Chapter 7
Violet pulled up to the gates, pressing the buzzer and waiting for the security guy to come over and buzz them in.
“Hi Ed,” she smiled, winding down the window, “Klaus arrived yet?” She asked.
“Mr Baudelaire has not arrived yet; Mrs Kingsley has said for you to go right through.” He replied with a small smile, “It’s nice to see you Ms Baudelaire.” He added, opening the gates for them, and stepping to the side for them to pass through.
“Why does he always call you Ms Baudelaire rather than Violet?” Asked Bea curiously, leaning forward a little as she spoke and Violet pulled in past the gates and up the long drive.
“It’s a little old fashioned, but it’s just him being respectful and professional, like how your teachers call me Ms Baudelaire.” Violet replied, checking her mirrors as she pulled the car in next to one of the others parked along the top of the driveway, “Oh look, Jack’s car’s here, he must be inside too.” She noted, parking and clicking the button to unlock the back doors so the girls could get out, “Go on, go in. Take that cheesecake through to Ailís.” She added.
They didn’t need asking twice, Violet though as she watched them dash across the pebbled path and up the stairs to the main house. She clambered out of the car herself, making her own slower way inside. She pushed the door open, slipping inside, feeling a little nostalgic as she always did when she came back to this house.
She headed in the direction of where she could hear talking, peeping around the kitchen door to see the girls perched on kitchen stools, chattering away a mile a minute to Ailís, who was listening interestedly.
Violet jumped a little when she heard footsteps behind her. Se glanced over her shoulder, seeing Jack, who just grinned at her, leaning against the other side of the doorframe.
“Blimey, your girls are getting big! “he said quietly, “I almost can’t believe it, especially little Bea!”
“I know; she’s getting so grown-up. Sunny’ll be 16 in a few weeks, they’re both growing up so quickly.” Violet replied warmly, “It doesn’t feel like it was 10 years ago she was still crawling into my bed and taking over it.” She laughed under her breath.
“You did a good job, you and Klaus,” Jack replied, “I know it wasn’t easy, but you have two great girls, who despite all the crap you all went through, are happy, healthy and smart.”
“Thanks, they are pretty great.” Violet replied, with a smile, glancing over her shoulder as she heard the door, spotting Klaus walking towards them.
“Vi, Jack.” He said, with a nod to each of them, before turning to Jack, “Your dad pulled in just as I did, I suspect he’ll be in in a moment.”
“Bea’s got your clean shirt, Violet told him, giving him a brief hug, “We’ve not been here long.”
“I’ll go grab it.” He replied, slipping into the kitchen and making his way over to the three talking, catching Ailís’s attention as he did. It took a little while to actually catch Bea’s attention enough for her to pass him the shirt, but after a moment, she spotted him, giving him a quick smile, before passing the shirt across and carrying on talking. Klaus slipped by Violet and Jack, shirt in hand.
Violet didn’t look behind her at the set of footsteps,
“Hi Matthew.” Jack’s response of ‘Oh, hi dad’ following a moment later.
Violet stepped back, turning to face him as he hugged his son before going to hug her, “Are you supposed to fraternise with employees out of work hours?” She teased, hugging back, before stepping back again.
“Only the ones who’ve lived with me.” He replied with a laugh, glancing through the doorway to the chattering trio, “Your Bea’s gotten more grown up!”
“So people keep telling me!” laughed Violet, “I think I don’t see it as I see her every day.”
“You’ll look away and she’ll be 17,” Jack teased, nudging her jokingly as Klaus came back in their direction, new shirt on.
“Oh hush, don’t tempt fate.” She shot back, glancing over her shoulder at Bea, talking animatedly, dark brown ponytail bobbing as she spoke, “Just let her be 13 for now.” She said, warmly as Klaus came to stand next to her, nodding slightly at what she said.
