Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Jennifer woke to the sound of rain gently falling against her bedroom window. She rolled over in bed to watch the raindrops roll down the glass before getting dressed.

Today marked two years since her horrid aunt left, giving Jennifer her freedom and childhood home back. The past two years had been wonderful as she moved back into her home and had Matilda by her side. They had thrown away all of the shot puts, javelins, and other objects that the Trunchbull had left behind, leaving a blank slate for Jennifer to work with. With the help of Matilda, she planted wildflowers as she did at her cottage and together they made the large house feel like a home again.

After getting dressed she walked downstairs, following a sweet smell coming from the kitchen. As she made her way through the kitchen doors she smiled to herself as she saw Matilda whipping up some pancakes for the two of them to eat for breakfast. Matilda looked up from the pancakes she was flipping.

“Good morning sweetheart. Are you making breakfast?” Jennifer smiled and sat at the table.

“Good morning Jenny! Yup.” Matilda said as she got down from a stool and brought Jennifer a plate of pancakes and a cup of tea.

“Thank you Matilda” she kissed Matilda’s head and watched her sit down with her own plate. “What’s the occasion?” she asked since Matilda usually only makes her breakfast on her birthday.

“I just thought you deserved it, especially today since I know the anniversary made you a little sad last year,” Matilda said in between bites.
It was true. Jennifer couldn’t help but feel a bit bleak as her thoughts kept returning to her memories of her aunt.

After breakfast, the pair walked to Crunchem Elementary together and Jennifer walked Matilda to her class before retreating to her office, previously owned by her aunt. Although she had been dreading the work she had to do today, seeing her office gave her a surprising jolt of determination. Something about seeing the absence of the chokey, which was covered in drywall last year when she had the office renovated, reinstated a feeling of hope and contentment inside the young principal. It reminded her that her aunt was gone and that she was safe from her grasp.

She spent the rest of the day working in her office and occasionally leaving to observe various classrooms. The school had been doing very well ever since Jennifer made tweaks to the curriculum and hired a school counselor, which was much needed after the trauma of the previous principal’s reign.

At three o’clock, the final bell rang as Jennifer walked to meet Matilda outside of her classroom. They walked with each other through the school and down the front steps, Matilda rambling the entire time about what she learned in class. Jennifer smiled and listened intently; she was so glad that Matilda was enjoying school more ever since she was bumped up to the 6th grade due to her high test scores.
As they reached the front of the school Matilda finished her ramblings as she had become slightly out of breath.

“Hey, what do you say to a library visit? We haven't been in a while” Jennifer looked down at Matilda, knowing her answer would be yes.

Once they arrived at the library Matilda ran ahead to look for a certain book that her teacher had mentioned. Jennifer walked along the aisles of books, looking for a copy of The Count of Monte Cristo. Her father often read it to her before bed before he died and it became a great comfort to her in the years she spent tormented by her aunt. Jennifer thought back to the last time she had read the copy her father gave her…

Jennifer lay in her room, tears on her cheeks as she read The Count of Monte Cristo. The binding was falling apart and her tears had blurred the letters on some of the pages but she didn’t mind. It was all she had to remember her father and she could recite it from memory if she wanted to.
Suddenly the door burst open and she looked in horror as her aunt stood in the doorway. She quickly pushed her book under her pillow.
“What do you have there you little maggot?” the Trunchbull shouted as she came forward and grabbed the book out from under the pillow.
She held up the book and looked down at Jennifer with rage in her eyes.
“I thought I said that you’re grounded?! You little snake, hiding books and thinking you can get away with it!” the Trunchbull took the book in both of her hands and started tearing the pages and binding.
“No don’t! Please!” Jennifer pleaded, tears streaming down her face.
“That’ll teach you not to defy me. Quit your crying, you’re spineless just like your father” Her aunt then left her room, slamming the door behind her.
She fell to her knees as she looked at the demolished book, papers strewn across her floor…

“Excuse me?”
Jennifer looked up as a soft voice broke her out of her trance. A woman was standing in front of her with a smile on her face. She had short brown hair, tortoise shell glasses, and her smile was beautiful. Jennifer shook her head slightly as she was spacing out again, thinking about the stranger in front of her.

“I’m sorry, what did you say?” she said as she looked at the person in front of her.

“No worries, I’m Max the new assistant librarian and I was wondering if there was a particular book I could help you find?” she smiled warmly.

“Nice to meet you, I’m Jennifer Honey. And yes actually, I was looking for the Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas” she explained with a friendly smile as her mind became fully in the present.

“The only copy we have was checked out yesterday, but I have my own copy if you’d like to borrow it?” Max offered.

Jennifer would have declined politely, not wanting to trouble Max over a book she’s read countless times, but she was desperate to read it. It had been so long since she last read it and she needed a comforting book today.

“That’s very sweet of you, I would love to borrow it,” she said with a nod.

They chatted a bit as Max checked out Matilda’s stack of books and retrieved her copy of The Count of Monte Cristo from the back. Jennifer couldn’t help but admire the attractive librarian as she spoke and got butterflies in her stomach as Max smiled at her.

“Thank you again, I promise I’ll take good care of it,” Jennifer said as Max handed her the book.

“No worries, and I trust you,” she said with a soft smile.

Later that night, after she had tucked Matilda into bed, Jennifer settled into her reading chair in her bedroom. Since it was a Friday night she had time to read and knew she would finish before she went to bed.

She opened the book and was instantly hit with nostalgia as she began to read. Bittersweet tears welled up in her eyes as she read and the story came back to her. In some parts, she could almost hear her father reading it to her and in others, she recalled memories that she had attached to certain passages.

As she read she also noticed that Max had made small annotations in the margins of the book. She felt almost as if she was getting to know Max more through her annotations as she flicked through the pages.

Jennifer wiped her tears as she turned the page and came upon a line that was underlined.

"All human wisdom is contained in these two words - Wait and Hope”

She recalled being a little girl and clinging to the same words as if they could somehow make everything okay again, because back then all she could do was wait and hope things would get better someday.

Chapter Text

The next morning, Jennifer did some gardening in the front yard as Matilda did homework on the grass. It was a nice warm day but it wasn’t too hot because there was a breeze. After a couple of hours, Jennifer went inside and took a shower before coming downstairs again.

“Matilda?” Jennifer grabbed her bag and the book she was borrowing from Max “I’m going to the library to return this book but I won’t be long.”

Matilda was sitting on the couch reading. “Okay! Would you mind taking the book that’s on the table too? It’s almost past due”

“Of course, I’ll be right back,” she said as she leaned down and kissed Matilda’s head before walking out the door.

She walked down the path through the trees and towards the library, taking a deep breath of the fresh warm air. As the library came into view she suddenly felt nervous about walking in and seeing Max. She smoothed out her dress before walking in. The library was especially quiet today, and she realized there was no one else there. As she walked up to the front Max looked up and smiled brightly as she saw Jennifer. Her smile caused a hitch in Jennifer’s breathing.

“Good morning Jennifer” Max leaned forward on the counter smiling. Jennifer glanced at the freckles on her nose that she hadn’t noticed the day before. She also made note of the brown sweater and black pants Max was wearing. She also had a septum piercing and black earrings that went well with her glasses.

“Good morning Max” Jennifer walked forward, spacing out again as they looked at Max. She shook her head slightly. “Ah- I’m here to return your book. Thank you again for letting me borrow it. It was great to read it again. The story means a lot to me” Jennifer said with a smile.

“Of course. It’s one of my favorite books. I reread it all the time. If it means that much to you, you should keep it!”

Jennifer shook her head “Oh no I couldn’t do that. It has all of your annotations in it!” “Don’t worry, I have another copy at home! I can tell how much you love the book and I want you to have it,” Max assured. Jennifer gave in and thanked Max.

They then began talking about the book and their favorite quotes. “I saw that you underlined ‘All human wisdom is contained in these two words - Wait and Hope’...” Jennifer looked down at the book in her hands “I can’t tell you how many times I comforted myself with that quote when I was younger.”

Max looked at Jennifer softly “I’m sorry you needed that quote at such a young age” She placed her hand on top of Jennifers.

Jennifer smiled back, her face warming up as she felt Max’s soft hand against hers. She snapped herself back to reality and checked her watch. “I’m afraid I have to go, I don’t want to leave Matilda home alone very long. Thank you so much for the book!” Jennifer then pushed her way out the door quickly, stopping outside to catch her breath and release the nervousness in her chest.

After Jennifer walked out the door, Max let out a breath of air that she didn’t know she was holding. She put a hand to her chest and could feel her heart racing. She laughed at herself being this nervous around someone she had barely met yesterday. For one thing, she doesn’t even know if Jennifer is gay. And if Matilda is her daughter it’s very possible that she has a husband.

Max ran her hand through her hair as she attempted to calm her thoughts. Her thoughts instead turned towards the past, as they often do when she is stressed…

Max was walking to school, her palms sweaty as she saw her classmates standing around and waiting for school to start. As she reached the front of the school a group of boys noticed her. “Hey Maxine! What’s with the haircut?” one of them yelled, causing more kids to look at her. Max looked down as everyone looked at her new short hair. “She looks like a boy!” the group of boys laughed boisterously at her and they continued to insult her and call her awful names…

Jennifer walked inside and Matilda was still reading on the couch, right where she left her. She put her bag down and sat down next to her. She looked down at the book in her hands and soon spaced out thinking about Max and how kind she was to let her keep the book. Matilda took notice of Jennifer’s behavior and took mental note of it, getting a feeling that there was significance to it.

Chapter Text

Over the next week, Jennifer and Matilda went to the library almost every day because Matilda had a school project that she had to do research for. Jennifer didn’t mind though, it gave her an excuse to see Max. While Matilda busily flipped through books, Jennifer would stand near the counter and talk to Max, sometimes helping them shelve books. They got to know each other better over the course of the week. Max learned about how Jenny adopted Matilda, but none of the specifics. She was just happy to know that Jennifer wasn’t married.

It was a Thursday afternoon and Jennifer was following Max around the library as she pushed a cart of books. She stopped in one aisle and they began shelving various books in silence, simply enjoying each other’s company. Max glanced over at Jennifer, admiring her profile, and how pretty she was. They continued walking throughout the library and Max shelved the book The Body by Stephen King.

“Hey Jennifer, have you seen the movie Stand by Me? It’s the movie that’s based on this book” she said as she pointed at the book.

“No I haven’t. I’m afraid I haven’t watched many movies. I don’t even have a tv” Jennifer said with a soft chuckle.

“Wow really? Any particular reason?” Max asked curiously. “I just prefer books I guess. And I didn’t have a tv growing up so I never had to desire to get one once I was older” Jennifer said as she thought back to her solitary existence in her aunt's house.

“Well, what are you doing tomorrow night?” Max smiled as she leaned against the shelf, Jennifer suddenly being aware that she was rather close to her.

“I’m not doing anything. Matilda is having a sleepover at her friend Lavender’s house so I was just planning on staying home and reading” Jennifer turned to Max, giving in to her contagious smile.

“Would you like to come over for dinner?” Max was trying her best not to seem nervous. “Like a date?” Jennifer asked, not being able to control the smile on her face. “Something like that” Max responded with a slight smirk "And after dinner, we can watch some movies I think you'll enjoy."

“I would love to” Jennifer affirmed softly.

“Great! Here I’ll write down my address for you” Max pulled out a pen and wrote their address down on the back of a receipt from their pocket “does 6 work for you?”

“That’s perfect” Jennifer took the address from Max before they continued to shelve books, them both feeling giddy with excitement for the rest of the day.

The following afternoon Jennifer took a shower and put some light makeup on before walking into her closet. She let out a deep sigh, not knowing what to wear on her date with Max.

