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Post by Emma “Emmz” Squalor on Jan 3, 2008 17:19:37 GMT -5
The eyes of Violet and Klaus widened, and their mouths fell open. Jerome and Esmé— who were sitting opposite the Baudelaires and therefore couldn’t see what they could—turned their heads over their shoulders.
“It’s Nero,” Esmé whispered. “What’s he doing here? Shouldn’t he be at work?” It wasn’t the first time she had ‘accidentally’ run into Nero at the Veritable French Diner, and so it irritated more than surprised her.
“Well, it is lunchtime,” Jerome reminded her. “Perhaps he just doesn’t feel like cafeteria food today.”
Esmé laughed uncomfortably. It was one thing to put up with Nero when Carmelita was around, but when Esmé ran into her future son-in-law by pure coincidence (or was it?), she couldn’t help but feel something was up.
Then she remembered how considerate Nero had been a few days earlier when he had driven Emma to the hospital to see Esmé, and she could feel her irritation for the vice principal as it melted away. “Invite him over here,” she told her husband.
Jerome, Violet, and Klaus all turned to Esmé in surprise.
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Post by Jenny on Jan 4, 2008 16:48:16 GMT -5
Jerome looked at his wife speeclessly for a moment, and Esmé started boldly back. Some things never change, after all, and Esmé's conviction that she was always right, all the time, was something that Jerome had accepted never would.
'You're absolutely sure of that, darling?' her husband quietly asked. 'It's not a requirement that he sits with us. You and Nero--'
'Invite him over,' she insisted. 'And buy him dinner or at the very least something to drink. He deserves it, doesn't he? After all he's had to put up with lately, especially from me.'
Jerome did as she asked, finally, and Nero looked more than a little reluctant to come over the table, but he eventually forced himself to do it.
'Good afternoon,' he said pleasantly, and Jerome motioned for him to take a seat with them at the table.
Esmé smiled, and Klaus and Violet sat back in horror. Was this another dreadful man Esmé was still connected to? They had heard about Carmelita and Nero, but had hoped perhaps Esmé and Jerome didn't associate with him. They were evidently wrong.
Nero glanced at Violet and Klaus unknowingly, and in that instant his heart stopped, just a little bit.
Violet and Klaus Baudelaire? he asked himself. He just hoped they didn't recognise or remember him.
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Post by Emma “Emmz” Squalor on Jan 4, 2008 17:44:28 GMT -5
However, this desire was short-lived the moment Klaus opened his mouth. “I would have thought you’d be spending your lunch hour at Café Salmonella,” he said, “considering that’s where your fiancée works, or so I’ve been told.”
Nero smiled at the middle Baudelaire. “Yes,” Nero replied. “That’s correct.” He chuckled. “Though the many times I’ve stopped by she’s claimed she is unable to get her work done because I’m too much of a distraction.”
The word ‘violin’ was what popped into both the Baudelaires’ heads the moment Nero said that, but of course neither of them said so. Nearly thirteen years had passed since Violet and Klaus had last seen Vice Principal Nero, and they weren’t surprised that they felt as ill at ease around him as ever before. Even Esmé was proving to be much better suited company as far as they were concerned.
Violet made an effort to break through the awkward silence before it became too much of a problem. “Congratulations on your upcoming nuptials,” she said to Nero, hoping that she sounded more sincere than she felt.
Klaus was about to add “to Carmelita Spats”, but wasn’t sure if he could get the last two words out without choking on them, which certainly would not make for a good impression.
Nero smiled over at Violet. “Thank you,” he said, and she was incredibly surprised that he didn’t mock her.
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Post by Jenny on Jan 4, 2008 17:52:29 GMT -5
'Have you been well, since we last saw you?' Violet forced out. She almost half-hoped for a negative. Nero was being almost too pleasant for the dreadful man he had once been, and she was sure at any moment she would uncover a critical fault.
'Quite well, Violet,' he said, and she didn't like the way he said her name at all. 'Although no orchestra has ever yet contacted me about my violin talents.'
Violet noticed Esmé flinch only too well, and had to swallow down a giggle at that. Obviously regardless of who they were they both found Nero playing the violin absolutely unbearable.
'Maybe soon,' Jerome offered helpfully. Klaus nearly choked.
