Unexpected Love

Chapter 28

Alma looked over when she heard the phone ring, the sound drawing her out of her thoughts. Julia was busy teasing Horace about his clothing when Alma walked by, stopping in the hall where the phone was.

"Hello?"

"Hello, is this Miss Peregrine?"

"Yes." Alma says, confused as to why her friend Miss Cuckoo was calling her. "Isabel?"

"Yes, that's me. The council wants you and Miss Barron here tomorrow for some sort of screening. They must need to examine for any information I suppose."

Alma felt her heart sink. Avocet did let work get out and now the whole council knows who Julia is and is after her. The ymbryne could've handled one person knowing, but all of the ymbrynes of the council? That's too much.

"Alma?"

"Yes, I'm here. We'll be over tomorrow." Alma says and talked a bit more before closing with goodbye and putting the phone down.

"Jules?" Alma called for her, the woman catching her attention and finally Julia walked off from Horace who sent her a glare before walking off. "What did you do now?"

"What I always do, teasing people for no reason." She shrugs. "What do you need?"

"Miss Cuckoo called. It's about the council." Alma says and Julia let's a small flash of worry creep into her features. "It doesn't seem to be anything to bad but they need to do a screening on you."

"And that doesn't sound like 'anything to bad'?" Julia says, a bit frustrated and Alma shakes her head.

"No, it's just to examine for any further information they can..well, yes, I suppose that's bad. Depending on how you're looking at it." Alma defends and Julia scoffs.

"I'm sure anyone who hears that will immediately think, 'let's torture some information out of her about her father' even though I don't know shit!" Julia snaps and Alma sends her a firm look.

"I highly doubt the council will resort to such a matter." She says. "More than likely you will just be interrogated."

"Such a waste of both our times." Julia mutters and Alma sends her a look. "I'm not doing it."

"If you don't do it you will look suspicious." Alma mentions and Julia glares at her.

"Don't you think they already think I'm suspicious?" She points out. "I'd rather keep my sanity and not be questioned, thank you very much. Even if it means I leave here and find a new place to lay low."

"You are not leaving my loop." Alma says. "I planned to keep you safe and I assure you I will. This is just one setback, but part of it was your fault. Having done that in front of my mentor."

"You're saying this is my fault?"

"In a way, yes." Alma says and sends her a look. "You knew Avocet may be coming and still decided to do so."

"Here I though you rather enjoyed it." Amelia mutters. "Fine, I'll stop being near you if that helps but I will be leaving." She says and walks upstairs.

"That's not what I meant, Julia." Alma says, raising her tone slightly but the woman was already gone to her room and she sighed.

"Congrats, you handled that well." Enoch says sarcastically having just walked in with Emma and Olive from outside.

"Mr O'Connor, go back to your chores. This is not any of your business."

"Technically since she's living in a loop that we also belong in, we should know.." Emma didn't finish her thought when her headmistress sent her a frustrated look. "Alright, we're going." She sighs and heads upstairs with the two to do chores.

Alma paced off into the kitchen, taking her pipe and lighting it as she watched Hugh and Fiona outside from the small window. Millard was playing with him and she seen his bees go after the boy, knowing soon he will come inside to announce Hugh stung him. As if on cue, she heard the door open.

"Miss P, Hugh stung me again!" Millard says and Alma sends a glance at the boys.

"Millard, please no shouting in the house. Hugh, no more with the bees." She scolds and Hugh grumbles before heading outside and gathering up his bees. "Millard, I know you haven't finished your chores." Alma says with a hinting tone.

"I'll go do them now." He says and goes to walk off.

"Thank you." Alma says softly, watching him go. She returned to her pipe, taking a few glances at the kettle before deciding to turn it on and make a cup of tea. Afterwords she would have to tend to some paperwork in her office if the children are behaving, but she was unsure how she'd focus if her mind was still stuck on Julia. She knew she didn't mean what she said, she's just worried for her. But the woman didn't understand that.

"Damn you, Julia." Alma sighs and heads upstairs with her pipe, walking towards the woman's room. She hesitated for a moment before taking a small breath in and knocking on her door.

"What the fuck do you want?"

"I don't appreciate the tone." Alma scolds and softened her voice. "I just want to talk."

"There's nothing to talk about, I made my decision." Julia snaps before cursing under her breath and Alma carefully opened the door. She seen the woman trying to pack, but because of the stress, her hands kept making marks on everything she even tried to pick up.

"I can make you gloves like what I made for Olive." Alma offers and Julia sends her a sharp look.

"I'm not stupid, don't you think I've tried that before?" She snaps and Alma felt a small pang of hurt but let it slide. She instead walked over and glanced over her, deep in thought.

"What?" She snaps, trying to pack away her clothes.

"I don't want you to leave, Jules." Alma says quietly, taking the woman's outfit from her hands.

"Why not?" Julia says, yanking it out from the ymbrynes hand and throwing it aside before sitting down on the edge of the bed in defeat.

Alma sighed before joining her, sitting down beside her. She seen the small red glow from the woman's hand and gently rested her on top of it, Julia immediately moving it away to not burn her despite the burning seemed to ease at the touch.

"I love you, Jules." Alma says softly, meeting the woman's gaze when she glanced at her. "Though you won't admit it, I know that you don't want to leave either."