She finally settled on a casual dress with small white flowers on it. She grabbed her bag and a cardigan before going downstairs. 

"Matilda? Are you ready to walk to Lavender's house?"

"Coming!" Matilda yelled as she ran down the stairs.

They walked out the door and began walking towards Lavender's house.

"Are you going somewhere?" Matilda said, eyeing Jennifer's dress.

"Oh, uh- yes, I'm having dinner with Max" Jennifer stated, looking forward as they walked.

Matilda took a moment to process this information. 

"So you're going on a date?"

Jennifer widened her eyes as she looked down at Matilda

"W-Well, yes..." Jennifer blurted nervously. She had never told Matilda that she's attracted to women and wasn't sure if she should. "Is that okay with you?" Jennifer asked, not wanting Matilda to be confused or upset in any way.

"Of course. I'm glad you finally realized Max likes you." Matilda stated matter of factly. 

Jennifer let out an airy laugh, giving Matilda a side hug as they walked together.

After dropping Matilda off at Lavender's and hugging her goodbye, she walked towards Max's house, becoming more and more nervous as she got closer. She rounded a corner and came upon Max's house which was hidden by some trees. It was quite similar looking to her cottage, only bigger. It was painted with sage green paint and had beautiful bushes of jasmine in the front. She walked up the front steps and knocked on the door. As she waited she fidgeted with her fingers. 

The door opened a moment later, Max stood in the doorway with her warm smile beaming at Jennifer. She was wearing a loose button-up with the top three buttons unbuttoned and some frayed jeans. They had an apron on since they were cooking. 

"Hello! Come in, please" she said as she opened the door wider and stepped aside. 

"Thank you" Jennifer smiled as she stepped in, instantly being overcome by the smell of baking and something she couldn't quite place. She looked around and smiled at how homey it felt inside. There were plants hanging and sitting everywhere that she could see. There were also many bookshelves and stacks of books that were surprisingly orderly despite their random placement on the floor. 

She followed Max to the kitchen where she was cooking.

"Go ahead and sit down, I'm almost done" Max gestured to the seats on the island in the kitchen. 

"It smells wonderful in here" Jennifer inhaled the warm smell of what Max was cooking. She turned her head and noticed that Max was staring at her and smiling as they stirred the pot in front of them.

Jennifer chuckled "What is it?"

"Nothing, you just look really beautiful tonight" Max blushed and looked down at the contents of the pot.

Jennifer felt her face get hot and her heart skip a beat "thank you, you don't look so bad either" she said with a teasing smile.

They ate the dinner that Max made and it was as delicious as it smelled. Afterward, Max led Jennifer to the living room before putting the movie Stand By Me into the DVD player and laying a blanket over their laps. They watched the movie all the way through, occasionally catching each other staring at the other and laughing about it. Halfway through the movie, Max placed their arm gently around Jennifer's shoulders. Jennifer scooted closer to Max and let her head rest on her shoulder. She felt silly for feeling nervous earlier in the evening because of how comfortable and safe she felt being next to Max. 

After the movie ended Max pulled out a pie from the oven and cut a slice for them both. She then led Jennifer out to the backyard to sit on a porch swing that overlooked a pond. It had gotten chilly since the sun set so Max lit the firepit in front of the porch swing. They ate their pie in comfortable silence as the fire crackled and burned in front of them. 

"So, tell me more about Matilda," Max said as they set their plate down and turned towards Jennifer "The other day when you told me you adopted her, I sensed there was more to the story".

"Well, it started two years ago when Matilda was first put in my class. I noticed that she was very bright and should've been placed in an older class, but I also noticed things that told me that her home life wasn't good. I saw things in her that reminded me of myself when I was younger and how much I wished that someone would come to take me away. So when her parents fleed the country to evade the FBI and she asked me to adopt her, I said yes because I wanted to be able to give her the life that she deserves." Jennifer looked off into the distance. 

"I know for a fact that you're giving her the life she deserves. She's very lucky to have you." Max reassured Jennifer, sliding her hand on top of hers.

"I hope so" Jennifer smiled weakly.

They sat together watching the fire for a while, holding hands, Jennifer's head on Max's shoulder. 

"I feel like I'm dreaming," Max said as she closed her eyes. 

"In what way?" Jennifer asked.

"I just can't believe that you're here...with me. You're just so perfect and this doesn't feel real" Max said as she turned her head to look at Jennifer. 

Jennifer felt tears welling up at the thought of Max liking her that much. She glanced down at Max's lips as she felt her rubbing the back of her hand with her thumb.

Max gently placed her hand on the side of Jennifer's face. "Jen...can I kiss you?"

Jennifer's heart was beating out of her chest as she nodded silently, looking up at Max with adoration.

Max pulled Jennifer's face up to hers before placing their lips together gently. Jennifer's eyes fluttered closed as she felt Max's soft lips connect with her own. Jennifer reached up and placed her hand on the back of Max's neck as they kissed. She felt a jolt through her body as she melted into the kiss. They pulled apart after a moment, smiling at each other in complete contentment.

Chapter Text

The next day Jennifer walked the path towards Lavender’s house to pick up Matilda. It was fairly cool as the autumnal weather had started creeping in. She couldn’t wait for the orange and red leaves that would cover the ground in October. 

As she walked she thought back to last night, to the kiss Max gave her, and the gentleness that she showed her the entire evening. After their kiss, Jennifer was pleasantly surprised when Max simply continued sitting next to her. She felt no expectations from the woman next to her and they continued sitting, holding hands, and talking into the night… 

“As much as I hate to say to say it, I think I better go,” Jennifer picked up her bag and smiled down at Max “I have to pick up Matilda tomorrow morning,” she said with a sigh.

“That’s okay, we’ll have to make plans for another date soon. Here I’ll walk you home” Max said as she held Jennifer’s hand and led her out the front door. 

They walked to Jennifer’s house slowly, wanting to extend their date as long as possible. They talked about The Count of Monte Cristo at first but eventually moved to other favorite books of theirs.

When they arrived at Jennifer's house she turned around to face Max. 

“Well, I’ll see you later. Thank you for walking me home, that was very sweet of you”

“Of course. Thank you for such a lovely evening Honey” Max stepped forward and planted a gentle yet firm kiss on Jennifer’s lips “bye” Max said with a smile before turning around and walking down the path. 

Jennifer stood there watching her walk away, a warm feeling in her heart as Max disappeared behind the trees. Her mind wandered to the gentle way Max kissed her. 

“She kissed me, just to kiss me,” she thought to herself.

Jennifer snapped back to reality as she got closer to Lavender’s house, hearing the shrill laughter of the children. She walked up to the front yard and smiled as she watched Matilda, Lavender, Amanda, Hortensia, and Bruce running around and playing a make-believe game of their own invention. Matilda caught sight of her guardian and waved. She then picked up her bag and waved bye to her friends. 

Jennifer mouthed thank you to Lavender’s mom who was watching from the porch and waved goodbye to her former students before walking through the trees with Matilda. 

Matilda talked about the fun she had had with her friends and their plans to go to the creek next week to observe the wildlife. She then turned towards Jennifer, noticing there was something different about her. 

“So, how did your date with Max go?” Matilda asked with an eyebrow raised.

Jennifer chuckled softly and shook her head at Matilda’s nosiness. 

“It went very well actually,” Jennifer said, not being able to contain her smile “Max is very sweet and walked me home”.

“Good, I'm glad. You really do deserve someone nice like Max” Matilda smiled up at Jenny.

They walked the rest of the way home and talked about their plans for the rest of the weekend.

On her way home, Max couldn’t stop smiling as she thought about the events of the evening. It went astronomically better than she expected and it felt like the long period of hoping and waiting for someone wonderful was over. She felt so comfortable with Jennifer, more comfortable than she had felt with anyone else. She just hoped that she made Jennifer feel the same way.

She reached her house and shut the door behind her. She sat on the couch and picked up a book from a nearby stack. As she read she started getting an odd feeling, almost as if someone was watching her. She shook it off and continued reading but the feeling didn’t go away. She looked up from her book and towards the window. She sat up quickly, her heart beating in her chest. For a split second, she thought she saw a face in the darkness staring at her before it disappeared. She got up and peered out the window, not seeing anything except the trees swaying gently in the breeze. She took a deep breath and made sure the windows were locked before pulling down the blinds. She decided that she must be tired and imagining things so she locked everything up and went to bed.

Over, the next few weeks Jennifer and Max saw each other very often. Jennifer and Matilda took many visits to the library and Max came over to Jennifer's house a few evenings a week. The more time they spent together the more they seemed to fall in love with each other.

After their second date, this time at Jennifer's house, Max asked her to officially be her girlfriend and Jennifer eagerly accepted. She couldn't believe that this was happening to her. When she was younger she didn't think she deserved to be loved so deeply. She had only had a few girlfriends in college but her aunt kept her busy and preoccupied most of the time, and it became too tiring and stressful to hide relationships from her so she had just given up on finding someone. She shuddered at the idea of her aunt finding out she liked women. She knew that it would fuel her aunt's rage and only make things worse for her. But now her aunt was gone, and she was safe. She didn't have to be afraid anymore... or so she thought.

Thanksgiving break came around rather quickly as Jennifer had been busy with Max and with her work as the principal. It was the last day of school before the break and Jennifer and Matilda walked home from school, their feet crunching on the newly fallen leaves. They were both in good moods because they were excited to relax and have time to do anything they pleased.

As they reached their yard, Jennifer grabbed the mail out of the mailbox before walking and unlocking the door. Matilda walked in and set her bag down as she grabbed a snack from the pantry. Jennifer flipped through the mail, finding a small package with no address on it, only the word "Jenny" handwritten on the front. She furrowed her brow as she tore the package open. She reached in and pulled out a small silver hairclip with a bumblebee on it. Jennifer let out a gasp, almost dropping the clip as her horror spread across her face. 

"What's wrong Jenny?" Matilda asked worriedly.

Jennifer looked around frantically before grabbing Matilda's hand. 

"Come on, we have to run okay?" Jennifer said almost in tears.

She led Matilda out the door, closing the door behind them before running down the path. They ran nonstop until they arrived at Max's house. Jennifer wasn't even sure where she was running to until they ended up there. She knocked on the door quickly, knowing that today was Max's day off. 

Max opened up the door, a smile on her face which quickly turned into an expression of worry as she saw Jennifer frantically asking if they could come in. 

As soon as they came in, Max closed the door and Jennifer collapsed into Max's arms. Tears were running down her face as she tried to stop shaking. Max wrapped her arms around her and could feel her body trembling. 

"Jen, what happened?" Max asked as she led Jennifer over to the couch, helping her sit down. 

It took her a few minutes to calm herself down and catch her breath. As soon as she pulled the clip out of the package it felt as if the wind had been knocked out of her.

She took a deep breath and pulled the bumblebee clip out from her pocket. The sight of it made her feel ill. 

"I found a package in my mailbox with this clip in it. My father gave it to me before he died and my aunt..." Jennifer trailed off as a tear rolled down her cheek "my aunt took it from me after he died and would wear it pinned to her shirt. She wore it just to rub it in my face and she would tell me that everything I had was hers and that it could be taken away in an instant." 

Jennifer wiped her tears "This is a message from her. The Trunchbull is back and she's going to take everything away from me again."

Chapter Text

Jennifer and Matilda spent the next hour explaining to Max what happened leading up to the Trunchbull’s departure and Matilda’s adoption. Max listened intently, occasionally asking a question. She could tell how painful it was for Jennifer to relive her memories of her aunt.

“Wait, so you’re telling me that Matilda has telekinesis, and used it to force your horrible aunt out of town?” Max asked, trying to be supportive but couldn’t help but be doubtful.

