Things had finally settled down. The Baudelaire children were safe. The Quagmire children were safe. Along their journey Jacques and Olivia had discovered that the third triplet was alive and being hidden by a fellow V.F.D. member, Jacques sister Kit. It had taken a week to reunite the third triplet with his two siblings. Jacques, Olivia, Violet, Klaus and Sunny watched on as what was left of the Quagmire family clung to each other and cried. But they were safe.
Jacques and Olivia had foiled Count Olaf's plans for the final time and watched as he perished in an unremarkable way. Something that, by the look on his face at the time, did not live up to the image in his head that he had created of his life, and apparently death. After all, Count Olaf was never boring in his mind. Jacques and Olivia had watched on, relieved that it was over and relieved that they themselves didn't have to put an end to the despicable man. After all it would have been the only way the Baudelaire's and the Quagmires would have ever been safe. A conclusion they had come to the night before while creating a plan to capture the man.
Jacques and Olivia had arranged a place for both orphan families to settle down and begin to live a life somewhat resembling normal. It had been a week since the six children and the two volunteers had acquired a small house that was once used as a safehouse for the V.F.D. members who needed somewhere to lay low for a while. So that was how the Baudelaire's, Quagmires and the two volunteers found themselves in the two-bedroom house while arrangements were made.
The first few days the children became used to the feeling of being safe and cared for again but knew that this would soon be different as the families were separated and dropped off at their new homes with their new and hopefully long-term guardians. Therefor it was a bittersweet feeling that everyone was feeling.
Today Violet had woken early and had a very short-lived panic attack when Sunny was not beside her in the bed. Pushing the blankets back and sitting up she heard the soft sounds of Sunny in the kitchen being spoken to quietly by Jacques and Olivia while they went around the kitchen preparing breakfast for the children, most of which were still asleep. Violet turned around to reach for her ribbon that laid of the bedside table and glanced over at Isadora's bed.
The first night they stayed at the house Olivia had awoken part way through the night to see that violet had retrieved Sunny from the cot and taken her back to the bed with her. The next time she awoke she saw that Duncan, Isadora and Quigley were all packed quite tightly into Isadora's bed and Klaus had crawled into Violets bed on the other side of Sunny. The next night Olivia had moved Violet and Isadora's beds closer together and added another bed to Isadora's. no one mentioned it but the children were happy to be able to be, in a way, given permission to be close to each other. The next few days Olivia had moved Violet, Klaus and Sunny into her slightly bigger bed and she herself had moved into a bed in the room that was meant for the boys.
Violet smiled slightly and tied the ribbon around her wrist and rose from the bed. Klaus was asleep in the bed still so Violet pulled the blanket up to his shoulders and then walked over to the door. It was slightly open, letting a slither of light bounce off the wall. Violet loved waking up early enough to hear Jacques and Olivia talk to each other in the kitchen. Sunny at some point must have crawled out of the bed and found Jacques and Olivia, no doubt waking them to demand some attention. Violet watched as the two adults maneuveredaround each other in the kitchen in a seemly practiced dance getting all the ingredients together for what appeared to be the makings for pancakes.
Violet watched as Olivia sifted some flour into a mixing bowl and then stepped over to Sunny and handed her a slice of apple while Jacques then cracked an egg and added it to the mix. He then went to the fridge to retrieve the milk while Olivia stepped over to mix what was in the bowl. Jacques then poured out the required amount of milk and handed it to Olivia with a grin and then gave Sunny another piece of apple. Sunny babbled on happily about things she liked to bite, apples being one of them, although softer than most things. Jacques and Olivia listened and responded in a level of understanding of Sunny's language that Violet had not seen expressed my many adults
Violet watched the scene in front of her and worried about how hard sunny would take not being around Jacques and Olivia when they had to leave for their new homes. Sunny seemed to be getting attached to Jacques and Olivia in a way that she hadn't seen her sister do since before their parents perished in the fire. Violet watched the scene in front of her as she thought about how close Sunny was getting to Jacques and Olivia.
Just last night Sunny had insisted to stay in Olivia's lap while everyone listened to Jacques read a story about a woman and a railroad. Later Sunny refused to be put to bed by either Violet or Klaus and instead reached for Jacques while babbling about biting through the cot if he and he alone didn't put her to bed. Sunny would follow them both around during the hours of the afternoon when they arrived back to the house after spending hours sorting out arrangements for their new guardians. Sunny would be up and walking over to the door the minute she heard the taxi pull into the driveway and heard the voices of Jacques and Olivia as they walked up the path. The second the door opened, Sunny would rattle on in her language about her day and be swept up into either Jacques or Olivia's arms and cuddled while the adults asked the other children how their day went.
