The Bird and the Bee

Chapter 21

"Please do be careful in town." Miss Peregrine was laying down the guidelines for before Jenny and Matilda leaves, all answered with an assuring nod or a soft chuckle from the brunette.

"It's alright, we're just going to the library." Jenny says with a smile.

"I know, but the people in town are a bit...unpredictable." Alma says, glancing off to the side for a moment.

"Relax, bluebird. We'll be just fine."

"Bluebird?" Matilda raises an eyebrow, Jenny blanking for a moment as her cheeks burned, glancing down at the girl.

"It's just a nickname-" Jenny rushes to say with a nervous smile but the girl let a slow grin spread across her face.

"Did she tell you yet?" Matilda asks excitedly and Jenny sent her a confused look, her eyes moving to Alma's.

"Tell me what?"

"I'll tell you later, for now just worry about safely getting to the library and back." Alma replies smoothly, emphasizing the word as to make her point come across and Jenny sighed.

"Yes, Miss Peregrine. We'll be just fine." She says, tossing her a gentle look. Jenny held out her hand, Matilda taking it with a smile and wished the headmistress one last farewell before leaving the home. From her place in the kitchen, Alma watched from the small window as the woman and her daughter walked away from the children's home.

Despite knowing they would be back, Alma already missed then terribly.

~~~

Matilda was looking at the different shelves and books as Jenny walked around the library, getting a sense of deja vu from when they first entered the island. It felt so long ago despite only being almost about two weeks ago that she first encountered the loop. Jenny couldn't help but let her mind wander to the ymbryne, a small smile playing on her lips as she thought back to the day at the library. She remembered exactly how her talons felt when they brushed against her hand, the feeling that struck her chest when the indigo eyes met hers. The younger woman was so lost in thought, she hadn't realized where she was going and almost bumped into a man who stepped in front of her.

"Hey, watch where you're going!" He grumbles, Jenny's heart faltering for a moment when she recognized the voice.

"Mr Wormwood?" Her brown eyes layed upon the short man ahead of her and managed a smile when she seen it was Matilda's father, alongside him was his wife and son.

"Who are you?"

"Oh, I'm Miss Honey. I adopted Matilda from you both-"

"I don't want a word about that little brat, she's yours now. No returns." The man says, about to walk off.

"I wasn't going to ask to do so."

"Then what do you want? Going to hold us up even longer?" He complains, his eyes meeting hers and Jenny tried to send him a smile.

"No, of course not. I just wasn't sure if you'd like to say hello to her or...not." Jenny's voice fell quiet when she seen the unamused expression on all of their faces, her cheeks burning slightly from embarrassment.

"We don't need to say hello to a girl who decided to leave us in the first place. Technically not even family now." Mrs Wormwood speaks up, Jenny not helping the slightly peeved look that fell across her face.

"You can't just possibly erase her from your life as if you didn't even know her." The woman states, a slight glare forming on her features.

"The brat doesn't even care and why should you? You wanted her in the first place and that's what you got, aren't you happy?" The man says, sending her a look.