“Yeah pretty much,” Matilda said with a shrug. Matilda could see the doubtfulness on Max’s face so she stood up and closed her eyes. She imagined the Trunchbull yelling at her as she shoved her into the chokey. Max watched in confusion as Matilda put her finger up. She waved her finger in the direction of the closest window and the blinds shot up on their own. Max opened her mouth in astonishment as she watched the young girl work her magic. Matilda then focused on a book on one of the shelves, making it float over to Max and hover in the air. Max carefully grabbed the book from where it was floating and looked between Matilda and Jennifer in disbelief.

“Remind me never to doubt either of you again,” Max said with a nervous chuckle, still processing what she just saw.

Max insisted that they both stay at her house until further notice. With the Trunchbull prowling around she wanted to make sure they were both safe. Max prepared dinner and the three of them talked into the night, Jennifer was grateful to Max for being able to make her laugh a few times despite the frightening situation. Eventually, Matilda couldn’t keep her eyes open anymore, the situation and using her powers after not using them for so long took a toll on her. Max offered her guest room upstairs, showing them the room before going back downstairs. Jennifer tucked Matilda in, before nervously making sure the window was locked and kissing Matilda’s head.

Jennifer came down the stairs and sat next to Max by the fireplace. She sighed and let her head lean on Max’s shoulder, watching the wood burning in front of her. Max reached to the coffee table behind her and handed a mug to Jennifer. “Here, I made you some tea. Chamomile to calm your nerves” flashing her sweet smile at Jennifer.

Jennifer sat up, graciously taking the mug from Max, “thank you, and thank you for letting us stay.” she took a sip of the hot tea, feeling it calm her body “and I’m sorry for the blithering mess I was when we first got here. I was just so scared and I just needed to get Matilda somewhere safe” Jennifer admitted as she looked down at her tea, a silent tear rolling down her cheek.

“Hey, you don’t have anything to apologize for okay?” Max cupped Jennifer’s face with her hand, using her thumb to wipe the tear. Jennifer put her hand on top of Max’s hand on her cheek and nodded silently, feeling a lot better with Max next to her. “And don’t worry, nothing will harm either of you, not while I’m around” Max assured Jennifer as they looked at each other, the glow of the fire softening the edges of their faces.

They both sat together for a long time, Jennifer talking about her childhood and realizing how good it felt to get it all off her chest. “I remember back in elementary school, my aunt would often yell at me before we left for school, for the smallest of things. And would deliberately push me into the mud outside of our house.” Jennifer fiddled with her hands as she recounted her childhood memories “And then she would refuse to let me change, but she would make me go to school with a mud-covered dress. And when the kids would laugh and point my teacher would ask what happened. I would always say I fell because I knew if I told the truth my aunt would do something worse.”

Max comforted Jennifer by kissing the back of her hand and rubbing it with her thumb “I’m so sorry Jen, you didn’t deserve any of that. If it’s any consolation, I know what it feels like to be humiliated like that” Max mentioned as she held Jennifer’s hand and stared into the fire.

Jennifer looked over at Max “Yeah? Tell me about it” she suggested, wanting Max to feel comfortable sharing things with her, but also looking forward to focusing on Max instead of her own problems.

“Well, let’s just say the town I grew up in started treating me differently after I cut my hair,” Max said with a pained smile.

Jennifer gave Max a knowing look “Gosh, that must’ve been hard”.

“Yeah…especially when your teachers don’t do anything to stop the kids from throwing slurs at you every day” Max spaced out momentarily, watching the fire “but it all ended up okay. And knowing that someday I’d be sitting here with you, I’d endure it all over again” she smiled softly.

Jennifer felt her heart ache to hear what Max went through in her youth, but her heart soared at the last thing she said.

They talked late into the night before going up to Max’s room, checking on Matilda on the way there. Max gave Jennifer a big t-shirt to sleep in. As Max pulled the comforter of her bed back, Jennifer walked into the room after changing and washing her face in the bathroom, pulling her hair over one of her shoulders as she came in. Max stopped what she was doing as she saw Jennifer in the doorway. Something about seeing Jennifer in her t-shirt, with her face freshly washed was one of the most beautiful things she had ever seen. Usually, Jennifer looked perfect in her flowery dresses and neatly styled hair. But seeing her in such a casual and comfortable state was breathtaking to her.

“What are you looking at?” Jennifer asked with a small smirk on her face as she walked toward Max.

“Nothing, you’re just gorgeous, even when in a pajama shirt” Max noted, wrapping her arms around Jennifer’s waist as she kissed her.

Jennifer’s heart fluttered as she felt Max touching her waist. After holding each other for a long minute, they both crawled into bed, wrapping their arms around each other as they fell asleep.

Chapter Text

Sun peaked through the curtains and shined on Jennifer’s face as she woke up. She rolled over, feeling for Max but coming up empty-handed. She looked over at the clock on the bedside table and felt a rush of embarrassment as she realized that she had slept for 12 hours. She quickly rolled out of bed and walked downstairs. She heard some commotion in the kitchen and followed the noise.

As she walked into the kitchen she saw Max standing over a pan, cooking something as she listened to music on the radio. Her short hair was still messy from sleep. Her eyes lit up when she noticed Jennifer standing on the other side of the kitchen.

“Good morning my love! I’m making you a crepe, but your tea is ready” She gestured to the table where a cup of tea was sitting, the steam glistening as rays of the sun shone through it from the window. Jennifer smiled at Max calling her my love and walked over to her.

“Good morning, why didn’t you wake me up? I didn’t mean to sleep so late, I feel so bad” she said as she wrapped her arm around Max’s waist.

“I could tell you were exhausted so I let you sleep. Don’t feel bad! You deserve your beauty sleep after yesterday” Max kissed Jennifer’s forehead “Just relax and let me make you breakfast, it’s the least I can do.”

Jennifer smiled and sat at the table, taking a sip of her tea. “Where’s Matilda?” Jennifer asked, suddenly in mom-mode.

“She’s in the living room reading the newspaper, must be really interesting because she barely acknowledged me when I said good morning” max chuckled.

They all ate breakfast together, laughing and talking about anything and everything. They got around to talking about books, Matilda admiring the countless books strewn around the house.

“I tell you what,” Max said as she narrowed her eyes “You can have one book from my collection, any book you like,” she said watching Matilda gasp in excitement.

“You’re kidding! Any book?” Matilda practically screamed, already getting out of her seat to browse the shelves.

“Yup! And you can borrow any of the others but you can take one to keep for yourself”

Matilda was buzzing with excitement as she ran out of the room to look through the books in the living room “Thank you Max!” she yelled as she ran out.

Jennifer giggled in admiration “thank you for being so sweet to her, nothing excites her more than books”

“Well it’s easy to, Matilda is the sweetest kid I’ve ever met” Max smiled as she set her coffee cup down.

“Hey, Jen?” Max’s face took on a more serious expression “I didn’t want to worry you last night, especially since you needed the sleep, but I remembered something from the night of our first date.” Jennifer’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion. “I think your aunt knows where we are” Max’s eyebrows slanted with worry.

Jennifer cocked her head to the side as her breathing quickened “what do you mean? How could she? She doesn’t know who you are”

“When I got back from walking you home, I saw a face watching me from the window. I didn’t think anything of it, I convinced myself that I was imagining it, but now that I know what I know, do you think it could’ve been your aunt?”

Jennifer shook her head in exasperation “it had to be. She must have been following me when I came here that night”

“If she was watching us that night…she must’ve seen me kiss you” Max admitted guiltily.

Jennifer’s mouth gaped open in fear as she realized her aunt most likely knew the one thing she had successfully hidden from her.

For the rest of the day, they tried to relax as they bake cookies and listen to the radio, trying their best to ignore their anxiety. They kept the blinds closed at all times, worried that the Trunchbull would be watching. As Matilda cut out circles in the cookie dough, and Jennifer placed sheets of cookies into the oven, Max turned the volume knob on the radio as the song Be My Baby by the Ronettes came on. She sauntered over to Jennifer with a mischievous smile before grabbing her hand and pulling her to the middle of the room.

“What are you doing?’ Jennifer laughed at Max as she swayed to the beat. Max giggled before placing a hand on Jennifer’s waist and another hand clasped in Jennifer’s. She then started swaying them both to the music as she sang along to the song.

🎶The night we met I knew I needed you so

And if I had the chance I'd never let you go

So won't you say you love me?

I'll make you so proud of me

We'll make 'em turn their heads every place we go

So won't you, please Be my, be my baby

Be my little baby? My one and only baby

Say you'll be my darlin'

Be my, be my baby…🎶

Soon all three of them were singing along, Matilda continuing to make cookies as Max twirled Jennifer, making her laugh.

At about 5 o’clock, Jennifer decided that she needed to go back home to get more clothes for her and Matilda. It felt risky but at the same time, they thought about how the Trunchbull already knew where they are anyways. The three of them filed into Max’s car and drove to the house. As they walked in Jennifer felt a sense of surprise as they walked in. For some reason it felt like it would look different now that she knew the Trunchbull was back. She felt as though her aunt would’ve already stolen the house back and filled it with her horrendous paintings and weapons.

Matilda went up to her room to pack a bag and Max followed Jennifer to her room, sitting on the bed as she watched Jennifer pack a bag.

Jennifer noticed that Max seemed tired as she rubbed her eyes and let out a yawn.

“Are you alright? I’m sorry it must be exhausting for us to be staying at your house like this” Jennifer’s eyes filled with guilt, not wanting to take advantage of Max’s kindness.

Max looked up through tired eyes “No I’m fine really! I’m just tired because I didn’t go to bed last night. I want you guys to stay with me, it’s not exhausting at all. I’ve been enjoying myself a lot having you both around” Max smiled and grabbed Jennifer’s hand.

“Why didn’t you go to bed last night?” Jennifer asked as she sat next to Max on the bed.

“Well I knew that your aunt was probably out there and I wanted to make sure you both were safe, so I stayed up to make sure nothing happened while you slept. I waited until you fell asleep and then I slipped out of bed. I made a pot of coffee and walked around every hour to check on you two. Did you know Matilda talks in her sleep?” Max giggled.

Jennifer let out a sigh of disbelief “What would we do without you? But you need to get some rest tonight” Max smiled, tucking Jennifer’s hair behind her ear before leaning in for a kiss.

Suddenly a loud crash rang throughout the house. The pair snapped their heads to the door.

“I think that was a window breaking,” Max said as she stood up.

“She’s here” Jennifer whispered, the hair standing up on the back of her neck.

“Follow me” Max whispered before leading Jennifer down the hall and into Matilda’s room quietly. They walked in, closing the door gently behind them

“What was that?” Matilda blurted loudly.

“Shh,” Jennifer kneeled down next to Matilda.

“Okay listen to me, you’re going to stay here and I’m going to cause a distraction to get your aunt to follow me to the other side of the house. Then you’ll quietly crawl out the window and down the tree and get out of here” Max explained.

“No, don’t do that Max she’ll find you! Max wait-” Jennifer whispered at Max who was already out the door before Jennifer had a chance to stop her.

Max walked slowly down the stairs, hearing heavy footsteps in the living room. She walked through the kitchen door, slamming it behind her, and running down the steps into the basement.

She heard heavy thuds in pursuit behind her as she grabbed a bat sitting against the basement wall. She then slid herself behind a stack of boxes. She heard the steps get closer and closer, trying to muffle her breathing as she heard someone rummaging around the basement, looking for the person who slammed the door. She heard the steps next to the boxes that she was hiding behind. She pulled back the bat, preparing to fight her way out when a creaking sound came from above. The steps flew across the room and up the stairs towards the sound of the creaking.

“Matilda, listen to me very carefully. Stay in here and hide. Use the landline to call the police and don’t leave this room.” Jennifer said as she helped Matilda hide in the corner of her closet.

