Book One: Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children (My Remake)

Chapter 13~A Day at the Beach

The morning carried on; filled with laughter, smiles and sour limeade. I learned how to play croquet and got to tend to the gardens, something I hadn't done since I moved to Cairnholm and all that was around me was dirt and gravel. The younger children were pouring water over each other's heads using the watering cans provided from the tool shed. Their shrieks of joy emanated through the air as we older kids looked over our shoulders and smiled.

Of course we didn't have to tend to the garden, thanks to Fiona, but apart from playing ball and lazing around in the sun there wasn't much to do. As I lightly patted the dirt around a purple daisy, Hugh began talking about options for lunch. Just at that moment my stomach growled and I knew the sun was at its peak in the sky among the fluffy clouds.

Once we knew we could do as much work on the garden as we could we settled the younger ones down and stored the supplies back in the shed until their next awakening. Bronwyn began heading back to the house to take the younger children in for their lesson, Olive on her shoulders for a piggy back ride giggling while Claire dreadfully held onto her hand. I assumed that was her face before any lesson and didn't make too much fuss about trying to comfort her, hoping she would perk up once her lesson had finished.

We decided to go in for lunch as we were growing hungry from tending to the garden. Set onto the table was a platter of goose sandwiches stacked clumsily onto each other as if they could tumble down any moment. I sat down with everyone else and we chowed down. I'd never been so fulfilled in my life.

After we successfully left crumbs on the platter and around our lips Hugh and Fiona left only to return with a large bowl of chocolate pudding, bowls and spoons. I'm pretty sure I'd died and gone to heaven just then. Ten minutes later the bowl was marked with spoons creases from Hugh and I trying to scrap the last bit of pudding out. Unsurprisingly Hugh had a thing for sweets.

"I've a brilliant idea!" Emma explained once we had managed to waddle out of our dining room seats and in the cushioned velvet chairs in the sitting room. "Let's all go swimming."

"Out of the question," Millard groaned on the other side of the room, the top button of his pants popping out. I was rather surprised that Millard was actually wearing pants than the fact that he didn't want to go swimming. "I'm stuffed like a Christmas turkey."

"Oh, don't be so dramatic Mill," Emma said, waving her hand. "We haven't gone to the beach in ages. I'd surely like to prove I'm still the fastest swimmer," she announced proudly.

Bronwyn lay curled with her head between two pillows. "I'd sink straight to the bottom," came her muffled reply.

"Oh please, Bronwyn. No need to forfeit so soon, however, I understand if you don't think you could beat me," Emma smiled devilishly.

"I could beat you any day!" Bronwyn exclaimed, jumping out from between the pillows.

"Can you, now?" Emma narrowed her eyes.

"Yes, I can!" Bronwyn said determinedly.

And the classic words slipped through Emma's smiling lips. "Well then, prove it," she said with her arms crossed. From the tone of her voice and the smile on her lips I knew she was proud to have convinced Bronwyn to head to the beach with her. With that Bronwyn stood up and announced she was going to get her swim suit.

"I guess I wouldn't mind coming too," said Jacob who unsurprisingly sat next to Emma. Of course he wouldn't mind.

"Excellent! Anyone else care to join?"

Everyone else replied with a long groan.

"Come on, now! What's sun and a few waves got to hurt?"