how quickly he'd gotten wasted; it wasn't like him at all.
She needed to get back to Wonderland and make sure Dormie did okay behind the bar. She could come back to Hatter's place after closing. Because she'd never seen him in this state. And because it was his birthday weekend and someone should look after him.
Who was she kidding? She'd be back because he asked her to stay.
Only one chapter to go! So close. It will feel good to have this complete, but I will miss these two.