After what seemed like hours, I walked to the café and slumped in a stool at the counter.

"Hey," said a voice.

It was Larry, a man I met when I arrived at the Hotel Denouement. His V.F.D. disguise was a waiter at the Anxious Clown restaurant.

"Hey," I answered glumly.

"You look like you could use a Cheer-Up Cheeseburger," he said.

I stared at him. "But I thought the whole waiter thing was just a disguise."

"It is," he said, tossing his messy brown hair out of his eyes. "But I can also cook, too, and I work here."

"Sure, how much," I replied.

"Free for everybody," Larry said, as if I should have known it a long time ago.

He disappeared behind the sliding kitchen doors and was gone for about ten minutes.

He returned carrying a tray with a cheeseburger on it, with the pickles, ketchup, and cheese making a face, with a dish of fries and ketchup beside it.

"Anything to drink?" Larry asked.

"Get me a chocolate shake," I told him.

He was gone for about a minute and a half, and returned with a thick chocolate milkshake with whipped cream.

After I ate, I pushed the dirty dishes away and lay my head down on the table.

Larry took them into the kitchen and washed them, and then returned to catch me with my head slumped.

"Do you feel sick?" he asked.

"Yes," I said. "Very sick."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

I waited in the lobby for a while but nobody came. I tried Kit's office but no one was there.

After a nap I looked up to see a familiar face.

Violet Baudelaire.

"Hi," I said.

She smiled and returned it.

That evening, after Klaus and Sunny explored the hotel, Violet and I held hands and walked to the balcony.

We looked out and there were at least a thousand stars. They were like huge fiery gobs of glitter.

I put my arm around Violet.

She looked at me. I looked at her.

And then...

Well, that's the chapter. Sorry to leave you in such suspense. Wait, no, take that back. I'm glad to leave you in suspense. It's my job. But I'm warning you; Violet/Quigley fans, do not stop reading. You will love the next chapter.