“Come on, Papa,” Alice groaned, stopping in her tracks around the rug. “You have to do the voices!”
Killian sighed and massaged his eyebrows. He regretted agreeing to Alice’s request of playing “In the Square”. They took turns choosing the recreational activity each day, his usually erring on the side of skill set building while hers focused on imagination.
With a hand on his hip, he asked Alice in an enthusiastic and quick manner, “Birds, wind chimes, and more! Wouldn’t you fancy one, miss? Buy something now and the second thing is half off!”
Alice laughed before getting serious and tutted, “No, thanks. What awful noise! Shame on you, making my baby cry.” She patted the doll in her pram. “There there.”
“Why I?!” Killian acted taken aback before making echoes as if he had moved on, selling more wares as Alice pushed her pram around him.
Upon returning in front of him, Alice asked, “A beautiful day, isn’t it?”
Killian fiddled with his hook, unsure of what to say until Alice smiled brightly.
“Uh, yes, right. Sun’s out,” he replied in a timid Cockney accent, reminiscent of the kids he played with in the rural town center of his childhood.
“Indeed. Spring’s around the corner.”
“Who have you got there?”
Alice lifted the doll out of the pram, a proud grin across her face. She fussed with its clothes, smoothing out the collar and orange shoulder ruffle.
“My sweetie, Twyla.” Alice motioned the doll with blonde braided pigtails vertically upright and positioned it next to her face. “Doesn’t she look like me? Say hi, little one.” She waved the doll’s arm up and down.
“Hello, gorgeous. Pleased to meet you,” Killian replied, a tight smile on his face.
Maybe Alice thought nothing of it, sometimes making her new or favorite stuffie of the month her baby in the pram instead of the current doll that had her characteristics. Ever since Alice could differentiate what was different about herself and others she heard or read about in stories, she’d ask why it was such. The simplest question got a big ball of rolling; ‘Why is my hair yellow unlike yours, Papa?”
He told her of traits getting passed down, adding to her interest in his family history. She asked about what happened to her mother and Killan knew someday he’d have to disclose full details, but for now, it was a sanitized abridged version. Alice accepted that she was imprisoned by an evil witch and only knew her mother was initially charming, but left as soon as she got what she wanted after Alice’s birth. His little starfish was disappointed at first, but then relieved because she claimed she had him, so she’s okay.
Still, her games of pretend illuminated her unspoken desires. He loved the idea of Alice being happy as a mother, but waned at the pretense of her being unable to leave the tower. Would she’d ever be able to fall in love and start a family of her own?
Killian didn’t have long to ruminate in his negative thoughts as Alice beckoned him to follow her.
“Papa, describe more please!”
He held onto the corner of her pram and they did circular and zigzag paths around the tower furniture.
“There’s the fountain!” Killian said, pointing at a random bowl. “Look at the water as it overflows from one giant plate into the bottom basin of water.” He pretended the underside of the table was the fountain’s base, lowering his head. “Ah, so many coins! Want to make a wish?”
“Can I?!”
Killian fished a coin out of his pocket and handed it to Alice. She brought the coin close to her chest, closing her eyes, and then tossed it into a large bowl. Her eyes lit up with joy as he took out another coin and did the same, Killian wishing that whatever Alice’s wishes for comes true. His coin rattled as it joined Alice’s coin.
“Alright!” She said determined, energy in her step, “Let’s go!”