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Enoch stood by the old marble counter of the kitchen. He held a hot cup of tea in his hands. The house was silent, it was between the hours of their nightly movie and bedtime; those short two hours before Enoch was exiled to his room to either sleep or tinker in darkness to not disturb the other children. Most of the children played quietly upstairs. Olive sat in the dining room with Jake, they conversed about something Enoch had no interest in.
Enoch enjoyed this time of night, it was calm and still, the buzz of the day had died down and the youngsters started to grow tired. The excitement around Jake had worn off, and he had simply become a part of their routine. It was unsettling to Enoch how quickly the house could adjust in just a few days.
Emma tip-toed as silently as she could in her large metal boots into the kitchen. She exchanged a quick look with Enoch, an apologetic look of acknowledgment that she disrupted his alone time. Enoch shot Emma the shortest of smiles to assure her he didn’t mind. Emma was fast, she wouldn’t disrupt him for long.
Emma took the jar of milk out of the refrigerator and placed it on the counter as she scanned the counter for a cup. She spotted a cup drying by the sink and reached for it. Enoch’s heart stopped and his chest tightened. He held his breath and his stomach twisted in knots as conflict brewed inside of him. Every inch of his body willed him toward Emma until he couldn’t fight it. He shot his hand out and spoke abruptly. His sharp voice startled her to a stop and her bones vibrated, her mind frozen from the jarring tone. “That’s Jake’s.”
Emma’s mind scrambled to take in the harsh, panicked message. “It’s clean. Just drying.” She assured, but Enoch’s face still held concern and his arm was still outstretched to stop her from stepping forward. She searched his eyes for clarification until his meaning dawned on her. Her eyes brightened as understanding set in and her body relaxed as she took a step back. “Oh! You mean permanently. Alright, I’ll get one from the cupboard.” She watched Enoch deflate before her. His confliction floated away, and he no longer held his breath.
Emma pulled her assigned porcelain cup out of the cupboard and poured the milk. She smiled at the daisies that adorned the light blue base. Happiness bubbled in her stomach as she rushed into the dining room. Jake and Olive looked up at the peculiar when she entered. They wore matching grins. Emma glanced at the thin object in Olive’s hands. Of course, she had Jake read one of her comics, and now the two must have been discussing it.
Emma couldn’t hide the smug smile that refused to leave her lips, and Jake took notice. He gave her a questioning look, but Emma waited until she was beside him to speak. “Well, Enoch’s decided you’re staying.” Emma sat in the empty chair on the side of Jake, opposite to Olive.
“What?” Jake watched Emma’s face as confusion set in. His eyebrows mingled and he glanced toward the kitchen, where he knew Enoch resided.
“He’s assigned you a cup, which means you’re staying. He has it in his head that you aren’t leaving, therefore, you can’t. It’s the rules of the house.” Emma joked.
Jake grinned at the playful tone. His heart flip-flopped at the idea of permanence in anyone’s life. He had made an impact on Enoch, on this house, on this family. “Is that so? Enoch decides it, so it’s law? Has anyone ever challenged this rule?” Jake teased back.
“Well, you could try, but it might just be the last thing you do.” Emma’s lopsided grin danced around a little until it eventually faltered as her mind wandered to a darker place.
Concern tugged at Jake’s stomach. Had he said something wrong? “What’s wrong?” He gently placed his hand on hers, and Emma glanced up.
“I’m sorry, Jake. I didn’t mean to ruin the moment.” She shot him an apologetic smile and looked at their hands. “It’s just…difficult when I know what’s to come. I feel a little guilty that I pushed him to open up to you, and now he’s going to take it the hardest when you leave.”
Jake squeezed Emma’s hand lightly. He opened his mouth to console her, but he was at a loss for words. He didn’t know them that well, he couldn’t say if Enoch would take it the hardest or not. Luckily, Olive stepped in to fill in the spots Jake couldn’t. “He’ll be fine, Emma. Enoch hasn’t gotten too attached, don’t worry. He still actively dislikes Jake’s presence, which means he’s preparing for abandonment.”
Jake’s heart sank at that word. “God, do you have to phrase it like that? That feels a little harsh.”
“I’m sorry. It’s just the way Enoch sees it. But it’s not the situation, Jake. You never made any promises to stay.”
Emma looked up at Olive past Jake and gave her a small smile. “I suppose your right. He is weirdly particular about seemingly random things. Perhaps the cup will be fair game again once Jake’s gone.”
Jake looked between Emma and Olive. “He was weirdly possessive about a chair in his room. Is that normal for him? I don’t wanna mess up and freak him out, what else is he “particular” about?” For reasons Jake didn’t understand, he very much wanted Enoch to like him. He enjoyed the small moments of peace he had shared with the other peculiar and he wanted more. Enoch excited him and made him feel special when he did things exclusively for or to Jake. Enoch’s reactions to Jake were unique to everyone else.
“It can be a little confusing at first, but once you learn the things he values, it becomes fairly easy to avoid.” Emma slid her hand out from underneath Jake’s to take a sip of her milk. “He’s assigned certain chairs to certain people. It took us ten years before he would allow us to remove Abe’s chair from the dinner table.” She glanced at the empty spot at the table where Abe’s chair had once stood. “He’s particular about cups, but that has a reason, so no one really minds him shouting at anyone who steals someone’s cup. There are certain household tasks that only one person is allowed to do, and a few of his items that are only allowed to be touched by one person.”
“Wait, what’s the reason for the cups?” Jake watched Emma.
Olive glanced toward the kitchen. Anxiety tickled her chest and urged her toward Enoch. She didn’t want him to walk in on them talking about him. He hated when people talked about him when he wasn’t there, no matter how simple the conversation was. She stood and trotted into the kitchen to distract her brother.
