Heathan looked at my doll, then he looked away from me. He let go of the magnifying glass and ran his hand over the pocket in his vest.
“What’s in there?” I leaned forward to get a better look. Heathan’s hand slammed over the pocket to keep it closed. I looked up into his eyes. Whatever was in there, I didn’t think he was gonna let me see. But he breathed out deeply and reached inside. I waited, holding my breath as he pulled out something shiny and gold. I leaned in closer and closer, until my head was hovering above his hand. My face was only an inch from his. Heathan met my eyes, then slowly opened his hand. Finger by finger.
“Heathan.” My heart started racing. “It’s a pocket watch?”
“It’s getting late.” He stared at the face. I frowned when I saw that the glass was smashed and the hands weren’t moving. A long chain dangled from his pocket.
“Heathan,” I gasped. I had to hold my hand back from touching the broken glass. “It’s broken. It doesn’t work,” I said sadly.
Heathan looked confused. He held the watch up to his ear, tapped the side and said, “Tick tock.” He held it out toward me. “Tick tock. Tick tock. Tick tock.” His head tilted to the side. “It works just fine. Can’t you hear it? Tick tock. Tick tock. Tick tock. Can’t you see it?”
I stared at the watch. I studied it really hard. I couldn’t see or hear anything. Then I realized Heathan was playing pretend. Just like I did with my tea parties. He wanted me to play along with his game.
“I can hear it!” I smiled. Heathan froze at my words, then his lip started to tug up at the corner and I thought I saw him smile too.
Kind of, anyway. It was sort of a smile.
I didn’t think Heathan smiled all that much. He seemed sad. Different to Eddie. They were both serious. But with Heathan, it was different. I wanted to know why.
Then I froze. My hand flew to my mouth as I realized something. “Heathan,” I whispered eagerly as I looked down at my doll. At my clothes. I looked at his waistcoat, then down at the pocket watch . . . “The White Rabbit.” I scrambled forward and sat right in front of him. Heathan didn’t move. “The watch . . . You’re just like the White Rabbit from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.”
I laughed and I laughed.
“Rabbit.” I pointed at his chest. “Tick tock, tick tock, tick tock . . . you’re Rabbit!”
“Dolly.”
“Rabbit!” I agreed and smiled at our new names. “Dolly and Rabbit. Alice followed the rabbit down the rabbit hole. He took her to Wonderland. He took her from her dull world and into one of bright colors and magical creatures.” I squeezed my doll. “And now I have met you. Have you come to show me a new world?”
I waited in excitement for his answer, then a shadow suddenly blocked out the sun.
“Ellis.”
I peered up and saw Eddie standing tall above us. His arms were crossed over his chest. “Eddie!” I pointed at Heathan. “He’s Rabbit and I’m Dolly! Can you believe it?”
“What?” Eddie asked, eyebrows pulled down real tight. “What do you mean?”
“From Wonderland!” I threw my head back in happiness. “Like that thing my mummy always said . . .” I tried to think. “Fate!” I shouted, remembering her words. “It’s fate!”
Eddie’s face screwed up. “Why have you never made me one of the characters from that book?”
I screwed my face up too. “Who would you be?” I hadn’t ever seen Eddie as anyone from Wonderland.
He shrugged, then his face lit up and he tapped his hat. “I could be the Mad Hatter! I always wear my hat. So does he.”
I studied his hat. I shook my head and laughed at his silliness. “You could never be the Mad Hatter.”
“Why?” Eddie crossed his arms over his chest again.
“Because the Mad Hatter is mad, silly! You’re not. You’re ‘sensible,’” I said with air quotes. “Mrs. Jenkins always tells me how you’re a ‘good boy’ and very ‘sensible in the head.’” I shook my head. “So you can’t be the Mad Hatter, Eddie. It just doesn’t suit. You don’t belong in Wonderland.” I looked back at Heathan to see him staring at me. “But Heathan and I . . .”
Heathan whipped his head around to look at Eddie. Then Heathan moved right beside me, almost in front of me, and glared at Eddie. Eddie swallowed. He went very pale as Heathan scowled at him.
“I’m going home now,” Eddie said slowly, backing away. “You wanna come with me? My mama said you can come for supper. Maybe take a ride on our newest colt.” Eddie lived next door—well, on the next estate over. The Smith estate was a ranch. He snuck in through the hedges separating the properties to come see me. I didn’t ever go to his house. My papa never ever let me. I’d never left our estate’s grounds in my whole life.