A Full Rich Life

Chapter Three: Remember the Good.

Author's Note: I promised a happy chapter and here 'tis.

When Alannah awoke the next morning, she was less than surprised to see Alice and Margaret sitting at the kitchen table, their hands clasped. She walked into the kitchen, opening a cupboard and getting down three cups and a tin of tea. "Alice, how do you like your tea?"

Alice jumped slightly. "Strong, please, with one sugar."

"Meggie, how about you?"

Margaret pushed a strand of hair out of her eyes. "A bit strong with milk, please. Alannah, we want to talk to you."

Alannah got the water going, and then turned to face the sisters. "I thought you would. You both are intelligent, and you've known Helen much longer than I have. So I will do my best to answer all your questions."

Alice gulped, and then nodded. "What's the matter with her?"

Alannah sighed, giving them a look of sorrow and sympathy. "She's in the final stages of consumption. There is nothing I can do except perhaps give her a tonic to ease her pain."

Alice and Margaret gaped at her, tears pouring down their faces, and Alannah came over and sat at the table, taking their hands in each of hers. "I know that you are most likely furious at me for not telling you when she told me, but she made me swear by my Oath to not tell you. I guess she never thought you would be clever enough to work it out for yourselves. I will not blame you if you are angry with me, but I swear by Time himself that I can do nothing to reverse what will happen. But I can promise that she will be able to see our children married."

Alice squeezed her hand, speaking in a throaty voice. "Alannah, Meggie and I could never hate you. You are a true and loyal friend to both of us, and we know that neither you nor Mum would make a decision without considering all the possibilities." The tea kettle whistled, and Alice smiled. "Water's ready."

Alannah smiled. "I'll make us the tea, and then we can talk." She prepared the tea, then returned to the table, handing Alice and Meggie their cups before sitting down. "I do not wish for this day to be a sad one, so I would like a favor from each of you." Alice and Meggie nodded, and she smiled. "As you know, I had a rather distant relationship with my own mother due to her Madness. What I would like is for you to tell me some of your fondest memories of Helen."

Alice smiled. "That might take a while. Meggie, why don't you go first?"

Margaret smiled, sipping her tea as she thought. "I have the perfect memory. It was about two years before Alice was born. We had gone to the sea for a holiday, and I was splashing in the surf and having a grand time. Then Mum came over to me..."

Helen laughed as she watched her daughter splashing about in the surf, shouting in delight as the water washed over her knees. Margaret had just turned seven and she was a truly precocious child. She loved the water, and their annual vacations to the sea were the highlight of her life. Helen slid off her slippers and walked over to the tide line, smiling down at her daughter. "Would you like to play a game, little Meg?"

"Yes, please, Momma. What game?"

Helen took her hand, facing towards the horizon. "Well, we're going to sing a rhyme, and at the end of each verse, we will jump over the waves. But you have to pay attention, or we'll get splashed!"

Margaret nodded solemnly, and Helen began to chant, Margaret joining in.

"One two, waves splash you!

Three four, the waves go to shore!

Five six, we're in quite the fix!

Seven eight, these waves are great!

Nine ten, let's sing again!"

They sang the rhyme ten more times, jumping and splashing in the surf.

Alannah smiled. "That's so sweet."

Alice laughed. "I remember when you taught me that rhyme, Meggie. I sang it for nearly the whole day after!"

Margaret nodded. "Yes, and I regretted it. You are many wonderful things, sister dear, but your singing could cause flowers to wither. At least it could when you were five. I doubt you're any better now, though."

Alice huffed and stuck her tongue out at Margaret, then chuckled. "I remember the time I put on a show for Mum and Dad. I had found one of Mum's old dresses, and an old hat she used to wear. I was practically swimming in the dress, but I was determined."

Alice made her way carefully out of her parent's room, doing her best to not trip over the dress that she had draped over herself. She was also wearing a hat that fell down past her nose, a pair of her mother's slippers that were five sizes too big for her, and wielded an umbrella for a scepter. She held the dress to herself with one hand and kept pushing the hat back so she could see with the umbrella. Luckily, she knew the layout of the house well enough to navigate it somewhat blinded. She spotted her parents sitting together on the sofa, and eased closer.

Helen was the first to spot her then seven year old daughter enter the living room and she burst into amused laughter. "Charles, I do believe we have a visitor! Might I know your name, my dear?"

Alice giggled. "I am the High and Mighty Queen Alice of Wonderland! I have a song about me, would you like to hear it?"

Helen paused, a bit wary. Her youngest daughter could not be said to have the most melodious voice. But then Alice gave her a look that made her heart melt. "I would love to hear your song, Your Highness."

Alice smiled, then stood as regally as she could and began, waving her scepter as she sang in an off key voice.

"To the Looking-Glass world it was Alice that said
"I've a sceptre in hand, I've a crown on my head.
Let the Looking-Glass creatures, whatever they be
Come dine with the Red Queen, the White Queen and Me!"

Then fill up the glasses as quick as you can,
And sprinkle the table with buttons and bran:
Put cats in the coffee, and mice in the tea-
And welcome Queen Alice with thirty-times-three!

"O Looking-Glass creatures," quoth Alice, "draw near!
'Tis and honour to see me, a favour to ear:
'Tis a privilege high to have dinner and tea
Along with the Red Queen, the White Queen, and Me!"

Then fill up the glasses with treacle and ink,
Or anything else that is pleasant to drink:
Mix sand with the cider, and wool with the wine-
And welcome Queen Alice with ninety-times-nine!"

Helen laughed uproariously, applauding with all her might as Alice curtseyed to them. "Wonderful performance, Queen Alice! Wonderful! Why, a performance that great deserves a special treat! If you go into the kitchen, you will see a tray of tarts on the counter. Help yourself to one!"

Alice beamed. "Thank you, Momma!" She ran towards the kitchen, stumbled over the hem of her dress, and went sprawling. Before she could start to cry, Helen and Charles picked her up and carried her to the kitchen on her own makeshift throne.

Margaret chuckled. "I remember that. That was just after your second trip here, right?" Alice nodded, and she smiled. "I thought you were being foolish, but I secretly always believed you."

Alice hugged her sister. "Do you remember what happened after Father's funeral?"

Margaret nodded.

Alice and Margaret sat in the parlor, unable to believe that their father was gone. He had been ill for a while, but it had still been a shock when the doctor had come downstairs that black day and pronounced the words that made the girl's lives turn upside down. "He has passed." The days following were blended together, with Helen doing her best to keep her emotions in check while making all the arrangements for his funeral. She had been a pillar.

So when Alice heard loud, harsh sobs coming from the kitchen, she and Margaret became concerned and went to investigate. They found their mother, still in the dress she had worn to the funeral, seated on the kitchen floor sobbing her heart out. Without a word, Alice and Margaret sat next to her, their arms wrapped around each other as they mourned the father and husband they had lost.

Helen swiped her eyes. "You know, if your father were here, he would say that it is foolish to be so very down in the mouth! He never let anything or anyone discourage him, and his final words to me were 'Helen, promise me that you will let our daughters grow up to be as mad as I am.' Alice, he has left you his watch, since you loved to play with it so much. Meggie, he simply wants you to have the best life you can."

Alice blinked back tears in remembrance and smiled at Alannah. "I still have the watch, and it has not stopped once."

Alannah smiled at them. "You had truly wonderful child hoods. I know you will still mourn when the time comes, but be comforted by the thought of all the good memories you have."

Alice and Margaret squeezed her hands in thanks and comfort.