Violet seriously thought she was going insane. Really. She sat on the couch, back straight, arms and legs crossed, waiting for her brother, Klaus, to finally walk in the front door. Her mind was abuzz with hypothetical arguments. She felt like confronting him, questioning him, demanding a confession, maybe starting an argument, but what for? What had he done wrong?

Nothing, that's what.

An hour ago, Violet had been preparing a quick supper of grilled cheese sandwiches and soup after picking the girls up from school. Sunny set the plates out and Beatrice laid the silverware on napkins, all the while chattering about their day, their teachers and their friends. The food would be done just in time for Klaus to arrive home from his study group. After peeking at her watch, she realized he must be running a few minutes late. The kitchen window opened to a warm, spring day, where a slight breeze blew in, ruffling her hair and cooling her skin as she stood over the stove. Every now and then Violet glanced out the window to the street, enjoying the cherry trees blooming along their narrow neighborhood road. Flipping a grilled cheese sandwich, she wound up doing a suspicious double take at the view out of the window, consequently dropping the sandwich on the counter instead of the pan. There was a strange car parked in front of their house. One of those hybrids, shiny blue, and she could see that Klaus sat in the passenger seat. He was smiling and gesturing a little, the way he does when he talks about a subject that interests him.

Why hadn't he driven himself home? Klaus leaned back in the car seat and Violet squinted to see the driver. A girl, definitely, but she was unable to make out her features, except for maybe a splash of red hair as she turned her head. Klaus had never mentioned any girl friends. Actually, he hardly mentioned any friends, except for some guys he met with for study group. They were talking animatedly, obviously enjoying their conversation. Klaus seemed in no danger, so why did it feel suddenly like there was a knot in the pit of her stomach?

The soup and sandwiches were long done. She had tried to wait for Klaus to come in from the car, but the food was getting cold, and the girls complained loudly about being hungry. Without much appetite herself now, she went ahead and fed them, making Klaus a plate for later. Violet distractedly got Sunny started on homework at the table, while Beatrice colored, then split her attention between washing dishes and looking out the window at the blue car, wondering.

Over an hour passed before Klaus walked in the house. At first he didn't see Violet sitting so tensely on the couch. He dropped his heavy backpack onto the floor, kicked off his shoes and hung up his keys on a hook by the door. At twenty, Klaus was tall now, his body lean and strong from carrying around books and babies his whole life. His dark hair curled at the edges, and his eyes were blue behind the lenses of his glasses, which he adjusted now.

Five years had passed since they had made their way back to civilization. Once Violet had turned eighteen, the Baudelaire's were finally able to get their inheritance, at no small inconvenience, and had at once left that miserable part of the country where so many bad memories had been made. Violet had bought the four of them one way tickets on an airplane that had brought them to their new life. They purchased this sweet little house that was situated on a tree lined road, just big enough for their small family, about three years ago. Klaus had enrolled Sunny into school as soon as possible, Beatrice beginning just this year in kindergarten. The girls were happy and thriving. Klaus had started classes at the local university last year and Violet, who eventually wanted to be a mechanical engineer, waited to start her schooling, against Klaus's adamant opinions, opting instead to devote herself to her family for now, trying her best to be a good mother, and enforcing normalcy.

"You're home, Klaus!" Sunny, hearing the front door, ran into the room so Klaus could scoop her up into his arms as he did everyday, hugging her around the middle and swinging her around.

"Hey Sunny!" he smiled broadly at her as he set her feet back on the floor, and pulled on one of her blond pigtails. "How was school today?"

"It was good. My teacher said I could bring Hammy home this weekend. It's my turn to be the pet helper. Isn't that wonderful?" she asked excitedly, hardly pausing for a breath. Hammy was the pet hamster in Sunny's third grade class. "I'm going to keep him right next to my bed, and read him bedtime stories and give him lots of treats."

"That is exciting, Sunny. How did your spelling test go?" Klaus asked interestedly.

"I missed two. I'll never be as good at spelling as you are," she said with a pout.

"First of all, flattery will get you nowhere," her brother teased and put his hand on her small shoulder. "Secondly, you are a good speller. I'm really proud of you. We'll just keep studying. Where's Beatrice?"

"She's in the kitchen. We made you a plate of food. You're late by the way," Sunny said matter of factly, and then lowered her voice to a whisper, pointedly looking over to the couch where her older sister sat, "and Violet's mad." With that, she turned and ran back into the kitchen.

Klaus had a wonderful way with the little girls, and watching this short exchange between her brother and little sister had softened Violet's tumultuous feelings, so that she felt a little like a deer stuck in the headlights when Klaus pivoted his head in her direction, seeking her out, concern on his face. He crossed the room and flopped down on the couch next to her.

"You're mad at me?" he asked curiously.

Violet shook her head, ashamed of her previous feelings. She didn't understand why jealousy had reared such an ugly head. "I don't know. I'm being silly," she answered, voice strained. "Where's your car?"

"My car, that silver beast," he said it like he was a hero speaking of his arch nemesis, "wouldn't start. It might be the alternator, cause the engine didn't turn over at all, only clicked at me obstinately. You'll need to look at it. Maybe we can take your car over there in the morning after we drop off the girls. It's parked in front of the library."

"Why didn't you call me to come get you?"

"I was about to, but a girl from my biology class happened by and offered me a ride home. I thought that might be quicker," he answered easily.

"You weren't too worried about haste when you sat out in the car with her for an hour." She hadn't meant to sound so confrontational. Klaus quirked an eyebrow at her, unperturbed.

"Oh, I see how it is," he said mysteriously as he got up off the couch and headed to the kitchen to greet Beatrice. Standing up, Violet called him back.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

He turned around to look at her. "It means," he stated matter of factly, "that you were jealous."

"What, why…" Violet sputtered. "That's silly. Of course I'm not jealous. You are perfectly welcome to spend time in fancy, electric cars with strange girls. It's none of my concern, is it?" She laughed a high nervous laugh. "Don't be ridiculous!"

"Of course," Klaus said with a small smile, taking her hand. "Then why are you mad?"

Violet's cheeks felt hot and she knew they were a telltale red. She cursed the way she couldn't hide her emotions because of this damned blushing problem. She blushed when she was embarrassed, or nervous, or angry. It would be silly to deny that she was mad with her face burning like this. She only snatched her hand away and threw her arms in the air. "I don't know," she admitted, exasperated, and walked away, but not before she saw him gently laughing at her and shaking his head.