“Oh, there was a china salesman that came through a few months before our loop started. We each bought a unique water glass from him. They all have different flowers, so Enoch is very particular about us not taking someone else’s glass, which I don’t really mind. I’d be devastated if someone broke mine. The twins and Bronwyn have already broken theirs five and twelve times respectively. Luckily, the reset fixes them every time.”
Jake glanced at Emma’s glistening floral cup. It was beautiful. “What are everyone’s flowers?”
“Mine are white daisies, as you can see.” Emma laughed a little and the corners of her mouth upturned into a smile. “Fiona has sunflowers. Enoch has red roses. Olive has forget-me-nots mixed with lavender. Miss Peregrine has blue parrot tulips with black irises. She loves the cup because of the impossibility of blue tulips and the flamboyant shapes of irises.” Emma paused and looked at Jake excitedly. “Have they figured out how to make blue tulips yet?”
“I don’t know. I don’t really know anything about flowers.” He shrugged and his face twisted into a comical apology.
“Oh well, you can learn and tell me in a letter someday.” Emma smiled brightly before she continued. “Horace has white calla lilies. Claire has pink cherry blossoms. Bronwyn has white orchids. Hugh has orange chrysanthemums. Millard has multicolored carnations; his favorite is the green one. The twins have red poppies and buttercups. And Victor had red and white dahlias.”
Curiosity built inside of Jake. He didn’t want to ask, he knew it was a sore subject for Emma, but eventually, his curiosity spilled over, and he couldn’t contain it any longer. “What was my grandfather’s cup?”
Pain pulsated through Emma’s body for a moment at the mention of the name, but she quickly gathered herself and recovered. There was no point in fixating on the past. “He had pink peonies. We still have the cup; would you like to take it with you when you leave?” The offer was sweet and genuine. Jake wanted to take it so badly but worry tugged at his mind.
“Are you sure Enoch would be okay with that?”
“It doesn’t matter what Enoch’s okay with. It was your grandfather’s; it should belong to you. He doesn’t even have to know.” Emma’s soft voice was reassuring, but Jake’s stomach tangled and twisted until he felt sick.
“That wouldn’t feel right.” Jake stood from his chair slowly. Emma’s eyes followed his every move. “Could you show me the cup right now? I’ll take it home tonight, and I think I should at least tell Enoch I’m taking it. It sounds like the cups are important to him.”
“They’re important to everyone, but you’re right, he is especially attached to the order they bring.” Emma carefully followed Jake; her heavy boots weighed her down as she walked.
Enoch heard the sound of Emma’s footsteps before she even made it to the kitchen door. He looked up from Olive’s hands that showed him a small pinecone she had found earlier, to see Jake in the doorframe, Emma close behind him. Emma peeked over Jake’s shoulder at her two housemates, and she caught Enoch’s eyes. They stared at each other for a long silent moment. Emma’s face revealed their intentions to be unpleasant for Enoch. Whatever was to come, he knew he wouldn’t like it.
Olive glanced between the three. Her anxiety coursed through her body amplified by Enoch’s growing discomfort and Emma’s guilt. “I should help Miss Peregrine get the kids to bed.” She quickly excused herself. She squeezed between Jake and Emma to speed out of the kitchen and up the stairs.
Emma silently trudged over to the cabinet above the silverware drawer. Enoch moved back slightly to allow her access. Worry built in his bones as he watched both Jake and Emma carefully. He examined Emma’s elevated breathing, and Jake’s fidgeting fingers, the two were about to hurt him, he just knew it.
“Enoch.” Jake started, quietly, cautiously. Enoch’s heart pounded in his ears as anticipation took hold of his body. The noise was so loud someone could be screaming in his face and his focus would be better. Jake stepped further into the room, closer to Enoch, and Enoch took an instinctive step backward into the counter. The cold tile of the countertop jabbed his back uncomfortably, but he still preferred it to whatever was to come. “Emma offered me my grandfather’s cup, to take home. I wanted you to know that I’m gonna take it with me, so it won’t be here anymore. I wanna be upfront with you, I don’t wanna surprise you.”
Enoch’s eyes darted to Emma’s hand, which pulled down the delicate porcelain water glass with bright pink peonies. He processed Jake’s sentences. His brain mulled over every word until the message became comprehendible. He appreciated the courtesy, there was a small ball in his chest that panged at him, that willed him closer to Jake. A piece of his brain wanted to thank the kid, for his honesty, when most of his housemates tried to hide unpleasant things from him, for fear of his reaction. But conflict brewed inside the young man. There were too many conflicting emotions, too many complicated sensations for him to evaluate at that time.
Enoch watched Jake for a moment, then he glanced back to Emma. He felt their eyes on him, awaiting his response. Their gazes pinned him in place and trapped him in his own mind. He was very aware of his body, but the world around him grew distant. He could feel the cotton of his clothes brush against his skin, the pulse on his wrists and neck beat faster and faster at each passing moment, the small layer of sweat that began to form on the back of his neck and forehead, the tension in his muscles and the ache associated with it. His brain searched hopelessly for words, for a witty, defensive comeback, for any response at all, but all that came to mind was a short “fine.”
Enoch pushed past Jake, away from Emma, to hide upstairs in his dark den, the only place he ever truly felt safe; and even then, there were times he had intruders invade the sanctity of his space. He heard Emma sigh and he could feel her shoulders slump. He knew that look so well, he didn’t even need to see it to know it was there. “It was worth a try” was the last thing Enoch heard before he closed his door to shut the world out.