“But Jenny! I can help fight. I helped last time!” Matilda protested.

“I know sweetheart, but the Trunchbull is angrier than ever and there’s no telling what she’ll do. She’s too dangerous, promise me you’ll stay here?” Jennifer looked down at Matilda, cowering in the same closet that she would seek solace in when her aunt was on a rampage.

Maila sighed in defeat “I promise”

Jennifer nodded before kissing Matilda’s cheek “I love you, sweetheart, I’ll be back for you soon” she then slipped out of the room, slowly making her way down the stairs. She didn’t see Max or her aunt and she worried for Max’s safety.

She walked towards the kitchen, seeing the basement door open. As she stepped towards the basement door, the floorboard beneath her creaked loudly. She froze in place as she heard thundering footsteps coming up the basement stairs. She didn’t even have time to run before a large figure appeared in the basement doorway. Her eyes widened in fear as she saw her aunt standing before her, looking the exact same as she did two years ago.

“Hello, Jenny” Agatha spat with an evil look in her eyes.

Chapter Text

Jennifer struggled to comprehend the sight in front of her: the Trunchbull standing before her, smirking devilishly as she came closer.

“Thought you could drive me out of town did you? You and that little spawn of satan” the Trunchbull glanced around “speaking of the little brat, where is she? I know you adopted the little viper”

Jennifer clenched her fists as she fought the urge to crawl into a ball on the floor. “She’s not here, I sent her away” Jennifer stuttered, hoping Matilda was calling the police upstairs.

“I have a hard time believing that Jenny, especially since I saw her with you and some heathen yesterday,” she said, emphasizing the word heathen.

Jennifer glanced up at her aunt, anger, and fear fringing her vision “You don’t know anything about her, how can you insult a person you don’t even know?”

“I know enough. I know that you’re fraternizing with that disgusting creature. I would say that she corrupted you, but I’m not surprised. You’ve always been weak. A weak mind allows for weak morals” the Trunchbull shouted, her face contorted with rage. Yet there was a sense of pleasure on her face as well. It’s always been her favorite thing to belittle people, especially Jennifer.

Jennifer straightened her back as anger bubbled inside of her. “My morals are not weak Aunt Trunchbull! You’ve belittled me for my entire life, but I’m done being your victim. I could not care less about what you think of me"

The Trunchbull gawked at her niece, not recognizing the confidence and anger that exuded from her. “You insolent-“ she started before noticing something moving behind the couch to her right. She then leans down very quickly, pulling Max from out behind the couch.

Jennifer gasped in horror as she watched her aunt wrap her arms around Max, holding her in place as she pulled out a rusted pocket knife. “Oh you weren’t trying to hide, were you? You spineless fool” The Trunchbull spat, taking pleasure in the fear ridden across both Max and Jennifer’s faces.

“Please don’t hurt her! Let her go!” Jennifer pleaded “I’m the one that took your house and your job. I’m the one you want!”

“Jen no! Run and get Matilda to safety” Max shouted with pleading eyes, not wanting the person she loves most to be harmed.

“Oh Jenny, don’t you think I know what you’re trying to do. I’m going to gut this degenerate, and then gut that so-called daughter of yours. That’ll be the best punishment for you.” Her eyes glossed over as she raised her hand in the air, the sharp knife poking out of her large fist.

“It’s okay Jen…” A tear was rolling down Max’s face, but her bright smile remained intact “this isn’t your fault” she reassured Jennifer.

Jennifer shook her head, tears brimming in her eyes as emotions bubbled inside of her. The Trunchbull laughed maniacally at Jennifer’s emotional state, yelling profanities before starting to swing her arm down. Jennifer narrowed her eyes at her aunt, suddenly feeling a buzzing of energy within her body as her aunt's insults echoed in her ears. Her hands were shaking with anger and fear.

The Trunchbull’s knife swung down, making shallow contact with Max’s side before falling to the ground. Max looked over in confusion as she felt the Trunchbull’s arms release her. She watched as the Trunchbull flew across the room, slamming into the wall and knocking her out cold. She whipped her head back to Jennifer, realizing that she threw her across the room with her mind.

Jennifer gasped as she felt the buzzing sensation subside. She was suddenly aware of Max who was leaning against the wall taking deep breaths. “Are you alright sweetheart?” Jennifer said softly and she placed a hand on Max’s shoulder and placed her other on Max’s cheek.

Max flashed her a smile weakly before collapsing against the wall. Jennifer saw a splotch of blood bleeding through Max’s shirt where the Trunchbull’s knife hit her.

“Max!” Jennifer yelled as she helped her lay on the ground, holding her in her arms “stay with me, it’s okay.” she was having a hard time thinking with tears blurring her eyes.

“How could I not be okay with you at my side?” Max muttered weakly, her pale lips forming a smile. As Jennifer let out a sound that was half of a sob and half of a chuckle, she heard the faint sound of sirens. Jennifer spent the next few minutes comforting Max and thinking back to the quote from The Count of Monte Cristo for the umpteenth time.

“All human wisdom is contained in these two words - Wait and Hope”

Jennifer sat in the corner of a hospital room, tapping her finger on her leg restlessly. Her eyes were heavy and red from a lack of sleep and from crying a few hours prior. After the police had arrived, an ambulance rushed Max to the hospital. She had passed out from losing too much blood from her stab wound.

Jennifer and Matilda caught a ride to the hospital from one of the policemen. As they drove away, Jennifer watched her aunt being shoved into the back of a police car. She felt a sense of satisfaction despite the fact that she knew she would have to testify against her aunt eventually, but that was something to worry about some other time.

Jennifer bit her fingernail nervously, something she hadn’t done since she was very young. She put her head in her hands before hearing some movement from the other side of the room. Max’s eyes had slowly blinked open and she was trying to sit up in her hospital bed.

Jennifer rushed to Max’s side, already blinking away tears “Max, honey, just lay down. You can’t move too much or you’ll hurt yourself” she said in a soothing voice, slightly raspy from crying.

Max looked up at Jennifer and laid back down “What happened?” she said, her face looking confused yet not in pain.

“You lost too much blood and they had to do minor surgery. But luckily the knife didn’t hit any organs so you’re going to be just fine” Jennifer choked out, feeling much better now that Max was awake. Although Max didn't seem to care about the surgery or the wound on her side. Instead, her mind focused on Jennifer.

“But are you okay? Where’s Matilda?” Max asked, a look of panic in her eyes.

“We’re both fine. I asked Lavender’s mom to pick up Matilda because I didn’t know how long your surgery would take and she needed rest” Jennifer rubbed Max’s arm.

Max let out a breath of air and her shoulders relaxed “good, good” she said as she closed her eyes for a moment.

“Are you feeling alright, do you need me to get you anything?”

“You know, I think there’s something that will make me feel a lot better,” Max said, her eyes opening to look at Jennifer.

“What is it?” Jennifer asked.

“A kiss” Max’s lips formed a weak smirk “I don’t make the rules, doctors orders,” she said as she shrugged and let out a giggle.

Jennifer shook her head and giggled as well as she leaned closer to Max, planting a soft kiss on Max’s lips.

Chapter Text

Over a month had passed since the Trunchbull made her comeback and the winter weather had crept in. Jennifer packed up her office, walking to Matilda’s classroom to meet her after the last day of school before winter break.

Matilda ran up to Jennifer, handfuls of winter-themed crafts in her hands.

“Oh, honey! These are so beautiful, we’ll hang these up on the fridge as soon as we get home” Jennifer said with a smile on her face.

The two of them walked home together, shivering from the cold as they rushed to get inside the house. They spent the next few hours wrapping presents and relaxing before making the cold trek to Max’s house.

Max answered the door when they arrived, giggling as Matilda tackled her in a hug, making her wince in pain. Her wound wasn’t fully healed yet but it was getting there. She had just been taking it easy for the past month but she was feeling great.

Matilda ran inside, leaving Jennifer and Max in the doorway.

“Come in! You’re going to freeze to death out there.” Max pulled Jennifer inside, closing the door behind her.

“I guess you’ll just have to warm me up” Jennifer noted. Max chuckled before pulling Jennifer into a tight hug. Jennifer felt the warmth from Max’s body enveloping her and she nestled her face into Max’s neck. They then walked into the living room where Matilda was setting her coat down.

Max placed a record on the turn table in the corner of the room. They heard the record scratch a bit before A Holly Jolly Christmas sang by Burl Ives filled their ears. Max turned around “Who’s ready to make some cookies?”

The three of them spent the next couple hours baking cookies and decorating them, occasionally taking dance breaks. They then ate a late dinner before putting a movie on. Halfway into the movie, the pair realized that Matilda had fallen asleep. Jennifer turned the tv off while Max gently placed a blanket over Matilda on the couch. They then slipped out to the backyard to sit in front of the firepit. As they settled onto the porch swing, they leaned over to warm their hands by the fire. They sat for a while, talking about how their days were and their plans for Christmas.

“I’m going to miss you when you leave to visit your family for Christmas. I’ve never really had any more to miss before, it’s so odd” Jennifer said as she looked down at her hand, intertwined with Max’s.

“I’ve actually been meaning to ask you about that. Why don’t you and Matilda come back to my hometown with me?” Max asked, determination in her eyes.

“Oh, I don’t know. I wouldn’t want us to be a burden,”

“You wouldn’t be a burden at all! I’d love for you two to join me. My parents are dying to meet you and I was thinking we could rent a little cabin on the beach for a few days after Christmas…”

“Your parents? Your parents know about me?” Jennifer asked, nervousness rising in her chest.

“Of course they do. And I know you’re worried but don’t be! They’re great, and they’ll love you. Any sane person would love you” Max squeezed Jennifer’s hand, hoping to convince her.

Jennifer bit her lip and she mulled it over. “Okay…we’d love to join you if you’re sure about us not being a burden” Jennifer not wanting to pass up the opportunity to spend Christmas with Max. She could also tell that Max genuinely wanted them to come with her, which made her feel very warm inside.

Max’s face lit up as Jennifer agreed to come along “You’re the opposite of a burden Jen”

A few days later Jennifer stood in her room, the first light of the day shining through the window as she packed a few last minute items in her bag. As she zipped up the bag she heard footsteps behind her.

“Are you ready to hit the road my love?” Max asked softly, her voice still having a slight sleepy rasp. She walked up behind Jennifer and wrapped her arms around her waist, resting her chin on Jennifer’s shoulder.

Jennifer smiled, turning around so they were facing each other. “Just finished putting my stuff together” she said as she stared into Max’s eyes.

Max gave Jennifer a quick kiss before grabbing the handle of Jennifer’s bag, carrying it for her to the car. Matilda was already in the car, asleep in the backseat, having been carried there by Max. They then began their drive to Max’s hometown. It was only a few hours north but Jennifer was excited for the drive, she hadn’t had the opportunity to travel at all and was glad for the change in scenery.

When she was younger she dreamed of visiting the places that she read about, often imagining that she was sailing on ships to far away islands or running around large cities in Europe. Maybe she would finally get the chance to travel with Max and Matilda, she thought to herself as she watched cars pass and disappear into the fog on the road.

The car ride was pretty uneventful and felt shorter than she expected. Max drove with one hand on the wheel and one hand intertwined with Jennifer’s. After a few hours, Max pulled into the drive way of a large cabin. The cabin had lots of green bushes and flowers surrounding it. Jennifer got out of the car, immediately hearing the soft roar of waves in the distance. She took a deep breath of the salty air, closing her eyes as she let her shoulders relax after sitting in the car for too long. Max got out and started carrying bags inside.

As she closed the trunk, Matilda’s eyes opened slowly. “Are we here?” she asked, squinting her eyes sleepily.

Jennifer nodded with a smile “Come inside it’s cold out here” she said as she reached her hand out for Matilda to grab.