Nero shrugged. 'It hardly matters. Carmy and I are doing perfectly well without me having to be a violin expert.'
Jerome and Esmé both held back a comment about their one-bedroom apartment. Violet and Klaus certainly didn't need to know about that.
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Post by Emma “Emmz” Squalor on Jan 4, 2008 19:55:21 GMT -5
Violet found herself becoming somewhat curious about what exactly had transpired between Nero and Carmelita. True, Violet had never cared for either of the two before, but she couldn’t help wondering about the events that had brought them together. She wondered if it had at all to do with the fire at the Hotel Denouement.
A moment later, her brother took it upon himself to speak up.
“So, Nero,” Klaus said, “what have you been doing with yourself since the last time we saw you?” Before the vice principal could answer, Klaus added, “And I don’t mean at the hospital last week.”
Nero cleared his throat. “Well,” Nero replied, “as you heard, Carmelita and I are engaged.”
“Yes.” Nero didn’t care for the way Klaus said the word, but decided not to say anything about it until the younger man had finished speaking. “So aside from playing the violin, your other pastime happens to be dating your students.”
Violet stared, wide-eyed, at her brother, while Jerome choked on his wine and Esmé had to pat him hard on the back until he recovered.
Afterward, everyone turned to Klaus in utter shock— particularly Nero.
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Post by Jenny on Jan 6, 2008 16:29:51 GMT -5
'Klaus!' hissed Violet, and her cheeks reddened slightly with the embarrassment of the situation. She had no doubt that they felt excatly the same way about Nero and Carmelita, but she never would have said that aloud.
'What?' Klaus asked innocently. 'I'm not being rude, Violet, simply asking.'
Esmé swallowed her opinion on that last statement for the sake of Jerome, who would have hated it to turn into an argument. She looked to Nero quickly. Go on,. she silently willed him. Go on and tell him just how wrong he is!
Nero just eventually let out a little chuckle.
'No, Mr Baudelaire,' he said, smiling. 'I don't consider Carmelita a student anymore, and I certainly don't make a habit of dating any others.'
'I'm absolutely pleased to hear it,' Klaus said, and smiled falsely.
It bothered Jerome, that Klaus was such a noble young man and yet ercent events had affected him in such a negative way. He hoped he would eventually get past it, before it impacted on the relationship the Baudelaire's could possibly have with the Squalors.
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Post by Emma “Emmz” Squalor on Jan 6, 2008 17:27:26 GMT -5
Their food soon arrived, and that put an end to the conversation concerning the relationship between Vice Principal Nero and Carmelita Spats.
Klaus had always been wary about sending Sunny and Beatrice to Prufrock Preparatory School after the events that had occurred there years earlier. But it was the only school in the city that was within reasonable driving distance of where the Baudelaires’ house had once been.
No one was more grateful than Klaus when the meal finally ended and everyone bid farewell to Nero. As the Baudelaires and the Squalors headed back across the parking lot that afternoon, Violet took her brother aside.
“Would you mind explaining what your display was all about in there?” she whispered to him.
“Whatever do you mean?” Klaus asked in the same innocent voice he had spoken in to Nero back in the restaurant.
Violet sent Klaus a look as scathing and sharp as Esmé’s.
“I was just curious,” Klaus said, “as to what a man like Nero and a girl like Carmelita could possibly have in common.”
“Carmelita is the same age as you are, Klaus,” Violet pointed out. “And I’m actually surprised you even have to ask that question, to be perfectly honest.”
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Post by Jenny on Jan 20, 2008 16:11:12 GMT -5
He folded his arms, and looked back at his sister in defiance. 'You can't expect me to fogive everyone who ever wronged us, Violet,' he said softly, and kindly. 'I would never have forgiven Esmé, if it weren't for Jerome, and for Emma.' 'But she's changed.' Klaus let out a sad little chuckle, and smiled down at his elder sister. He had finally gained a few inches on her after turning twenty, though they were still of a similar height. They had always been so close in every way--including even their height, and their similar features--and he never could bear disagreeing with her for too long over anything for fear they might one day grow further apart. 'You've too big a heart, Violet,' he said to her, quietly, and she lowered her pretty eyes away. 'Too much trust. Leopards don't change their spots, remember?' he paused a second, and when she made no attempt at responding tilted her chin up with his index and middle finger. 'Do you remember?' 'You can't live in fear of being hurt again,' she said and the tears were brimming ever so slightly. 'You have to trust, Klaus. You've no choice.' 'But we have been hurt, Vi,' he whispered. 'by Fernald Widdershins.' When she had no way to reply to that, he sighed, and smoothed her dark hair away from her face, before letting his hands fall at his thighs. 'I'm sorry about my behaviour, Violet,' he said, and held out a hand to accompany her to the car. She took it, and squeezed lightly. 'In future, I'll make more of an effort to be civil.' [First post in AAAAAAAGES. Sorry that it's a bit...weird....]
