Some people say that with each dawn, as the sun comes up and arises in the sky, there is new hope. Some say twilight is hope because that means that the grey hounds and angry mobs with pitchforks that are following your trail will have a harder time tracking you down in the dim lighting.
In the case of the Baudelaire youngsters, however, the case was totally irrelevant – a word which here means "nothing to do with grey hounds or angry mobs with pitchforks in the middle of the suburbs" – but they still were in a terrible situation. Their parents had perished in a fire that reduced their whole house into a pile of ash.
They had been sent guardian to guardian to a lumber mill ever since as each of their guardians had been fooled to the bidding of the notorious villain, Count Olaf, who had been concocting treacherous schemes to steal their fortune ever since the fire.
The Baudelaire children nowadays felt little if any happiness, but they could not help hoping just one more time if their lives would possibly be better with their new guardian, as Mr. Poe, the banker who was in charge in the Baudelaire orphan affairs whisked them to their new home.
"This is where you will be staying with your new guardian." Mr. Poe said, getting out of his car and stepping onto the pavement.
"Yavook?" Sunny, the youngest Baudelaire child asked. Sunny, being less than one year old, like most babies, had yet to learn to speak fluently.
Mr. Poe coughed into his white handkerchief. "I don't know what Sunny means by 'Yavook'," he said. "But I am sure that Ms. Jones will keep you comfortable at her home. Count Olaf won't be able to come here with a responsible adult around."
"Uncle Monty was a responsible adult, but that didn't stop Olaf." Klaus, the middle child pointed out, remembering one of his siblings' previous guardians. Mr. Poe merely coughed and shook his head. "'Responsible' means reliable, Klaus."
Klaus wiped his glasses. He knew what the word responsible meant. He'd known it since he was eight, skimming through his parent's enormous library. He was a researcher. Klaus had been rather fond of books for quite some time and was developing a great interest.
Violet, the eldest, kept silent as they walked – as for Sunny, she crawled. Violet was an inventor. She had a habit of inventing things when her siblings were in desperate situations. She had used to invent for pleasure, before the fire. But since then, her inventing skills were used during less pleasurable events. She had invented a grappling hook, a pick lock, a signal and many others. I am sorry to say, Violet will invent yet another device not for pleasure, but to escape from treacherous villains during the course of this miserable tale.
A ribbon was in her hair. Anyone who knew Violet well would know that she was using her inventing skills.
Klaus noticed, and being her brother, knew instantly.
"Violet?" Klaus asked walking beside her, carrying Sunny.
Violet looked surprised.
"Oh, hi Klaus," Violet answered. "Gabu!" Sunny shrieked, not wanting to be forgotten. Violet smiled a little sadly, "Hi, Sunny. I was just thinking…about that model air plane Dad and Mom gave us last Christmas. I miss them…"
Just at that moment, they reached the door of a small shop with a large white sign that read clearly in fancy script: Lilacs & Tulips. Mr. Poe held the door open, as the Baudelaires gazed in. Inside, there was an assortment of small potted plants. Mr. Poe's cough broke the awe of silence. There was a tinkling sound of wind chimes as they walked in. "Howdy," said a voice behind them. The children – and the banker, turned around to see a tall, thin woman in thick blue-gray overalls that had been faded near the knees. "You must be the Baudilaires. I'm Delila Jones." The woman said, shaking Mr. Poe's hand. Mr. Poe coughed, and introduced himself. "Nice to meet you as well, Ms. Jones. And these are the children. Violet, Klaus and Sunny."
"How do you do?" Violet said, the same moment as Klaus said, "How do you do?" "Eureka!" Sunny said, meaning something like "You seem like a kind and decent person unlike the evil villain, Count Olaf who has been trying to steal our fortune! I'd be glad to stay with you rather than him!"
The woman smiled. Her teeth were bright and sparkling white. "What a cute baby, you are, Sunny." She said, patting Sunny's head. "How would you three like some lemon meringue? Of course, you are invited as well, Mr. Poe."
Lemon meringue pie was a delicious treat the Baudelaire's Mother used to bake for desserts. The children were glad, and thought, silently to themselves: Things are going to get better. Unfortunately, that one happy thought was a terrible, terrible untruth. Happy events are not common in the Baudelaire children's lives. As I am distraught to write this, you do not need to read on. You may simply turn your head away and tell yourself that the children turn out to live happily ever after all. For this is just another woeful chapter of Violet, Klaus, and Sunny's miserable lives.