"'Do cats eat bats? Do cats eat bats?' and sometimes, 'Do bats eat cats?' for, you see, as she couldn't answer either question, it didn't much matter which way she put it."
From Alice In Wonderland by Lewis Caroll
Chapter 9: Charlie's Christmas Present
When he got up the following morning, little Charlie saw that the little girl was still there. Her presence overshadowed the wrapped parcels under the tree. He had been surprised when the tree appeared in the living room. Usually trees were outside, but unlike the stones, leaves, and creepy crawly things that he brought inside hidden in his pockets and sometimes his diaper, Mummy didn't put the tree back outside. It stayed. Would the little girl stay too? Is this what Bill meant when he had told Charlie that they would get new toys in the morning? Then suddenly he remembered where he had seen the girl before.
Madeline sat on Alastor's lap leaning her head on his chest, her thumb in her mouth and clutching the tiny pink and white toy kitten he had produced from his pocket. She watched the boys with little interest. She had her big brother and needed little else. She ignored the memories of the other house where Mother lived, and even the big house where many children lived and one old lady. This moment was good.
Molly was pouring more tea for the adults when she noticed Charlie sitting beside his unopened presents.
"Bill, help your brother. He doesn't know what to do," urged Molly.
Bill picked up a brightly wrapped box and shook it.
"Charlie, open this one. Open it," he said excitedly.
"Show him how," encouraged his mother.
"Arthur, take a picture. Aren't you using the new camera?" said Molly.
Arthur looked up, "What Molly dear? Sorry, Alastor and I were just talking about..."
"Dear," she interrupted, gesturing to the boys, "take a picture. Look how cute they look."
Her husband smiled obligingly. He stood up, throwing Alastor an apologetic shrug and picked up the camera.
Charlie got up, oblivious to his older brother's ooing and awing at the new things. He started to go toward the little basket that held all of his favorites: his little stuffed dragon, his toy piano with the four keys that made animal noises, the ball that looked like a snidget, and his books. One in particular, he just had to have right now.
Bill grabbed the back of the two year old's pajamas. "Charlie, those are old toys. Look at the new ones." Charlie fell onto his bottom and his round face went into a puckered frown.
"B-b-b," said Charlie, reaching out towards the basket.
Molly said, "Bill, let go of your brother."
"You said to make him open his presents," he protested.
"I said no such thing."
Bill was about to argue the point when suddenly one of the books jumped from the toy basket and dropped onto the floor. Unfortunately for the toddler, it was still out of reach. Molly, however couldn't have been more pleased.
"Look, Arthur dear, did you see that? Oh, my good baby!" she gushed. She ran over and scooped up Charlie who was dismayed to see the desired book getting farther way as he was lifted up.
"B-b-b uh!" protested Charlie.
"All right, love. All right." The proud mother put the boy back down.
He promptly ran over to the book on the floor, squatted down in front of it and began turning the cardboard pages with his plump fingers. - the boy with the cat, no, -the girl with the owl, no, -the boy with the rat, no. Here it was, -the girl with the bat. She had long black hair, dark eyes, and was smiling up at her pet bat flying over her head.
"B-b-b," said Charlie excitedly and pointed at Madeline who looked a bit affronted when everyone looked at her. She eyed the baby suspiciously as he toddled over with the book, muttering something unintelligibly. Charlie looked warily at the big stranger as he took the book gently from his hands laughing hardily.
"Well, would ye look at that. I do believe he thinks this is you, Madeline," said Alastor. "Betty has a bat," he read with a chuckle. She looked at the girl in the book, then leaned back against Alastor's chest and continued to suck her thumb, appearing utterly unimpressed.
Charlie was somewhat deflated at the girl's lack of interest, so he took the book back from the big stranger and returned to his spot next to Bill. Maybe she wasn't his Christmas present after all.