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Post by Emma “Emmz” Squalor on Jan 20, 2008 18:16:19 GMT -5
[It wasn’t too weird. I thought it was sweet, actually. And I’ve heard of much weirder, trust me. ;D Speaking of weird, I have this idea for Violet getting a little crush on Jerome. I kind of hint at it in this next post, but if you don’t like it we don’t have to continue with it. I just thought it would help keep the story flowing.]
Violet smiled at her brother. “That’s all I ask,” she said. “And I’m sure Jerome would appreciate it as well.”
She gazed across the parking lot to where Jerome was holding the door open for Esmé, and Klaus furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. He had noticed on the drive over to the lawyer’s office that Violet had been looking at Jerome rather strangely, so maybe now would be a good time for Klaus to bring up his concern on the matter. “Violet, what’s with you?”
Turning back to Klaus, she asked, “What do you mean?”
“Why are you looking at Jerome the way you once looked at Quigley Quagmire?”
“What?” Violet turned back to the Squalors, then to Klaus. “I… I am not!”
“Yes, you were. The look in your eyes was indistinguishable to the one you had when we first met Quigley.”
Violet frowned. “You’re being paranoid, Klaus,” she said. “You’re too observant. Now, let’s get back to the car. It’s rude of us to keep Esmé and Jerome waiting.”
By the time Violet and Klaus arrived back at the car, Esmé and Jerome had already settled into their seats. As usual, Jerome had the radio tuned to National Public Radio, and he smiled at the two Baudelaires through the rearview mirror as they climbed into the backseat.
“Everything all right?” Jerome asked.
“Fine,” Violet replied.
Klaus didn’t say anything.
“What about you, Klaus?” Jerome said.
“Quite all right, Jerome,” Klaus replied, pushing his glasses further up the bridge of his nose, which was something he did whenever he was especially anxious or nervous. He hoped Jerome wouldn’t catch onto this fact.
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Post by Jenny on Jan 25, 2008 16:55:49 GMT -5
[*pokes self* Jenny, post!!!! And no, Jerome and Violet--presumably unrequited--subplot is pretty cool.]
Violet, however, did notice her brother's idiosyncracy, and looked over at him strangely. He simply crossed his arms unhappily and looked meaningfully at Jerome.
Esmé noticed this quiet exchange, but said nothing. She didn't want to bring up anything that wasn't her business, anyway. Thinking on it, though, why was Violet always seemed to be looking at Jerome, and why was Klaus acting oddly?
She quietly laughed to herself at the thought that first came to mind, and noticed Jerome looking at her inquiringly. 'Eyes on the road,' she said quietly, smirking still at her idea.
The journey back to the penthouse was otherwise uneventful, and Klaus decided not to say anything more on the matter of Violet's suspected 'crush' on Jerome--though he caught her looking at him again in the elevator in that way he recognized from their younger years, and Quigley Quagmire.
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Post by Emma “Emmz” Squalor on Jan 25, 2008 17:47:08 GMT -5
[Yay, glad you're back! *hugs* And I'm glad you like the "Violet getting a crush on Jerome" idea.]
"I hope you're not planning to say anything to Jerome about this," Klaus whispered to his sister as they followed the Squalors out of the elevator. "He and Esmé are an item now again, as far as I can tell. If you reveal your feelings, then—"
Violet shot Klaus another look of warning, and he backed down immediately. "I told you before," she whispered, "that I don't harbor any romantic feelings for Jerome. He is twenty years older than me at least!"
Klaus didn't bother putting in how that was less of an age difference than the one between Carmelita Spats and Vice Principal Nero. Klaus knew if he did, then he would be sorry, and he wasn't about to make an enemy of his sister.