Everyone jumped a little when the oven timer dinged, pulling everyone from their conversations. Ailís jumped up going to check the oven, Bea glanced around the room, shooting a quick grin at Klaus and Violet, before turning back to Sunny, the pair giggling over some joke or comment.
“Alright, everyone through to the dining room! Table’s already set, so just go straight through!” Ailís announced, chivvying them all out of the doorway and through the connecting door between the kitchen and the family dining room.
Violet sat down between Klaus and Ailís, who leaned over to give her a brief hug as she sat down, placing the last dish of food down on the table.
“You’re looking well darling! But tired, you’re not working yourself too hard, are you?” Ailís asked with concern.
“I’m always tired, managing a full time job and two teenagers is pretty knackering!” Violet replied with a laugh, reaching into her bag to pull out the bottle of wine that was in there, “Oh, I picked this up, it should be good, I think its s a 2008 one.” She added, glancing down at the label, before glancing up, catching Jack’s eye with a small grin, “Oh yes, look 2 double-oh 8.” Out of the corner of her eye, she could see him sigh slightly.
She passed the bottle to Ailís who didn’t seem to have noticed.
“Oh I’m sure it will be, it’s a Merlot! Matthew, Jack, Klaus?, would you like a glass?”
Klaus declined, but the other two accepted, Ailís going to grab glasses.
No-one spoke much over dinner, mostly absorbed in eating. Ailís’ food was always amazing, so dinner there had never been a talkative affair. The girls chattered away very quietly as usual, but most of what was said was asking people to pass certain bowls, and the table was empty when everyone was finished.
Sunny and Bea helped clear the plates into the kitchen and to bring the pudding back through, Violet giving them a stern look as they carried it though, as a warning not to drop them, placed as they were on Ailís’ best china.
“Mum, I think I might have to come back for dinner more often.” Jack announced, taking a spoonful of crumble from his bowl, “I could definitely eat your cooking more often.”
“You’re welcome any time, any of you are, you all know that!” was the reply, “I know you’re all so busy though, it’s a pity it only happens every so often.”
“I’m sure Sunny and Bea would love to come up for a weekend?” sunny suggested, glancing over at the girls questioningly, who both nodded and agreed, “Maybe this weekend or next?”
“I’d love to have them this weekend if they’d like to come?” Ailís suggested, glancing at the pair, who both agreed, they always liked staying at Matthew and Ailís’, they tended to come back knackered, with plenty of mud and half a tonne of cakes and biscuits to share.
“Well that’s settled then! I’ll collect them after school on Friday and Matthew can drop them in on Monday morning on his way to work!” Ailís replied cheerily, “We’ll handle doing weekend homework and all that and you and Klaus can have an easy weekend!”
Violet exchanged a look with Klaus who just smiled,
“That sounds good, I might go away for the weekend, visit a friend.” he replied,” One of my old university friends has been on at me to come look at his research.”
“Perfect, everyone will have a good weekend then!” Matthew added, taking a sip of wine, “Well, Jack I don’t know about, but I’m sure he will.”
“Vi, why don’t we go for a drink Saturday evening? Save you being in that massive house on your own” Jack asked, glancing over at Violet, “I can get us into Bar Carmine?”
She considered for a second,
“I could do Bar Carmine on Saturday evening, Text me, let me know the details when you know. “she agreed, accepting the cup of coffee Ailís passed her, her pudding bowl now empty.
It was 9 o’clock before they started to get ready to leave, after pudding and coffee and biscuits they were all very full, and very ready to head home and slob out.
Violet stretched out her legs, as she climbed into her car, glancing over her shoulder to check both girls were all buckled in before she started the car up, switching on the radio for background noise. It was a quiet drive back, they were both tired and so the usual chatter was quietened, and once they were about 20 minutes into the drive had silenced completely, and a quick look in the mirror showed Violet they were both asleep.
They both looked so much younger when they were asleep, she mused, looking back to the empty road ahead, so peaceful.