It was the hanged man, his gorgeous body now hideously flattened. Alice ran to him and lifted his now clean-shaven chin with delicate fingers to peer into his eyes. Without his facial hair, she recognized he was more than just the hanged man. He was Jack. Her Jack. Under his perfect mop of dark and sweaty hair, tired blackness bagged beneath his half-shut eyes. His lips were cracked from dryness, a desperate tongue failing to revive them.
“Hanged man,” she whispered.
He awoke at her voice, and seemed to notice his surroundings. With his gaze into her eyes, Alice felt him penetrate her soul.
“Alice.” His dry, scratchy voice cracked through his smile. “My big beauty. Ly muv.”
He seemed to have forgotten all the horrible accusations around him. He put all his attention on her. His recognition of who she was, as if nothing else mattered to him except her, made Alice swoon.
“Jack. My dear hanged man.” Alice wanted to keep his mind off the trial. “I never had a chance to ask you. How did you know my name?”
“You’re the only woman…Your warm love…for my hold cart.”
Alice clutched fast to him, holding him as tight as she could.
“Stop that at once!” the queen shouted. “Get that woman away from the Jack!”
Two soldiers clamped their beefy hands on Alice’s arms and began dragging her away from the hanged man.
“No!” Alice cried. What could she do? “I know where your tarts are! I know who has them!”
“Wait!” shouted the queen. She looked at Alice with stern eyes. “Where are they?”
“They’re in that shed over there,” Alice pointed to the nearby wooden hut. “And Queen, the man inside who stole the tarts?” Alice gave the queen a firm look. “He also took your rose.”
The queen’s mouth opened, and then closed into a thin-lipped grimace. Angry red welts filled her cheeks. The queen stood and stepped down from her throne.
Holding her dress up off the ground, the queen marched towards the shed. “It’s like I have fists of steel.” Her hands turned to metal and she disappeared into the shed.
In moments, Alice heard the duke cry out.
Alice turned to the Jack of Hearts. It was ludicrous that the Jack was suspected of crimes he could never commit. He only wants to love. And the one he decides to love is his choice. Jack’s choice. No matter who he chooses to love, love is never a crime.
She wrapped her arms around him, and held him tight. “Jack, I’m sorry,” she said. “I should have known who you really loved, who you really needed. Now I do, Jack. I do.”
She held him close. He felt so thin, wasted away in her arms as if she were holding herself.
“Alice.”
“I’m sorry,” Alice said.
“Alice!”
Alice opened her eyes to a blinding light. And was someone hammering her head? No. It just really hurt. There was someone. In the light.
Alice could make out Jack’s face over her. Over her? How did she get to be on the ground?
Jack smiled. “Sleeping beauty awakens!”
“Finally,” Carol’s voice said. Alice noticed Carol was sitting beside her. Jack was still shirtless wearing only his pants and suspenders.
Alice tried to prop herself up.
“Ow!” She clutched her head to stop it from spinning. “What happened?”
“You fell,” Jack said. “Hit your head pretty hard.”
“I did? How long was I out?”
“About two minutes.”
Alice sat upright.
Ow.
Alice lay back down.
“Take it easy, Alice,” Carol said. “If you fall unconscious again, Lois will hate me for not taking better care of you.”
Was that wonderland all a dream? Alice struggled at remembering everything that had happened in her dream. Oh my Lord! I was such a slut! She felt woozy and the sky was spinning. I hope I have another dream like that.
The hum of the family car arriving at the manor sounded in the distance.
“There’s Lois with your parents,” Carol said. “Are you okay, Alice?”
“I’m fine.”
“Good, because I have to go. Alice, I love you, I care about you, and you are the worst study partner ever. I need Lois if I’m ever going to pass my history class.” Carol stood up and ran to the car.
Alice and Jack laughed as they watched her go.
“She’s an amazing woman, isn’t she?” Alice slowly got up off the ground.
“Sure is.” Jack helped her stand.
“And funny.” She brushed off the dirt from her dress.
“Uh, huh.”
“And very pretty, too.”
Jack examined Alice’s face. “Uh…yeah,” he said slowly.
Time to come clean. Alice struggled to find the words. “Jack, I saw how you looked at her, and…”
Jack’s quirked a small smile.
“I just want you to know that I think Carol will be a wonderful companion for you.”
“Alice,” Jack shook his head. “What are you talking about?”
“Face it. She’s funnier than me, she’s prettier than me,…”
Jack laughed. “If I had a choice between you and Carol, it would be you. Hands down.”
Alice gulped.
“The way you get me riled up with all your flirting,” Jack smirked. “And seeing you last night…”
Alice blushed.
Jack gave a deep, throaty laugh. “I’ll remember that for the rest of my life.” His expression turned to a darker place. “But there’s no way a gardener could be with someone as upper-class as you. I just can’t afford to give you all the things you need.”
She felt dizzy. Was that why he never returned her advances? Because he thought he wasn’t rich enough?
“You really like me?”
“Are you kidding? I’ve been admiring you ever since you made me that celery soup when I was sick three years ago.” He smiled. “You said, ‘I can’t have my favorite gardener in bed all day. There are bushes to trim! Plants to prune! How will I get the chance to interfere with your work if you aren’t working?’ ”
A tear tickled Alice’s cheek. Jack used a thumb to wipe it away.
Alice giggled. “It was split-pea.”
He gently brushed her hair out of her eyes with his big hand, dirty from gardening. “But I’m not good enough for you.”
Alice growled. “Jack, I’m the one decides who I like, no one else.”
He nodded. It seemed like he was weighing her words. “You say that, but…” Jack looked as though he were making a decision.
“Jack. I want you and-”
“Good.” Jack stepped closer, resting his hands on her waist. His lips were upon hers, her body turning to soup. Of her favorite flavor.
This is real, Alice told herself. This is true. Not a dream.
Jack tugged her closer to deepen the kiss. His tongue tasted her lips. His big, firm hand massaged her neck.
Alice pushed away. “Wait,” she said. “What about Carol?”
Jack smiled and ran his fingers through her hair. “I don’t think Carol will mind.”
“But-”
“Follow me,” Jack said. He took her hand and led her to the front of the house.
Jack motioned for Alice to crouch down and keep quiet. They crept into the bushes by the front windows. Large, floor-to-ceiling window panels revealed the dining room. They inched closer to the window and peered inside. Alice saw Carol sitting next to Lois at the dining room table, facing out but not seeing Jack and Alice through the window. The way the dining room floor was waist-high to Alice and Jack, they had a clear view of under the table. Lois’s hand was exploring between Carol’s legs, and Carol’s hand lay on Lois’s bare leg.
“My sister’s a lesbian?!”
Jack smiled.
“How did I not know my sister’s a lesbian?” Alice grabbed Jack by the arms. “That is so cool!”
“Come on. Let’s go.”
“So that’s why Lois has been spending all her time with Carol!” Alice whispered.
“Come. Time for me to make you dinner.” He grinned. “Back at my place.”