Meanwhile, Esmé and Jerome had gone into the kitchen to prepare some coffee for themselves and the Baudelaires. Esmé took this as the opportunity to bring up the situation in the car.
"I saw Violet looking at you before," she said.
Jerome shook his head, chuckling. "What in the world are you talking about, darling?" he asked.
"Back in the car. She was looking at you the same way I do."
Jerome felt his face flush. "You must have misinterpreted it," he said, and it scared him that he didn't believe his own words.
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Post by Jenny on Jan 26, 2008 15:53:31 GMT -5
Esmé smiled softly to herself, and continued pouring coffee into mugs. Jerome would never accept it--it had taken long enough for him to truly believe Esmé herself could ever be truly interested in him, let alone a woman twenty or so years younger than him thinking the same way.
Jerome coughed, and he was still blushing. 'Violet was probably looking out of the window,' he excused.
'Out of your window, then,' his wife muttered, chuckling. Jerome frowned a little.
'I don't want her to--' he stuttered. Talking about crushes and relationships never had been dear Jerome's strong point. 'I don't want to feel uncomfortable, and I don't want anyone else to.'
Esmé laughed, and lightly pushed him. 'It was only a joke,' she said playfully. 'Don't take it so seriously. I'm sure I was probably wrong.'
He nodded thankfully, but he couldn't help but think that she was only saying it to humour him.
They crossed back into one of Jerome's favourite sitting rooms, each of them carrying two cups. Esmé purposefully walked in first, and handed the one she was carrying to Klaus (who only looked into it for a couple of seconds to check if she'd poisoned it, which was an improvement on the last time she'd served him a drink). Jerome entered second, placed his on the table, and held one out to Violet.
She placed her hand over his a little too much to take it, and he nearly dropped it altogether in his surprise. Afterwards, Violet turned her face downwards, muttering a girlish 'thank you', and staring into her coffee. Jerome made accidental eye contact with his wife, who grinned, and mouthed 'I told you so.'
'So Violet,' Esmé started, sweetly. 'Are you working?'
'No, not at the moment.'
The answer was short, and very quiet. Klaus finally looked up, and at Violet. He wondered how much more obvious she could make things.
'And you, Klaus?'
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Post by Emma “Emmz” Squalor on Jan 26, 2008 16:40:42 GMT -5
Klaus made an effort to smile at Esmé, hoping it didn't look too strained. "I'm a librarian," he said. "Though I've been forced to take a temporary leave of absence from my job."
"Well," Esmé said, sitting down in a chair beside her husband across from the sofa on which the two Baudelaires were seated, "just take as much time as you need. You'll return when you're ready."
"Yes." Klaus sipped his coffee, relieved that it tasted as pleasent as it looked. "Thank you again for letting us stay here. I don't know where we would have gone otherwise."
"You and your sisters are welcome to stay as long as you like, Klaus," Jerome said. "Lord knows we've got plenty of room, and Emma positively adores Sunny and Beatrice."
"To be perfectly honest," Violet said in a small voice, and everyone turned to look at her, "we really haven't had any close friends since our return to the city... no thanks to a certain journalist and her column."
Jerome frowned, and turned to his wife. The Squalors had been force to contend with their own set of problems with Geraldine Julienne upon Esmé and Carmelita's return to the city. He just wasn't sure if he should bring it up without his wife's permission first.
"You aren't the only ones who were affected by the actions of Geraldine Julienne," Esmé said. "When Carmelita and I first came to live with Jerome, that woman made our lives as miserable as I made yours."
Esmé said this last part with such regret, that for a moment Klaus didn't recognize her voice. Even Violet, who had more or less forgiven her former guardian, had trouble believing the words coming out of Esmé's mouth were, in fact, truthful.
"What do you mean, Esmé?" Violet asked. "If I'm not mistaken, wasn't Geraldine Julienne one of your fans?"
"Yes," Esmé admitted. "But all that ended the day she published an article concerning my affair with—" She paused, unable to bring herself to utter the name "Olaf". "—with Emma's father when I was still married to Jerome." Almost without realizing it, she reached for her husband's hand, and squeezed it hard. She scanned her eyes over the two children who she had once pushed down an elevator shaft, and as she did, they were amazed to catch sight of the tears reflected in her eyes. "I'm sorry," Esmé said. "For everything."