They both walked inside of the cabin, observing their surroundings in awe. The inside of the cabin was cozy and there was a light smell of cinnamon in the air. As they stepped in further they saw an old wooden piano in one corner, and a large fireplace on the opposite wall. Max had set the bags down in their rooms and was carrying a box of wood in from outside.

“This place is beautiful Max!” Jennifer exclaimed as she glanced at the bookshelves on the walls.

“It’s my grandpa’s old cabin! He only uses it once a year so we can use it any time we want” Max said as she wrapped her arm around Jennifer’s shoulders.

That night they were all very tired from the drive so they had a quiet night of reading next to the fireplace, it wasn’t a very exciting christmas eve but they were all content and it was enough excitement just being at the cabin.

Matilda at one point went to one of the bedrooms, wanting to read a bit before bed.

When Jennifer came back from helping Matilda get settled in her room, Max was sitting at the old piano lightly playing a song that Jennifer had never heard. It was beautiful and soft and it reminded her of how Max made her feel. After watching her from the hallway for a moment, she came over and sat next to her on the bench.

”I didn’t know you play” Jennifer mentioned as she watched Max’s graceful fingers move along the keys.

“I’m not very good truth be told, but it’s relaxing” Max reached over slowly, grabbing Jennifer’s hand and guiding her fingers, showing her how to play song she had been playing.

The next morning Jennifer woke up to the smell of coffee. She rolled over, realizing Max must be in the kitchen. She got out of bed and walked to the kitchen, still in her loose t-shirt and shorts.

“Good morning!” Max looked up from her book, standing up and grabbing a mug from the cabinet. She then poured a cup of coffee for Jennifer, adding some cream and sugar before bringing it over to her.

“You’re too good to me” Jennifer said before kissing Max good morning and taking the cup of coffee.

Max smiled into against Jennifer’s lips as she grabbed her own cup of coffee “Merry Christmas my love”.

“Merry Christmas” Jennifer smiled up at Max, wrapping her arm around her waist, Jennifer sitting at the table while Max stood next to her. After a few minutes of the two women talking about the possibility of snow, they heard small footsteps coming from the hallway.

Matilda came around the corner, already having brushed her hair and teeth.

“Good morning sweetheart, Merry Christmas!” Jennifer stood up, giving Matilda a warm hug.

“Good morning, Merry Christmas!” Matilda walked over and gave Max a hug as well.

“Merry Christmas kiddo! Are you ready to open your presents?” Max asked with a excitement on her face.

Matilda’s eyes brightened up. Even though this was her second Christmas with Jennifer, she still felt so much excitement and surprise at the fact that she had gifts to open. The Wormwoods never bought her any gifts, they would only wrap up a random object from around the house. During the last Christmas she had with them, she received a bottle of shampoo wrapped in newspaper while her brother received a new bike. She had spent the rest of the day reading.

The three of them walked to the living room, where Max had set up a small tree that she cut down from the backyard early that morning. There was a small string of lights on it and gifts all around it.

“I know it’s nothing special, but I wanted to make sure you two woke up to a Christmas tree” Max rubbed the back of her neck nervously.

Matilda’s eyes lit up even more as she ran towards the tree. “I love it! It’s perfect” she said as she stared at it in admiration.

“Oh Max, that was so sweet of you!” Jennifer gazed at the tree, the lights making her eyes flicker with red and green. Max gave Jennifer’s hand a squeeze before kneeling down and picking a few presents. Max had Matilda sit down to open her presents.

Max had gotten her a copy of the collegiate dictionary that she always referenced at the library so that she’d have access to it whenever she needed. She also got her a fancy set of walkie talkies to use with her friends because they often liked to play spies, as well as a microscope.

Matilda was over the moon as she admired her gifts, tackling Max in a hug to say thank you.

Matilda also received gifts from Jennifer. Jennifer bought her a new set of writing pens, a few new dresses, and a set of novels by Herman Melville. She also told her that when they got back from their trip they could take a shopping trip to buy a few more gifts of her choosing.

Matilda hugged Jennifer tightly, whispering thank you through happy tears. “Merry Christmas Matilda” she whispered back, as she stroked Matilda’s hair. Max admired the visible love between Jennifer and Matilda for a moment before picking up a few more presents and handing them to Jennifer.

“Merry Christmas Jen” she said as she sat down next to her.

“Oh you didn’t have to get me anything!” Jennifer protested as she looked down at the gifts in her lap.

“Shh just open them” Max wrapped her arm around Jennifer’s shoulder as she hesitantly started to open them. The first one was a dainty gold necklace with a bumble bee pendant. The second one was a sage colored knitted sweater which was wrapped around a book. As Jennifer pulled out the book she realized that it was the same book that Max had let her borrow the first time they met.

“I wanted you to have your own copy, and I thought that this would be perfect since I gave it to you when we first met at the library”

Jennifer’s eyes glistened as she looked over at Max. She wrapped her arms around her in a tight hug as she whispered thank you. She wiped her eyes and sniffed as she giggled warmly.

“I got you something also but I’m afraid it’s not as good as the presents you got me”

“Nonsense, you being here is the only gift I need” Max held Jennifer’s hand.

Jennifer then handed Max a small box wrapped neatly in wrapping paper. Max opened it up revealing the book The Body by Stephen King.

“After we watched Stand by Me I remembered that you said it was based off of this book so I bought it and read it. I left some annotations and little notes in there for you” Jennifer’s lips formed a small smirk.

Max raised her eyebrows and smiled “I love this, I love you, and I love that we both gifted each other books” They both laughed and Max gave Jennifer a quick kiss before standing up to clean up all the wrapping paper.

Jennifer sat watching her, as she slowly realized what Max had said. “…I love you…” echoed in her mind

Chapter Text

After opening Christmas presents Jennifer, Matilda, and Max watched a movie while drinking hot chocolate. They were enjoying themselves so much that they almost forgot they had to get ready to go to dinner at Max’s parents' house. After getting ready and packing gifts in the car, the three started the drive to Max’s childhood home.

Jennifer looked out the window nervously as they drove. She hadn’t realized how nervous she had been until Max grabbed her hand and she suddenly became aware of her heart feeling as if it would beat out of her chest.

“Are you alright Jen?” Max’s eyes had a tinge of concern.

Jennifer bit her lip nervously “I’m okay, I just want to make a good impression”

“Oh honey you don’t have to worry about that, you couldn’t make a bad impression if you tried. And we don’t have to stay long if you get uncomfortable. It’ll be okay” Max squeezed Jennifer’s hand. Jennifer smiled at Max's reassuring words, planting a soft kiss on the back of her hand as she drove.

Eventually, the car rolled to a stop as Max parked it in front of a blue house with white trim. There was a large porch with cushioned forest green seats and a table. Jennifer gazed up at the Christmas lights that were draped on the front of the house. Max grabbed Jennifer’s hand gently and Matilda followed them up the front steps and onto the porch. As they got closer they could hear laughter coming from inside.

“Are you ready?” Max asked as she looked over at Jennifer. Jennifer took a deep breath before nodding. Max did a quick knock on the front door before opening herself anyways.

“Hey! Guess who’s here?” Max said with a look of excitement. A chorus of noises of excitement came from the other room as they came in.

“Max! Get over here, sweetheart!”

“Merry Christmas Mom, Dad!” Max smiled widely as she hugged her mom tightly. Her mom kissed her cheek and smiled as she looked at her daughter. Max’s mother looked a lot like her, only shorter and with gray strands sprinkled into her dark hair. She had freckles on her nose similar to Max and was wearing a patchwork sweater with a yellow apron over it. Jennifer could tell she had been baking, partly because of the flour on the apron and partly because of the sweet smell that filled her nose as she walked inside. She could also hear Christmas music playing softly from a turntable in the corner.

Her dad got up from the couch, waiting until her mom was finished to give her a hug as well.

“It’s been too long since your last visit” her dad grumbled teasingly.

“I visited you last weekend!” Max protested.

“Exactly, far too long,” he said jokingly as he smiled and kissed Max’s forehead.

Jennifer and Matilda watched as Max’s parents stepped aside and two little girls ran up, nearly pulling Max to the ground as they hugged her. TA few other family members came up to hug Max before returning to the chaos of the party.

Max’s mother’s eyes then landed on Jennifer, her gaze was very warm and Jennifer felt hopeful at the lack of judgment she found within them.

“Mom, Dad, this is Jennifer and her daughter Matilda” Max held Jennifer’s hand as she looked at her with admiration.

“Nice to meet you, Jennifer! I’ve heard so much about you. My name is Carol” Max’s mother stepped toward Jennifer.

“Please, call me Jen. And it’s lovely to meet you as well! You have a beautiful home” Jennifer reached her hand out.

“Sorry to break it to you but in this family, we hug“ Carol smiled before pulling Jennifer into a welcoming hug. “And it’s nice to meet you Matilda!” Carol glanced down to acknowledge her.

“It’s nice to meet you too! Thank you very much for allowing us to join your family for dinner” Matilda smiled. Carol was taken aback by how well-spoken Matilda was.

“You know, I think you’d like my nieces Elaina and Emma. They’re sitting in the living room if you’d like to play with them” Carol gestured to the room down the hall. Matilda thanked Carol and walked off towards the living room. Just then Max’s father came toward Jennifer.

“It’s nice to meet you, Jennifer, I’m Jim” Jim shook Jennifer’s hand with a slight smile and walked down the hall.

Max leaned over to Jennifer to whisper something to her “He’s a man of few words but he means well”. The two giggled silently. 

Over the course of the next hour, various other family members poured into the house. A few aunts, Max’s grandparents, a few cousins, and a family friend all filled the house's nooks and crannies. The rooms were filled with laughter and enthusiastic conversations and Jennifer was surprised to find that she wasn’t overwhelmed as she thought she would be. The house was warm, Max’s family was nice, and she was thoroughly enjoying herself.

Eventually, once everyone had arrived, Carol set out large serving dishes of food. Everyone was given a plate to serve themselves before retreating to where they had been sitting previously. Jennifer marveled at how everyone was eating wherever they wanted to. Back when she was a little girl, her aunt set dinner strictly at 6 o’clock and if Jennifer wasn’t at the table at exactly 6 there would be hell to pay.

Jennifer and Max sat in a corner next to a window as they ate their dinner.

“So, how’s it going? Is it too overwhelming? I forgot to warn you that there would be a bunch of people here” Max said guiltily, wanting to make sure Jennifer was alright.

“I’m actually enjoying myself a lot” Jennifer admitted with a warm smile “your parents have been so sweet”

“Oh, I’m so glad! And I think Matilda is having fun too” Max pointed to the other room where Matilda, Elaina, and Emma were eating and laughing hysterically together. Jennifer and Max smiled as they watched the trio getting along so well. Carol then interrupted the moment by walking quickly towards them.

“Max, you’re never going to believe who’s at the door wanting to come in for dinner,” she said with an upset look.

“Who?” Max asked, her eyebrows knit in confusion.

“Robert…”

Max’s facial expression morphed into one of disbelief and anger “You’ve got to be kidding me” she said before setting her plate down and quickly making her way towards the door, Carol following after her.

Jennifer watched as Max opened the front door, stepping outside to talk with a man who was about 60 years old.

Jennifer walked to the end of the hallway to listen to their conversation through the half-closed door.

“Robert, what are you doing here?” Max asked coldly.

“Maxine! It’s wonderful to see you.” Robert was slightly taller than Max and had gray hair that was slicked back.

“Wish I could say the same” Max muttered, her eyebrows furrowed in anger.

“Oh don’t be like that, you’re such a beautiful girl I hate to see your face looking like that.” Robert stepped forward.

“You need to leave” Max took a step back.

