"I need to ask this, Professor," I whisper in his ear, while we stand in line to kiss Fabiola's hands and receive her blessings. "I can accept that Wonderland is real and that its inhabitants live among us. I am even trying to accept that the likes of the Cheshire aren't malevolent childhood fantasies, but vicious monsters. What puzzles me is to accept them to be living all over the globe. Shouldn't all of this be happening at Oxford University where Lewis wrote his book?"
"When Lewis Carroll found out about the darkness lurking in Wonderland, he did his best to free its good people, and entrap its monsters," the Pillar says while greeting other tourists. He has an uncanny way with old ladies. They all giggle at him, even the nuns. "After Lewis locked the monsters in Wonderland, the rest of its inhabitants had to survive through incarnation and spells that allowed them to disguise behind new personalities all over the world. It was best for them to separate, so they wouldn’t cross paths. No one wanted to be reminded of what happened there. But since Wonderlanders are frabjous people by nature, they excelled wherever they were. I won’t be surprised if the Duchess ends up ruling England, the White Queen becomes the next Mother Teresa, and the Cheshire has a great chance to sell his soul to the devil. Those are a few of many others we haven’t met yet." He nods at one more woman and it's our turn to meet the White Queen.
"In that scope, it’s going to be a grand war between good and evil if the Wonderland Monsters escape like the Cheshire,” I remark.
"It’s called the Wonderland Wars, Alice," the Pillar says from the corner of his mouth, "Believe me, this is nothing to what you’re about to see soon. Didn’t you see me screaming on top of Tom Quad, warning people of an apocalypse? I hope you didn’t think I was joking like the sane people did." The Pillar stands up and bows to Fabiola, then approaches her.
I watch the Pillar kneel on one leg and kiss Fabiola's hand. Last time, I didn’t notice his hair is strangely spiky and short. It's also receding. He whispers something to the White Queen while on his knees. Like all other women, she smiles. Her smile is so serene, I swear I can feel light in my heart. But then when he raises his head and she takes a closer look at him, her face dims as if she has seen a ghost from the past.
Fabiola calls the ceremony to a halt and stands up. She is tall, and she is good-looking, really good-looking. Although I can’t see the features of her body from underneath her white dress, I am assuming she has a body of a ballerina. The way she stands shows she is athletic. I wonder what made her take on the role of a nun when she could have been a superstar or model in this life.
The Pillar stands up and keeps talking to her. She throws a short glance at me over his shoulders. I smile at her, unable to do anything else. I have never seen anyone like her. She flashes a brief smile at me too. It’s a sincere smile, but then she lets out a long sigh. Something about me brings sadness to her heart.
She turns back to the Pillar and whispers something to him. He nods agreeably. Then she holds the rim of her dress up like a princess and excuses herself from the other nuns who lower their heads with respect.
The Pillar approaches me in a hurry and pulls me by the hand to another private chamber in the church.
“What’s going on? Aren’t we going to meet the White Queen?” I wonder.
“We will. She doesn’t want to meet me in public. I am a bad man, you know,” the Pillar says in a regretful tone. I haven’t heard him sound like that. What kind of effect does Fabiola have on him? On me?
We pass through an enormous arch as he nods at a couple of nuns guarding the huge doors to the chamber. They lead us into a new hall and close the doors behind us. Fabiola appears on the other end, and points at the confession booth.
”This is going to be my first time in a confession booth, " the Pillar says. “I hope it’s big enough to fit us both.”
Chapter 46
Confession Booth, St. Peters, The Vatican City
"Forgive me Father for I have puffed," are the Pillar's first words in the booth. But then he looks embarrassed he said so. It’s like a habit. He doesn’t feel comfortable inside.
We’re waiting for the White Queen to open her screen to her compartment. The Pillar and I are squeezed into ours.
"Tell me what you want, Pillar,” are her first words when she rolls the screen open. She sounds a lot more serious than I would have expected. “Make it short. You know your presence in the house of God isn't that welcomed."
"Insults aside, I need to ask you something about Wonderland,” the Pillar says.
"There is no such thing as Wonderland," Fabiola says. I’m surprised with her response. I turn and face the Pillar with inquisitive eyes.
"She likes to joke," the Pillar explains.
"I'm not joking," Fabiola insists. "I don't talk about Wonderland in the presence of strangers."
"Alice is not a stranger," the Pillar says.
"She isn't Alice." The White Queen's tone isn’t negotiable. Although I like her, I am surprised she denies everything. “Not the one you think she is.”
"I'm Alice Wonder." I say. "And I don't necessarily want to be the 'Alice.' I am here to save a girl named Constance. Can you help us?"