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Post by Jenny on Jan 27, 2008 8:37:52 GMT -5
Klaus's eyes were wide, unable to believe the reaction in front of him. He opened his mouth to tell her that they had forgiven her now for everything she had done while working with Olaf, and then stopped himself. Hadn't he been saying just a small while ago to Violet that she couldn't expect him to forgive their former guardian?
Violet, noticing her brother's confusion, spoke for him.
'We forgive you,' she said sincerely and softly. She felt like adding: 'Besides, Olaf's gone now,' to her sentence, but didn't feel like it would go down particularly well--especially not with Jerome, who had been looking extremely uncomfortable since the start of the conversation. It was best to just leave things alone.
The door opened, and closed, quickly. A quick: 'I'm home!' sounded from the front door, and Esmé frowned.
Why was Emma on her own? The young girl entered the room and smiled at the friendliness of the arrangement.
'Where are Sunny and Beatrice?' Jerome enquired. It wasn't past Emma to notice Violet blush ever so slightly at the softness in his voice.
'I got the early bus,' she replied quickly. It had always been tempting to add 'dad' on the end of a lot of her sentences, but she never had been sure whether Esmé would be happy about that.
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Post by Emma “Emmz” Squalor on Jan 27, 2008 14:01:24 GMT -5
[Sorry this post is so long! I just got into it a little too much, I guess. ;D]
“What was it that Sunny and Beatrice had to stay after school for?”Violet asked. “They didn’t say anything about it to Klaus or me.”
Emma shrugged, and walked over to the couch on which her mother and godfather were seated. Leaning on the arm of the couch, Emma rested her head on Esmé’s shoulder and looked down at the floor. Emma wasn’t so sure she should say anything about the little argument she’d had with Beatrice in the elevators at school, considering the two people it concerned. Emma would speak about it with her mother later, and perhaps the two of them could figure some way to fix things.
“They wouldn’t say,” Emma said at last, and everyone took notice of how her eyes wouldn’t leave the floor. “Am I in trouble?”
“No, Emma, of course you’re not,” Esmé said, wrapping her arm around her daughter. “Why would you be?”
Emma just shrugged. “No reason.”
“Would you like some hot chocolate? I’d be happy to make you some.”
Emma finally lifted her eyes from the floor, and nodded at her mother. “Sure,” she said.
Esmé smiled. “I won’t be long,” she said, and left the sitting room, heading for the kitchen with the blue stove.
She had just arrived and was sifting through the cabinet for the hot cocoa mix when she felt a tug at her sleeve. She turned to see Emma standing next to her, her single eyebrow furrowed and her eyes shining brightly like they only did every time she was thinking hard or distressed about something.
“What’s wrong, darling?” Esmé asked, abandoning her search for the hot cocoa mix and turning her full attention to Emma.
“I said something to Beatrice,” Emma said, and felt the urge to add quickly, “It’s not what you think! It didn’t have anything to do with what you and Jerome told me the other night. It’s just that—”
Esmé waited until she had ushered her daughter into a chair at the table and had seated herself across from her before saying anything. “Now,” Esmé said gently, “what was it you said to Beatrice that has got you so upset?”
“Well,” Emma began, “I wanted to go talk with Vice Principal Nero, just to see if things between him and Carmy had improved at all. Sunny and Beatrice went with me, and we noticed Nero giving Sunny this really weird look, as if he had met her a long time ago. Then, after we left his office and were riding back down in the elevator, Beatrice said something about Nero thinking Sunny was pretty, and that was the reason he was looking at her the way he was. I don’t know what happened, but suddenly I got really defensive of Carmy and Nero’s relationship, and I guess I hurt Beatrice’s feelings. I didn’t mean to, but the idea that Nero could ever love anyone but Carmy just rubbed me the wrong way.”
“What was it you said?” Esmé inquired.
“Just that,” Emma said. “But I yelled at Beatrice, too. She hasn’t looked or spoken to me since.”
“I see.” Esmé reached across the table and covered her daughter’s hand with hers. “Did you try apologizing?”
“I did, but she wouldn’t respond. I think…” Emma bit her lip. “I think she hates me. Just like Violet and Klaus hate my father.”
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