“Well before I go let me give you this” Robert grabbed a card from his pocket with a number written on it “it’s the number of my friend’s son. He’s a fine young man and I think you two would hit it off well”

Max refused to take the card “I have a girlfriend Robert, and even if I didn’t, you know I wouldn’t want to call your friend’s son”

Robert glanced inside, making eye contact with Jennifer. “Oh is that who she is?" any friendliness that was on his face was gone now "Maxine, she’s corrupting you, you’re sick. Just let me help you. I know a good therapist that can help you fight this perversion of nature” Robert spat.

Carol burst out through the front door “Robert you listen to me! I have told you countless times that you’re not welcome here anymore. You need to leave and take your bigotry someplace else. We’re not interested in anything you have to say” Carol was clenching her fists as she stared into Robert's eyes.

Robert's face flushed with anger and embarrassment. “Think about what I said” Robert then turned and got into his car before driving away down the dark road.

Carol wrapped her arms around Max, her shoulders relaxing as she hugged her mom. After a moment the pair came up the steps and into the house. Carol left the two of them alone as Max grabbed Jennifer’s hand and sighed.

“That was my uncle Robert. Ever since I came out he’s been showing up randomly to try to convince me that I’m sick and need help. I’m so sorry Jen, I didn’t know he was coming.” Max’s eyes were filled with hurt.

Jennifer reached up and cupped Max’s face with her hand before pulling her into a hug, comforting her by rubbing her hand up and down Max’s back. “You don’t need to apologize, if anyone understands problematic family members it’s me”

Max pulled her head up, letting out a soft laugh as Jennifer laughed as well. They sat near the door together for a moment before returning to the party.

Chapter Text

Jennifer and Max returned to their corner to finish their dinner and eventually got wrapped up in a conversation with one of Max’s aunts. After dinner, they took their plates to the kitchen and walked to the living room. By this time, most of her family had gone home or gone to make an appearance at another party.

They sat down together on the couch, watching a train speed around the stump of the Christmas tree as Matilda sat one floor admiring it. Carol and Jim came in a moment later, Carol carrying a plate of cookies while Jim handed mugs of hot chocolate to Jennifer, Max, and Matilda.

“I took the trash out a few minutes ago and it’s freezing. I think we can expect snow tonight” Jim said as he took a large bite out of a cookie.

Carol let out a sentimental sigh “Wouldn’t that be something? I love the snow.” She put her hand on top of Max’s “Do you remember when you made that snowman when you were eight?”

“Unfortunately I do, Mom,” Max said with playful resentment.

Carol got up and walked over to a nearby bookshelf, rifling through the books as she looked for something. “Oh Jen it was the sweetest thing, Max had made a snowman but felt bad leaving him out in the cold! So she scooped him up and put him in the middle of her bedroom!” She found a thick photo album and brought it over with her as she sat next to Jennifer. “She went downstairs and when she returned to her room she was horrified that her snowman had melted” Carol flipped through the pages before pointing to a photo of a small girl. It was an eight-year-old Max, standing next to a puddle of water and crying.

“Oh my goodness, you were so precious!” Jennifer smiled widely at the photo, both her and Carol giggling as they looked at more pictures of Max.

“Okay okay, that’s enough!” Max said as she blushed and laughed along with them, trying to get the album out of her mother’s hands. Max finally admitted defeat and looked through the photos with them.

“Oh these pictures are lovely, I only have a few pictures from when I was young” Jennifer conveyed as she looked at a picture of Max swimming at the beach.

“Well, we’ll just have to start taking pictures so that we can have a photo album of our own” Max added affectionately.

“Most definitely, we’ll take lots of pictures, Jen. You’re a part of the family now and being part of the family means you must suffer through lots of group photos” Carol smiled as she gestured to the various other photo albums on the shelf.

A little while later, Jennifer and Max went out onto the back porch to drink some hot tea and get a moment to themselves. Jennifer smiled over her shoulder as she listened to Carol playing a board game with Matilda. Carol was laughing in bewilderment at the intelligence of Matilda as she was beating Carol at the game.

Jennifer looked back in front of her at the dark blue sky, she could see her breath and took a sip of tea to warm herself. She then glanced over at Max who looked as though she was deep in thought.

“Max? Are you alright?” she asked in a gentle voice.

Max looked over at Jennifer, smiling weakly before looking down at her hands. “I’m okay, just still hung up on the way my uncle talked about you” Max shook her head with pained anger. “It’s one thing for him to act that way towards me…” Max took Jennifer’s hand in hers “but you don’t deserve that. He doesn’t even know how amazing you are and yet had the nerve to suggest that you’re ‘corrupting me’, whatever that means…” Max looked back down at her hands.

“Hey…” Jennifer placed her finger under Max’s chin, pulling her face up so that she was looking at her “You don’t deserve to be spoken to that way either. And it’s okay, I’ve endured worse than your uncle”

Max smiled softly, patting Jennifer’s leg and kissing her forehead.

“Come on, let’s stop being sad and look at the stars” Jennifer suggested as she got up and pulled Max to her feet before leading her down the steps and into the middle of the backyard.

They held each other tightly as they looked up at the sky, realizing that it was covered with clouds. Jennifer looked down from the sky, turning towards Max as she looked down as well. Max reached her warm hand up, resting it on Jennifer’s cheek.

“Can I tell you something?” Jennifer said softly, almost in a whisper.

“Of course,” Max said, looking slightly worried.

Jennifer chewed on her lip nervously as she looked into Max’s eyes. “I love you.”

Max couldn’t help but smile widely, “I love you too”.

Jennifer watched as Max suddenly looked upwards, her mouth hanging open in wonder. Jennifer looked up as well, letting a breath out as she gazed up at the sky.

Snowflakes were falling from the sky slowly, a few landing on her eyelashes. Max and Jennifer chuckled as they stood together, snow falling gently around them. Max then looked back at Jennifer, pulling her closer before leaning in and connecting their lips. The warmth of the kiss comforted them both as the cold of the snow enveloped them.

They were enjoying themselves so much that they didn't leave until 1 am. Carol kept giving them more baked goods that she had made and telling Jennifer stories from when max was a kid. When they finally decided to drive back to the cabin, Max carried Matilda to the car while Jim put some gifts in the trunk.

Carol was in the kitchen packing a basket full of bread and cookies that she had baked, handing it to Jennifer before giving her a big hug.

"It was so lovely to meet you Jen, and thank you. Max adores you and she seems really happy" 

Jennifer smiled into the warm hug. 

"And make sure to visit again soon! You're always welcome here" Carol smiled brightly.

"Thank you, Carol" A small tear slid down her cheek at how wonderfully Max's family had treated her the entire evening.

The two of them then walked outside together. Jennifer and Max got into the car, waving at Carol and Jim as they drove off into the night.

When they got back to the cabin Max carried Matilda to one of the bedrooms and tucked her in. Jennifer watched from the doorway, loving how wonderful Max was with Matilda. When Max finished she tip-toed out of the room, grabbing Jennifer's hand before leading her to the living room.

They sat on the couch together, Max pulling a thick blanket over their laps. 

Jennifer sat back, looking at the ceiling and letting out a deep breath of relief.

Max scooted towards her, putting her arm around Jennifer. 

"What are you thinking about?" she asked as she stared at Jennifer's face, marveling at how beautiful she was and how soft her skin looked.

A small smile crept onto Jennifer's face "I'm thinking about how when I was a little girl, I was always telling myself, someday things will change. Someday things will get better and I'll finally have the life that I've always dreamed of." Jennifer then turned toward Max.

"I always told myself that because it was easier than to face the very real possibility that I would never get away from my aunt." Jennifer reached up, running her hand through Max's soft brown hair. "And now, I have the life that I dreamed of and it's even better than I could have ever imagined..."

Max melted at the feeling of Jennifer playing with her hair and at Jennifer's words. She then leaned over, pressing her lips softly against Jennifer's. 

"Waiting and hoping has really paid off," Max said in between kisses.

The two then retreated to the master bedroom, before eventually falling asleep in each other's arms.

Chapter Text

Soft beams of sunlight poked through an opening in the curtains, shining on Jennifer’s face and waking her up. She rolled over in bed, taking a moment to admire Max who was sleeping next to her.

She gently pushed a lock of Max’s hair out of her face before kissing her forehead. She then got up and chose an outfit for the day. She settled for a light green dress and a cream-colored cardigan. It was a well-balanced outfit for the warm spring weather and the possibility of a cool breeze.

Spring was one of Jennifer’s favorite times of the year. The weather was so nice, everything was so green, and her wildflowers would be blooming soon.

Max breathed in sleepily as she sat up in bed, smiling as she watched Jennifer struggling to clasp her necklace around her neck.

Jennifer suddenly felt a warm hand on her shoulder.

“Here, let me do it” Max offered as she took the necklace from Jennifer and clasped it around her neck with ease. Jennifer had pulled her hair to the side so that her neck was visible, making it easier for Max to put the necklace on for her.

Once Max was done she planted a soft kiss on the back of Jennifer’s neck and grabbed her waist to turn her around.

“Good morning” she looked down at Jennifer with sleepy eyes.

“Good morning, do you still want to come to school to have lunch with me today?” Jennifer replied with a soft smile.

“Absolutely, I’ll see you at 12” Max kissed Jennifer before walking her downstairs where Matilda was waiting patiently with two bagels in her hands.

“Have a good day you guys” Max said as she smiled down at Matilda and watched them walk down the path towards the school.

Matilda sat in one of the old wooden chairs in the school library. She was the only one there as she flicked through a book and took notes. She was reading a book called the Dictionary of Symbolism to study the different cultural meanings of various symbols. She often liked to study random subjects when she had finished all of her work for her classes.

She flicked to the B section of the book, her eyes landing on the word ‘bee’ which also discussed the word ‘honey’. Her eyes lingered on a quote that made the edges of her mouth curl up into a smile.

“Honey…sweet to the palate and a healer of wounds.”

Matilda thought back to the kindness of Jenny and how she had single-handedly helped Matilda heal from a lot of the trauma she had endured at the hands of her family and the Trunchbull.

'Miss Honey...' she thought 'what a fitting name for her'

Just then a slight movement across the way caught Matilda’s eye. She glanced up and saw a man watching her from the window. She couldn’t see him very clearly but he was wearing a dark blue baseball cap. His eyes widened as Matilda looked up at him, before disappearing from the window frame. Matilda shook off the encounter as she went back to her studies.

Jennifer rubbed her eyes, she was tired from staying up with Max the night before. She then let out a sigh of relief at the sound of the bell. Soon after she heard a soft knock on her office door.

“Come in!” She called and she started clearing the papers off her desk. Max walked in, setting a basket down on the desk.

“I made us some sandwiches,” She said as she smiled and sat in the chair across from Jennifer.

“Thank you, they look delicious” Jennifer smiled as Max pulled some sandwiches and napkins out of the basket.

“I also made some muffins since today is my day off so I brought you one” Max pulled out a blueberry muffin, wrapped in beeswax paper, and set it aside for Jennifer.

They then began eating their sandwiches and chatting about their day.

“Have you been busy today?” Max asked, taking a big bite.

“Yeah, Fridays are always busy. A lot of prep to do for the coming week” Jennifer sighed, she looked drained but she perked up a bit. “It’s been tiring but seeing you has made it better” she grabbed Max’s hand and rubbed the back of it with her thumb.

“Spending time with you always makes my day better” Max smirked before kissing Jennifer. “Look at me, fraternizing with the principal” Max joked.

Jennifer shook her head and let out a laugh as she nudged Max’s arm.

“Oh, that reminds me I have something I wanted to ask you. There’s a new art gallery opening up tomorrow, and I was wondering if you would want to have a little art gallery date with me. You said Matilda is going to Lavenders right?” Jennifer loved looking at art. One of her favorite classes in college was an art history class.

