Duncan Quagmire and Violet Baudelaire: A Reunion

Chapter 11 - Duncan Quagmire

The portrait of the man was still ringing in his head while Duncan, Isadora and George walked down the corridor. Captain Farley's right handed man was walking right behind them, his long strides causing both Quagmires to quicken their pace.
Duncan recalled where the office they were heading to was, because of the midnight excursion he and Isadora have done to eavesdrop on George and Jemma's conversation. Isadora suddenly spoken up, "What are we going to discuss with her?"
"That is not up to me to say," George replies, they continued walking.
"It's about the V.F.D. isn't it?" Duncan piped in, out of the corner of his eye, he saw George let out a breath of annoyance.
"Captain Farley gave me orders not to speak to you, so if you don't mind, zip it." This shut Duncan and Isadora up. They turned the corridor and went through an archway to the social room that they have been in before, it looked a lot different in the light. There were plush, golden-coloured pillows and large paintings overlooking the fancy room.
They took another turn and walked into the office where Jemma was sitting, her legs on the desk. The office was overcrowded, files and papers were in piles on every surface and a large painted portrait was hung up on the wall behind her. It was of a girl, a boy and two parents. Duncan guessed that the little girl was Jemma, the girl's ebony black hair was tied in a pony-tail. She was wearing a red dress and white shoes, holding her brother's hand.
The brother on the other hand was a bit more darker than Jemma. He had a mop of black hair. He looked oddly familiar...
"Wait, Duncan, that is the person who's portrait is on our wall!" Isadora whispered excitedly, pointing at the boy whom Duncan was looking at a second ago. He saw the resemblance, except this family portrait seemed to be taken a few years before the one in their room. From the excitement of Isadora's voice, Jemma looked up.
"Hey guys, I take it you have an interest on my family portrait." She smiled and gestured both of the Quagmires to sit down in the two chairs opposite her desk, like they were in an interrogation. "This is my family, mom and dad," Jemma started. Duncan noticed that she looked more like her father who had lighter skin than her mother, whom Jemma's brother looked more like. "That's me, I was ten? Wait no, I was eleven and that's my dear brother, he was nine at the time."
Duncan looked closely at the photo and saw that the boy was wearing a green t-shirt with the outline of a snake on it, what more, the hand that was not holding Jemma's hand was carrying a book with a snake on it. Who loved snakes this much? "What's his name? Your brother." Duncan curiously asked.
"His name is Montgomery."

A flashback.
The large room was crowded with people wearing long dresses and suits. Live music was revertebrating around the room. Chatter, laughs and the clinks of drinks could be heard all around. They were at a party.
Duncan took his father's hand, it was strong and firm. The other hand grabbed onto his brother, Quigley's hand. Adults all around them were having a good time in this oval-shaped room. Duncan felt uncomfortable in this navy suit, he wasn't used to wearing it as he was only five and he looked and saw Isadora hanging onto her mother's dress.
This was the first fancy party he and his siblings have ever been to and it was really intimidating for them. They hung onto their parents as the parents talked to other people. "Isadora? Quigley? Duncan? I would like to introduce you to someone." His mother called. She looked as beautiful as always, her dark hair elegantly tied up and wearing a royal blue long dress.
Duncan brought his attention to a man that his parents were talking to. He was wearing a suit like every other man and gelled his black hair. His skin was tan and he had a handlebar moustache and an eccentric look to his face. He held his hand out to the three children.
"Kids, this is a good friend and colleague of mine, Dr. Montgomery Montgomery." Duncan's father said, he had his arm on his friend's shoulder. The triplets shook his hand. Duncan felt that it was rough and calloused.
"What is a colleague?" Isadora chirped. Dr. Montgomery Montgomery chuckled.
"It means that we work together,"
"You work at Quagmire Saphires like father?" Quigley asked.
"Not exactly. I take care of snakes and reptiles."
"That's super cool!" Duncan exclaimed.
"So how do you like being triplets? Do you play together all the time?" Dr. Montgomery asked. Quigley was the first to reply, "Yeah! We are all best friends, even though we like different stuff. Izzy likes poems, I find it really boring. Duncan likes writing, which is boring too! I like maps which is the best!"
"Now Quigley, you don't have to be so biased. I think everything sounds nice." Duncan's mother said. She stroked Isadora's hair. "Do you have any brothers or sisters?" Duncan asked.
"Yes, I do!" Dr. Montgomery continued, "I have one sister. She is slightly older than me by... I think one and a half years. Her name is Laurel but I haven't talked to her for a while now!" Duncan's parents laughed and his mother bent down to the three of them. "How about we get some drinks? Apple juice?" She said and the triplets cheered.
They were all holding hands in a single file, manoeuvring past all of the people, the music getting louder. Duncan held Quigley's hand tightly and he accidentally bumped into someone amidst the crowd. When he looked back, he saw two kids around the same age as them, both brown hair, a boy and a girl.

Duncan's eyes snapped back. He was still in the office. Isadora and Jemma were looking bizzaringly at him and he said, "what?"
"Were you daydreaming?" Isadora asked, trying not to suppress a smile.
"No, just thinking." Duncan said as if everything was normal. It was not normal. Duncan could bet that the woman sitting in front of him was not Jemma Farley but Laurel Montgomery.