Chapter Text
"Miss?" Claire looked up at her from where she was seated, comfortable resting in the Ymbrynes arms infront of the fire.
"Hmm?" Miss Peregrine opened her hawk-like eyes, hating to admit she'd fallen asleep trying to settle Claire. The little girl had been running a fever, and try as she might, had refused to sleep.
"Do you have a mummy?" She stuck her thump in her mouth, sucking on it as she waited for the reply.
The ends of Miss Peregrine's lips curved upwards gently. "I do." She took Claire's thumb, removing it from her mouth. "Big girls don't suck their thumb" she reminded her.
Claire nodded, holding her teddy bear tighter. "Where's your mummy?" She asked.
Miss Peregrine sighed, rocking her gently. "She's at the academy, teaching new young women how to be Ymbrynes" She said, trying not to think about it too hard. It wouldn't do to get emotional infront of a charge.
"She Ymbryne?" Claire asked. "You're my mummy" she then informed her firmly, with the conviction only a small child could hold.
Miss Peregrine smiled, her heart warmed. "Yes. Miss Esmeralda Avocet. She's my mother, truly." She reaches out to the side table, fetching the picture of herself as a child, Miss Avocet next to her. "I was your age when we took this photo"
Claire nodded. "That her?" She said, pointing at the woman in the picture. "You're pretty" she smiled.
Miss Peregrine nodded. "Thank you. And yes, it's her. My mother." She looked at the picture, and felt tears well in her eyes. It had been so many years since she last saw her, and the pain and sorrow of that fact was dreadful whenever it made itself known again.
"Claire, I think it's time for you to go back to bed" Miss Peregrine said, putting her down on the floor as she stood up. "I need to do Ymbryne things"
Claire pouted, considering this proposition before defiantly making her stand by laying down on the couch, wrapping the throw blanket around herself.
Miss Peregrine could only laug then, amazed at the stubborness and ingenuity of her charges. Then, quietly, she stepped out into the hall to find the house phone.
She hesitates there for a long time, gauging what the recepient of the phone call might think if she made it. She might be upset, she might be annoyed, she might even be happy and delighted to hear from the woman she so long treated like a daugter. Miss Peregrine didn’t know and it made her wonder if she really should.
Finally, she lifts up the phone and dial the number just like she wanted to do so many, many times before. With batted breath, she waited for an answer.
Hello? Miss Esmeralda Avocet, who is it?