Violet was brought back into their conversation when she heard her name.
"When we get home tonight we can tell Violet, Klaus, Duncan, Isadora and Quigley that we have made all the arrangements and can finally leave this place" Jacques said to Olivia
"Home?" Olivia said shooting a curved eyebrow in Jacques direction
"This is a safe house, and a house is always a home when there are people in it" Jacques said with a smile at Olivia while putting a couple of pancakes on an already towering plate. Violet stared at the plate and noticed just how much time she had been standing there reminiscing.
"It will be nice to get out of this place" Olivia said with a sigh
Violet thought about Jacques and Olivia's words about finally being able to leave here and felt an uncomfortable feeling settle in her stomach. She hadn't realised that they were looking forward to leaving. They had seemed perfectly content to be here she had thought.
Violet walked back over to her bed and laid down again briefly checking on Klaus to see him still asleep. She lay there in the dawn light and closed her eyes.
A few minutes later the Quagmires started to shift around and into consciousness. A few minutes again and Klaus was stirring awake as the triplets started to gather clothes and talk amongst themselves. Five minutes after that and the boys had left to get changed in the other room and violet and Isadora were getting ready for the day.
Violet and Isadora walked out of the room and across the hallway into the kitchen the same time as the boys entered the kitchen from the other door further down the hallway closer to their room. Violet and Klaus walked over to sunny who now had a pancake in front of her and kissed her on the head. Olivia turned around with the plate of pancakes that were now worryingly stacked high and handed them to Jacques who greeted the children cheerfully.
"Good to see you all looking well rested" said Olivia
"Good morning children, how did you all sleep? Besides in the same room" Jacques said with a sparkle in his eye at the sight of all the children and his little joke. This was answered with all the children saying, 'well thank you' and chuckling a bit. Except Violet, who just managed to smile their way before turning to Sunny and noting that she was already dressed. While Violet was turned away from Jacques and Olivia the shared a concerned look at Violet's less enthusiastic response than usual.
Putting it aside for the moment, Olivia and Jacques organised the children to sit at the table and start their breakfast while they quickly cleaned the kitchen and then joined them shortly after. Conversation at the table was one eighth quieter than usual but only Jacques and Olivia seemed to notice. Soon, after breakfast was eaten and the dishes cleaned up, the children were told what they were to study today while Jacque and Olivia were at work.
"We will be home earlier then we usually are today. Study smartly and don't forget to take a break." Olivia said with a kiss on each child's head.
"A visit to the park down the road is always a lovely walk." Jacques added with a peck of his own.
...
The children spent the day learning about Mathematics, English and Science. They broke up the day with some lunch at noon and a walk in the park at two o'clock. They arrived home and Violet put Sunny down for a short nap and the children spent an hour talking while writing in journals and discussing things they observed on their walk.
About half an hour after Sunny awoke from her nap she rushed to the front door signalling that Jacques and Olivia had arrived home. Indeed, they were home earlier than usual, about an hour and twenty minutes earlier. Like every day this week Sunny was lifted into the arms of one adult while the other asked the children how their day was. The children all took turns talking about what they learnt while studying and mentioned something about their walk. An hour later Klaus and the triplets were helping Jacques prepare dinner while Olivia and Violet gave Sunny a bath.
Oliver was kneeling beside the bath while Violet was looking for the baby shampoo among other bottles of shampoo and conditioner.
"Are you feeling alright today Violet?" Olivia asked over her shoulder while still softly splashing a happy Sunny with bath water.
"I guess I'm just having an off day today. But it will pass." Violet answered.
"if you're sure you're okay. If you need to talk just ask" Olivia said, knowing that Violet was not being completely honest with her but knowing that pushing might result in Violet withdrawing more. She would have a conversation with Jacques about it.
"Shampoo?" Violet asked handing Olivia the baby shampoo.
...
Olivia and Jacque sat in the lounge room when the children were asleep.
"I'm worried about Violet" Olivia said to Jacques after closing her book
"I had noticed that she was very quiet today and seems a little unlike her usual self." Jacques replied lowering his book as well. He turned to Olivia who was sitting in the armchair next to his. "but maybe tomorrow will cheer her up." Jacques said resting his hand atop hers.
"I do hope so" Oliver smiled "it's right for the children. They need the stability." She added
"I agree. It's the right decision. Things got away from us tonight and I guess we forgot to tell them about their new guardians" Jacques said
"yes, it did." Olivia said