The Ymbryne Academy

Chapter 64

Alma hummed as she finished the dishes after lunch. The children were either playing or finishing up their chores.

She's noticed major improvement with them all, satisfied when Enoch became a bit friendlier to Horace.

The two seemed to get along nicely and Horace was able to talk about his dreams with Enoch. The older boy was kind about them, and tried his best to assure him it would be alright.

Though Alma knew he would never admit to being friends with him, she was glad the two seemed fit. Emma started talking to Olive more and the younger ones got along just fine.

Claire had tea parties with Bronwyn and Hugh and Millard took up soccer in their free time.

"Miss P?"

The ymbryne looked over at Hugh who came in, his bees swarming the kitchen.

"Yes dear?" She asked as she finished up the dishes, putting the last few plates away.

"There's a woman who entered the loop, I think she said Avocet or something?" Hugh says. "She's really old."

"Don't be rude, Hugh." Emma scolds, walking by.

"Well she is!" Hugh groaned. "Anyway she's outside."

"Alright. Miss Bloom, please get the door while I finish the dishes." Alma says and the girl nods.

Emma opened the door for the old woman and let her into the house, greeting her with a small smile.

"Miss Avocet, what a pleasant surprise." Alma says with a small smile, turning the water off and drying the last dish.

"I wanted to see how you were doing." The woman said as she looked around. "How are the children?"

"They're settling in just fine." Alma says with a hint of pride in her voice as she smiled.

"That's good." She said, though seeming judgmental. "I heard you were asking around about Esmé."

"Oh, right. Well, Horace has been having some dreams and-"

"Well she isn't any of your concern to worry over." Miss Avocet says, talking over her.

"Well if you'd just visit her loop and check in, make sure she's okay-" Alma went to say, but was again interrupted.

"There is absolutely no concern coming about that requires us to do so. It is just her and her wards, what danger would there be?" The mentor says and Alma fell quiet.

"Horace has been having dreams."

"I doubt they're prophetic, probably just nightmares."

"No, they have to be real. Every night it's about the same person, his description of her sounds just like Esmé."

"He could be seeing differently."

"He pointed her out in a photo and told me it was her." Alma insisted.

"Why in birds name do you have a photo of her?"

"She was my friend." Alma says and the mentor raised an eyebrow, looking over her for a moment before sighing.

"I'm not going to waste time visiting but I'll give her a call, okay?"

"Thank you." Alma says with a small nod, looking down at the floor.

"I've been visiting different students at the academy and you seem to also be doing well. I'll leave you to it." She says, leaving to the door.

"Miss Avocet?" Alma asked before she could leave. "Will you call me after and just let me know she's okay?"

"Sure dear." She says with a small smile and left without another word.

Alma sighed and went to the kitchen parlor, sitting on the couch and watching out the window as Avocet left.

Eventually when she left, she didn't have much to do since the children were busy and decided to take out a book to skim over.

Alma barely absorbed any of the material, if any at all. She was too distracted.

Eventually she gave up on the book, heading to the kitchen to light her pipe and check on the children outside through the window, smiling a bit when she seen all of them getting along.

Enoch was talking with Horace about a book they liked. Fiona was gardening with Bronwyn. Olive was giving Claire a piggy back, running from Emma.

She liked to know all of her children felt safe here and some of her tension eased at that fact. Whether Avocet gets back to her or not, she can't keep chasing after a woman she hasn't seen in over 10 years.

Things have changed.