A Peculiar Time in 1944 - A Millard Fanfic (Miss Peregrine's Home) #wattys2020

Chapter 3

Just like Millard had said Aurora's ankle felt much better when she woke up the next morning. Sure she wasn't ready to run a marathon but she could at least walk on her own again. She quietly got dressed and made her way to the kitchen where she found her mother rocking her baby brother. Little Noah was ten months old now and was the light of her life. Aurora sat in the chair next to her mother and watched her little brother giggle as she tickled his tummy. Their peaceful moment of bliss was interrupted by her father storming into the kitchen.

"Breakfast Aurora." He demanded as he sat at the table and opened the newspaper.

"Yes sir." she muttered and went to the stove. She got the last couple of eggs they had and started on breakfast. When she was finished she split the helping of eggs in two for her parents and nibbled on some dry toast for herself. She'd have to go to the market later and see what she could scrounge up. Her father looked up from his plate to where Aurora stood leaning against the kitchen counter eating her toast.

"Well, don't just stand there girl. There's laundry to be done. Go, get on with it!"

Aurora finished her toast in three bites and rushed out of the kitchen. Her father had been like this since the war started, after Noah had been born it only got worse. Since her mother had gone from being very pregnant to being very busy with the new baby her father had decided all the work should land on Aurora's shoulders. At first she didn't mind, she'd always helped her mother as a child, but after awhile it started to feel like she was more of an in-house maid then his daughter. Still, she stayed quiet and got her work done; when they had moments alone her mother would tell her to be courageous and kind, that was the only way to live in a perilous war torn world like this.

By noon Aurora had finished washing the laundry and had hung it up on the line out back to dry. She had a quick lunch, just some crackers and cheese while her parents had sandwiches, then her father had her sweep and wash the floors, clean the windows and mend the clothes that needed sewing. Once she had finished her chores it was almost dinner time, the sun was just starting to set, so she went back outside with the wicker laundry basket to retrieve the dry clothes.

About halfway through she felt a tap on her shoulder, "Millard!" she said as she turned and saw clothes and no visible body, a smile spread across her face.

"It's good to see your ankle looking better."

She opened her mouth to respond but before she could get any words out she heard her father yell from inside the house, "Aurora!"

She quickly grabbed Millard's sleeve and pulled him into the shrubbery at the edge of the yard. She peeked between the evergreen branches and watched her father come out the back door and take a look around the yard. He called her name again still looking to see where she'd gone.

"Well this is different." Millard whispered beside her, "Usually when I need to hide I just strip naked." He said nonchalantly. Aurora, however, looked away from him as she felt her face blush a deep red again. She noticed how Millard had a way of constantly making her blush. She looked back up just as her father shook his head then stormed back inside.

"I should probably get inside, before he gets any angrier." She said stepping out of the bushes.

"Are you going to be alright?" Millard asked her concerned.

"I'll be fine." She assured him.

She heard him take a deep breath, like he was plucking up the courage to ask her something. "Do you know that park a few blocks over?"

"The one off that dead end street? La Follettiere?" his cap nodded, "Yes, I know it."

"Would you be able to sneak out later? Meet me there?"