“Oh, I’d love to! That sounds perfect. We haven’t gone out on a date night in a while” Jennifer said excitedly.

“Yeah!” Max checked her watch and saw that the lunch period was ending “We’ll plan it out more later tonight, have a good rest of your day honey” Max stood up and kissed Jennifer’s cheek. She then picked up the basket and waved as she walked out the door.

The rest of the day went by fairly quickly. Jennifer placed some papers in her bag before walking to meet Matilda by the steps in the front of the school. They then walked home together, hand in hand, Matilda talking exuberantly about what she had learned regarding symbolism.

The pair rounded a corner of the path as they approached their house. Matilda ran up the front steps and inside the house while Jennifer checked on her flowers that were starting to bloom. She was looking at her jasmine bush, thinking about how excited she was for the blossoms to bloom. Blooming jasmine was one of her favorite scents.

While she admired the bush she suddenly felt that she wasn’t alone. It felt as though someone was staring at her but as she looked around she didn’t see anyone. She turned to walk into the house and stopped abruptly as she saw a figure in the tree line across the way. It looked like a small man but she couldn’t see his face which was partially hidden by his hat and the shade of the trees. He quickly retreated into the forest, leaving Jennifer staring ahead confusedly. She then quickly walked inside, closing and locking the door behind her.

A couple of hours later, Max came through the front door carrying a large box. She came into the living room where Jennifer and Matilda were sitting. Matilda was doing more research on symbolism and Jennifer had a book in her hand but was staring out the window. She was so lost in thought that she didn't notice Max come in. 

"My love, are you alright?" Max asked.

"Huh?" Jennifer responded as she averted her gaze from the window.

"I was calling your name" Max chuckled as she sat down next to Jennifer. 

Jennifer shook her head, "I'm sorry, my mind is just a bit scattered tonight. I thought I saw someone outside earlier and I haven't been able to stop thinking about it. It's silly" 

"Outside the house?" Max asked confusedly.

"Yeah... when Matilda and I got home I could feel someone staring at me and when I turned around I saw a man disappear into the forest"

Matilda looked up from her book "Actually, it's a myth that we can sense when someone is staring at us. We simply remember the instances where we had the feeling and our feeling was confirmed by seeing a person actually looking at us" she said matter-of-factly.

Max and Jennifer smiled at Matilda's knowledge and slight lack of social awareness.

"You're right Matilda. It just rubbed me the wrong way. I couldn't see his face because of his hat so I guess I don't even know if he was looking at me..."

Matilda cocked her head to the side, "Wait, he was wearing a hat? What kind of hat?" she asked.

"Mmm, I think it was a blue baseball cap? I'm not sure he was quite a ways away, why?" Jennifer inquired.

Matilda's mouth opened slightly in realization "I saw him too. He was watching me through the window of the library..."

Chapter Text

Matilda had gone to bed and Jennifer was sitting on the couch, pillows and a thick blanket were strewn across her lap. She leaned to the side, watching the flame of the candle in front of her dance and cast shadows on the table.

Max came over from the kitchen where she had just finished cleaning up the dishes from their dinner. Jennifer felt guilty that she didn’t help but Max always insisted that Jennifer didn’t have to lift a finger when it came to cleaning up the kitchen.

Max sat next to Jennifer, lifting up the blanket so that it was on both of their laps. Jennifer smiled gently before pushing her arms around Max’s waist and nestling her face against Max’s chest. She breathed in Max’s scent, she loved Max’s perfume, and breathing it in instantly made her feel warm inside. The smell of sandalwood and amber…

Max ran her fingers through Jennifer’s hair slowly, kissing the top of her head and using her other hand to rub her back. Jennifer raised her head off of Max’s chest and fumbled with Max’s fingers which were intertwined with her own.

“What’s on your mind, my love?” Max asked knowingly.

Jennifer sighed, “I’m just worried about that man that I saw” she shook her head and looked down. “I just don’t know what it could mean. Something about him seemed familiar but he was gone so quickly and now I don’t know what to do. I just want Matilda to be safe…” she trailed off.

“Hey, Matilda is safe. I’ll keep an eye out and everything will be okay. Plus Matilda will be safe at Lavender’s tomorrow, and we’ll be on our date” Max smirked and pulled Jennifer close.

Jennifer giggled and relaxed into Max’s embrace. “You’re right. Everything will be okay.” Max nodded before standing up and pulling Jennifer up with her.

“What are you doing? I was comfy” Jennifer exclaimed teasingly.

Max walked across the room, putting a record on the record player and lowering the needle. A soft beat began playing as she walked back over to Jennifer.

“Dance with me…” she said as she pulled Jennifer close and began swaying them both to the music. The music played softly from the record player as Jennifer recognized the song as one of her favorites.

“I will not ask you where you came from

I will not ask and neither should you

Honey, just put your sweet lips on my lips

We should just kiss like real people do”

Jennifer smiled up at Max as they slow-danced in the middle of the living room. Everything melted away and it was as if they were the only two people on the face of the earth.

Jennifer could hear the muffled sound of birds greeting each other as her eyes opened slowly the next morning. She took a deep breath as she stretched and looked over at Max who was still asleep. She moved closer and put her arm around Max, leaning her head on Max's shoulder. She marveled internally at how relaxed and safe she felt at this very moment. She felt so comfortable that she fell back asleep almost instantly.

She awoke about an hour later when she heard Max yawning and felt her stroking her arm. She opened her eyes and smiled up at Max who looked wide awake.

"Good morning sleepyhead" Max whispered affectionately.

"Morning" Jennifer smiled and raised her head slightly, kissing Max's jaw softly. Max looked down at Jennifer, her golden brown hair was messy from sleep. Before she knew it she had been staring at her for five minutes straight.

"What are you looking at?" Jennifer giggled.

"I just love the way you look when you first wake up. You're so beautiful..." Max tucked Jennifer's hair behind her hair.

They both laid there for a bit longer, chatting and making each other laugh as they curled next to each other under the covers. After a while, Max got up and out of bed.

"Hey listen, I have to go run some errands" Max took her shirt off and threw on a clean dark green button-up, leaving the top few buttons undone, "but I'll be back by 2 to pick you up for our date" Max smiled.

Jennifer's heart fluttered as she gazed at Max as she got dressed. She could see the light outline of the muscles on her back and a few tattoos that she had seen a few times before. 

"What errands do you have?" Jennifer asked, wishing Max could stay longer.

"That's top secret information" Max smirked and gave Jennifer a firm but gentle kiss "see you later my love." She then grabbed her bag and disappeared through the door.

After Jennifer got out of bed she took a warm shower and got dressed. She put her robe on and walked to her closet, picking out a brown dress, some loafers, and a cardigan. She thought the outfit looked very good with her brown round glasses so she made sure to pack them in her purse. She then made some brunch for Matilda before walking her to Lavender's house.

As soon as they arrived Matilda and Lavender ran off into the house together, playing some game they had invented the previous week. Jennifer chatted with Lavender's mom before walking back down the path toward her house.

By the time she got home, it was about 1:30 so she sat down in her armchair and opened up the book she was currently reading. With one hand she held her book open and with the other, she pushed her glasses up, which were slipping down her nose. After a while of reading, she heard the front door open.

Max came around the corner, holding a bouquet of jasmine and honeysuckle.

"Your chariot awaits you" Max bowed jokingly as she held out her hand. She took Jennifer's hand in her own and handed her the bouquet as she led her outside. As they got closer to Max's car, she opened the passenger door for Jennifer before getting into the driver's seat. 

Jennifer took a deep whiff of the bouquet and smiled widely. "Oh these flowers smell amazing, jasmine is..."

"your favorite flower" Max interjected, smiling over at her. Max then began driving, holding Jennifer's hand as they drove through town.

They eventually arrived at the art gallery, Max opening Jennifer's door and grabbing her hand. Once inside, they gawked at the beautiful artwork covering the walls. The gallery was divided into three sections: modern art, oil paintings, and sculptures. 

"Where do you want to start?" Max asked as she gazed around, not being able to decide where to look.

"Let's start at the sculptures" Jennifer suggested excitedly. The pair walked down the hallway labeled "Sculptures" with their fingers entwined. They walked slowly as they looked at all the sculptures, pointing out ones they liked and stopping occasionally to read the info cards in front of the artwork. 

Max watched as Jennifer walked beside her, gazing at the various sculptures. Max loved watching Jennifer do anything, but something about seeing her here amongst such beautiful artwork felt magical. It felt right, being here with her.

Chapter Text

Jennifer and Max walked around the art gallery together, hand-in-hand, as they admired the art and each other.

Max stopped in front of one of the paintings. It was an oil painting of a gorgeous serene meadow. The sun was shining brightly on the scene and there were small flowers in the grass. Max gazed at it with a smile before letting out a soft chuckle.

"What is it?" Jennifer asked.

"Looking at this painting makes me feel the same way that looking at you does" Max squeezed Jennifer's hand and looked over at her "you both make me feel so calm yet as though I could conquer the world."

The pair continued to look at the art together until they had covered the entire gallery.

The weather was perfect as Max and Jennifer made their way down a path in the woods. Max was leading Jennifer further and further into the woods and she was beginning to wonder why they needed to go so deep.

Eventually, they came upon a clearing that actually looked quite similar to the painting they were admiring earlier. Max laid out a blanket and set down a picnic basket in the middle. Jennifer was about to sit down when Max stopped her. 

"Wait, I want to show you something!" Max grabbed her arm and pulled her to the edge of the clearing. As they made their way closer Jennifer realized that the edge of the clearing was a cliff. She looked out and breathed out as she took in the beauty of the view. From the cliff, they could see the tops of all of the trees as well as the slope of a nearby mountain. The sky was blue and small clouds drifted by above them. 

"Oh Max," Jennifer grabbed Max's hand "this is just magnificent, thank you for bringing me here" Jennifer looked out in wonder, a bewildered smile on her lips.

Max smiled as she watched Jennifer enjoying the view. "Look down my love," she said gently.

Jennifer averted her gaze to the ground below the cliff and gasped. There was a small waterfall that led down to a small rocky lake. At the edge of the lake, there was a large rock poking out from the water with patches of moss covering it, and it was in the shape of a heart.

The two sat on the blanket, eating sandwiches and drinking homemade lavender lemonade that Max had packed in the picnic basket. It was a fairly warm day but they picked a spot in the shade and it was perfect. They had been chatting for the last hour about everything and nothing at the same time.

"So, when did you know you liked girls?" Max asked curiously before taking a bite of her sandwich.

Jennifer took a sip of her lemonade as she thought back to when she was younger.

"I think I was about 8 years old. I had a friend in elementary school named Margo. We were inseparable for years..." Jennifer smiled as she remembered all the fun they used to have "I had a crush on her for a long time but I didn't have the vocabulary to understand it or express it. But anyways, I think my aunt suspected that I had feelings for Margo because when we got into high school, she forbade me from speaking to her ever again. I had no choice but to do as she told me, for both my safety and Margo's"

Max shook her head slightly "I'm so sorry Jen, maybe you can find Margo again someday and catch up. You deserve to heal from what your aunt did to you all those years."

Jennifer took Max's hand in hers, gently squeezing it. A quiet moment passed between them as they listen to birds chirping in the trees above.

"What about you? When did you first know you liked girls?" Jennifer inquired.

"Hm, I think I was 6 years old. I was always a bit different but didn't know what it meant until I was 10. My mom used to joke about how she was so excited that she was having a daughter and then she got stuck with me. I practically lived and breathed for cargo shorts, skateboarding, and books as a kid, definitely not a girly girl." Jennifer and Max laughed.

"But it seemed like everyone knew before I did. When I was younger my mom let me cut my hair short because I had been begging her for a while. But when I went to school, the kids called me every name in the book. After that, I never really had many friends. The boys would make fun of me and the girls thought I would start having a crush on them if they befriended me" Max scoffed.

"I tried to not let it bother me so I'd bottle it all up and books became my escape. I'd read the Count of Monte Cristo, Moby Dick, and so many other books in the library at lunch. The librarian, Ms. Moore, was always so kind to me. She'd help me find new books to read and make sure I ate my lunch even if I wasn't in the mood. The library and Ms. Moore really helped me back then, so I knew that I wanted to work in a library someday also." Max smiled and took a deep breath.

 Jennifer smiled sadly at Max, cupping her face with one of her hands. 
"I'm proud of you Max, I'm sure Ms. Moore would be proud of you as well."

Max placed her hand on top of Jennifer's. They spent the rest of the day laying on the blanket, watching the clouds and talking.

The two got back home as it was starting to get dark. They carried their stuff inside and sat on the couch wearily. 

"Man I'm pooped," Max said as she put her arm around Jennifer.

"Yeah, I'm hungry too. What should we do for dinner?" 

"I can run to the grocery store really quick and whip us up something" 

"Okay, that sounds good" Jennifer smiled. She then gave Max a soft kiss. "Hurry back"

Max smiled before grabbing her wallet and keys and shutting the door behind her. 

Jennifer laid down on the couch, accidentally falling asleep for a little while. She was having a dream that she was with Max and they were laying in bed when suddenly thunder pounded outside the window. It took her a second to wake up from the dream and realize that the pounding was real. She got up from the couch and walked towards the front door which was slightly ajar.

"Max? Are you home?" She asked wearily as she slowly walked down the hall. She rounded the corner and stepped into the kitchen. She let out a terrified gasp as she saw the man with the blue baseball cap standing next to the table.

She started backing up as the man turned around. His face looked familiar but it took her a second to recognize him because he had dark circles under his eyes.

"Mr. Wormwood?" she gasped.

"Hello, Miss Honey" Mr. Wormwood muttered, a sickening smirk on his face.

Chapter Text

Jennifer backed up a few steps as Mr. Worwood came toward her.

“What are you doing here?” Jennifer questioned.

“I’m here to get my daughter back…” Mr. Wormwood stated, his voice filled with arrogance, “Where is the little brat?”

“She’s not here, and even if she was I wouldn’t let you take her. She’s very happy here…” Jennifer answered with furrowed brows.

A flash of anger appeared on his face for a moment before he walked forward quickly. He cornered Jennifer in the back part of the kitchen as he grabbed her wrist hard.

“You’re going to tell me where my freak daughter is or else you’ll regret it” Mr. Wormwood spat through his gritted teeth.

Jennifer’s mouth opened in pain as he gripped her wrist.

“I won’t! Why do you even want her if you think she’s such a freak? She’s better off here than with a horrible parent like you” Jennifer asserted, her face riddled with anger and pain.

“Money is tight and I can’t seem to get a job back in Guam. But imagine how much money I’ll make using Matilda’s powers.” An evil smile crept onto his face. “I knew that Matilda was different, but I let her stay here with you because I had no use for her and her smart mouth. But things have changed, so I’m taking her back to Guam with me” He started to bend Jennifer’s wrist back further when something struck him from behind.

“Like hell, you are,” Max said as she grabbed ahold of Jennifer and pushed her behind her.

Mr. Wormwood scrambled to his feet as he recovered from Max striking him. Now that he didn’t have the upper hand Jennifer saw him for what he was, a small cowardly man that couldn’t care less about anyone but himself. He charged forward, trying to catch Max off guard but she grabbed his collar and threw him to the ground with ease.

“If you don’t leave and get on the next flight out of here, I’ll go straight to the cops. And don’t even try coming back for Matilda. I won’t let you hurt her or Jennifer.” Max said as she stood with one arm protecting Jennifer.

Mr. Wormwood slowly stood back up with anger in his eyes. He considered Max’s words for a moment before sighing angrily in defeat. He then walked past them and through the front door, slamming it behind him.

Jennifer sighed in relief, glad that he was finally gone. Max quickly turned around once he was gone, her tough facade fading as concern filled her eyes.

“Honey are you okay? Did he hurt you?” Max gently grabbed Jennifer’s shoulders.

“No, I’m okay. My wrist is a little sore but I’m fine” Jennifer smiled weakly, still recovering from how scared she was.

Max took Jennifer’s wrist in her hand and rolled up her sleeve. Her wrist was red and starting to turn purple from how tightly he had grabbed it.

“Oh Jen, it’s bruised. Let me ice it for you” Max said as she put some ice in a towel and led Jennifer to the living room.

They both sat down on the couch, Max holding Jennifer’s wrist as she softly pressed the ice to her skin. A lock of hair fell into Max’s eyes as she focused on icing Jennifer’s wrist. Jennifer reached over with her other hand and tucked the hair back out of Max’s eyes, causing Max to look up at her.

“Thank you for being there. I don’t know what would’ve happened if you hadn’t come home when you did” Jennifer said with a smile, a single tear falling down her cheek.

“I’ll always be there for you, no matter what” Max wiped Jennifer’s tear and kissed her on the forehead.

After Jennifer's wrist started feeling better the two of them whipped something up for dinner. They made some pasta and vegetables and as Jennifer plated their food and carried it over to the table, Max surprised her by setting up the table with candles and a vase with flowers in it. Jennifer's eyes lit up as she admired the table.

"You're too sweet, I don't deserve you" Jennifer shook her head gently as she placed the plates on the table.

Max silenced her with a long kiss, placing her hand on Jennifer's waist. Jennifer blushed and they ate their food contently. Max was still concerned about Jennifer's wrist and even offered to feed her if it hurt too much.

After dinner, they got ready for bed. When Max came out from taking a shower, Jennifer was sitting in bed reading. 

Max laid down so that her head was in Jennifer's lap. Jennifer smiled and started playing with Max's hair as she continued to read. Max spent the next 10 minutes just watching Jennifer read and enjoying the feeling of her playing with her hair. 

Jennifer was deeply engrossed in her book and wanted to finish the chapter she was on before they went to bed. She finally finished it and set the book down before averting her gaze down to Max. Max was staring back at her and she had tears in her eyes.

"Sweetheart, what's wrong?" Jennifer questioned, cupping Max's face with both of her hands. 

Max reached up and placed her hand on top of Jennifer's, closing her eyes for a moment to savor the feeling of Jennifer's soft hand. She then opened her eyes as she collected herself. 

"You're just so amazing. And I'm in trouble because I love you so much. My love for you has reached a new level; I love you so much that watching you read for ten minutes brings me to tears" Max laughed as she tried to get herself to stop crying.

Jennifer laughed with her, tears now starting to form in her own eyes. She couldn't believe that someone cared for her and loved her this much. She always felt so unlovable because of her childhood and never thought she would ever find someone to love her. 

She laid down next to Max, curling up next to her and feeling her warmth under the covers. They exchanged soft I love you's before falling asleep in each other's arms.

Chapter Text

The following day, Mr. Wormwood had gotten the first flight to Guam that he could find. He didn’t want to spend any more time in the states now that they knew he was there. Jennifer and Max had filed a police report the previous night but decided to let Matilda stay at Lavender’s house figuring it was the safer place for her until they knew where Harry was. In the morning Jennifer got a call from the police department regarding one of Mr. Wormwood's aliases getting onto a flight the previous night. Unfortunately, he vanished after exiting the airport and the airport security wasn’t able to find him. But Jennifer still felt immense relief knowing that he was in a different country and that he was on the police’s radar.

Max drove Jennifer to Lavender’s house later to pick up Matilda. They weren’t sure if they should tell her, not wanting to worry her, but in the end they told her everything. They knew she was emotionally mature enough to handle the information.

...

Matilda shook her head “What did he want with me? When they first fled to Guam he seemed happy to be leaving without me” Matilda’s face was riddled with confusion, a look she often got when doing her advanced calculus homework.

“He wanted to use you and your powers to make money in Guam. I guess he hasn’t had much luck over there” Jennifer explained.

Matilda scoffed, her eyebrows still furrowed in deep thought.

“What is it?” Max asked, glancing at Matilda in the mirror as she drove.

“I just never thought that he knew, about my powers I mean. He always treated me as if I had nothing to offer the world, despite knowing the entire time that I had my powers” Matilda shook her head and looked out the window for a moment.

Jennifer reached her hand back, grabbing Matilda’s hand to comfort her.

That night Matilda asked if she could spend the night at Lavender’s again. All of her friends were going for a last minute costume party since halloween was coming up. She was excited about seeing her friends, but truth be told she wanted to be away from the house for one more night while she made sense of her father’s unwelcome visit.

Jennifer came inside the house after walking Matilda to Lavender’s. She sat on the couch, leaning back with a sigh. The last couple of days had been exhausting. Both emotionally and physically. Just a few minutes later Max came in through the front, smiling widely as her eyes landed on Jennifer.

“Hello my love” She kissed Jennifer’s forehead before sitting down next to her on the couch.

“Hello” Jennifer smiled before snuggling up to Max.

“I have a little surprise, want to come to my house tonight? I think it’ll be good to get out of here for a night. You won’t have to lift a finger, I know you’re tired” Max stood up, reaching her hand out.

Jennifer smirked “okay, that sounds nice”. She then grabbed Max’s hand and let her pull her up.

They then drove to Max’s house; it was a very picturesque drive since there were red and orange leaves littering the ground surrounding the road. They walked inside and it was chilly so Max started a fire in the fireplace of the living room. She also lighted some scented candles that made the house smell even cozier. Max disappeared into the kitchen and Jennifer followed her as she heard pots clanging together. Max was checking on some soup that she had left cooking. She then reached into the fridge .

“Look at what I got” she said with a smile as she held up some fancy wine. She didn’t drink wine often but when she did, she made sure it was the good stuff. Jennifer’s eyebrows raised with a chuckle as she sat down at the counter.

“Wow, we’re dining lavishly tonight” she said as she leaned on the counter, watching Max pour two glasses of wine. She handed Jennifer one and lifted her glass.

“Cheers, Jen” She said as she put her glass forward.

“Cheers, Max” Jennifer said softly before clinking their glasses against each other. They ate their soup while sitting on the floor next to the fire. They were warm inside and out, both because of the fire and because of the wine they had been drinking. After they finished their soup, Max got up to take their bowls to the kitchen. While she did so, Jennifer walked around the living room, looking at the various things hanging on the walls.

She took a sip of her wine as she stopped to look at Max’s college diploma which was framed above the mantle of the fireplace. Max walked in and came to stand next to Jen. She gently wrapped her arm around Jennifer’s waist.

“Did you have fun in college?” Jennifer asked as they sat back down on the ground. “Ah yeah, I made a lot of friends for the first time in my life and I made a lot of good memories…” Max trailed off. “What about you? Did you enjoy college?”

“Well, yes and no. On one hand it was amazing because it was the first time I had been away from my aunt, away from her influence, and it was so freeing” Jennifer closed her eyes as she remembered her 18 year-old self practically living in the campus library. “But it was also hard, knowing that I was only there because my aunt was allowing it. She had control of my money for my whole life and I always knew that once college ended I’d just have to come back and be under her control”

“That’s really hard my love” Max furrowed her brow as she held Jennifer’s hand comfortingly. “I want you to know how strong you are. You’ve been through so much and yet your character has remained untouched by your aunts’ cruelty”

Jennifer smiled before kissing Max as a thank you. She then leaned her head against Max as they watched the embers of the fire burning. “You know, my dream is to someday go back to college. I could get my masters and maybe experience college without the anxiety that plagued me the first time around.” Jennifer thought aloud.

“I think that’s a wonderful idea” Max whispered with a smile.