𝐔𝐧𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞 | 𝐊𝐥𝐚𝐮𝐬 𝐁𝐚𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐞

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟓 - Complaints

Veronica wiped the sweat off her forehead and then gave Klaus the other piece of chopped wood. "Put some elbow grease into it!" Olaf exclaimed to the children. Veronica sighed as Violet chopped another piece of wood. "Mr. Poe must have made a horrible mistake when he took us here. There's no way our parents would want us in Olaf's care, if we can even call it that." Violet complained. "As soon as Count Olaf's back is turned, we need to leave this house. I'd rather take my chances on the streets than stay here any longer." Klaus said after, putting the wood on the pile. "Who knows what would happen to us on the street?" Violet said. "At least here you three have a roof over your head..." Veronica mentioned as Klaus only sighed in response. "I wish our parents money could be used now, instead of when you come of age. Then we could buy a castle and live in it with armed guards patrolling outside to keep out Count Olaf and his troupe." Klaus groaned.

"With a large inventing studio." Violet smiled, seeming to agree with the idea. "And a library." Klaus chuckled with a soft smile. "And chewable objects." Sunny gurgled and Veronica understood as Klaus and Violet helped her to translate what she meant. "And we'd bring you with us, Veronica." Klaus added. Veronica smiled but it dropped to a frown. "That sounds nice and is a delightful offer, Klaus...but I couldn't. Even if I did want to leave, Count Olaf could find me anywhere." Veronica sighed.

"Hurry up, orphans! There's reupholstering to be done." Olaf bellowed from the steps. Veronica rolled her eyes with annoyance and then gave Klaus another piece of wood. "Justice Strauss said her home was always open to us!" Violet suggested. "She said her legal library was always open to us. It's not the same thing." Veronica interjected right after Violet. "Mr. Poe did say we could contact him if we had any questions." Violet shrugged. "Well, you don't really have a question..." Veronica started to say. "We have a complaint." Klaus finished.

The brunette and the Baudelaires looked up and to hear the conversation between Olaf and one of the henchman.

"Can I warm that up for you? And also give you some very bad news?"

"What is it?"

"It's that sectary--"

"Shh! Not here."

The children look at each other with confused and concerned looks. "I think we should take that opportunity to contact Mr. Poe." Veronica suggested as the Baudelaire orphans gave her nods and understanding looks. After all the logs were chopped, Veronica picked up Sunny and the orphans made their way out the terrible home and on the way to Mulcturay Money Management.

~~~~~~~~~~

Veronica listened to the fit of coughs of Mr. Poe and becoming more uncomfortable with each cough.

"An emergency?" Mr. Poe said after he finished coughing. "Very well, but I'm quite busy. My old secretary, a distinguished professional who showed up without fail many years, has vanished. I've hired an underemployed artist with no prior experience who needs the occasional day off for auditions and performances. Plus, I've had to reschedule a haircut several times. What can I do for you?" Veronica rolled her eyes and gave a sigh slightly before slithering her hand down to hold Sunny's gently. "Count Olaf is a madman. We can't stay with him." Klaus replied.

"He struck Klaus across the face. See his bruise?" Violet then said but got no reply as Mr. Poe's telephone rang. Veronica groaned quietly and looked down at Sunny. "This man is no help." Sunny gurgled to her. "He is no help indeed." Veronica whispered back as Mr. Poe came off the phone. "I'm sorry. What were we talking about? Oh yes, Count Olaf." Mr. Poe said. "I'm sorry you don't have a good first impression of him."

"He only provided us with one bed." Klaus whimpered. Veronica intertwined her hand with his, calming him down. "He makes us do a great many difficult chores." Violet said after. "He's a lush!" Sunny gurgled, making Veronica laugh slightly and then the phone rang again. Veronica took a deep breath as Mr. Poe finished his conversation with the person on the other line. "Children, everyone, at some time in their life, wishes they were being raised by people different than the ones who were raising you. When I was a little boy, I would have given my eyeteeth out to be raised by an actor." Mr. Poe then said to the children. "Live with Count Olaf then..." Veronica muttered under her breath. "He calls us orphans." Violet said. "You are orphans." Mr. Poe simply replied. "He has terrible friends." Klaus stated. "I have terrible friends." Mr. Poe said, as if not even understanding what these children were trying to say.

"He's clearly after our fortunes!" Sunny gurgled to Mr. Poe. Veronica looked down at her and then at Mr. Poe. "Speaking of not understanding a word someone is saying!" Mr. Poe said before a fit of coughs overtook his sentence. Veronica sighed deeply and Sunny grazed her head against her hand. "Baudelaires, Veronica, are you familiar with the term 'in loco parentis'?" Mr. Poe asked the four children. "It sounds like Latin." Veronica replied. "Latin and legal." Mr. Poe pointed out. "'In loco parentis' means 'acting in the role of the parent.' It is a legal term and it applies to Count Olaf. The actor is acting as your parent. And as your legal guardian, Count Olaf may raise you using method he sees fit." Mr. Poe explained to the children. Veronica tensed up a bit, did he not just hear of the horrible things that that villain does to them? Klaus noticed this and squeezed her hand and it calmed her a bit.

"So I'm sorry if your parents didn't make you do household, or if you like their friends more than you like Count Olaf's friends. But there are certain things you must get used to. Now, I'm sorry if I have to usher you out posthaste, but I've got work to do." Mr. Poe said, standing up from his chair and picked up some paperwork. "Posthaste means 'very, very--"

"It means he'll do nothing to help us." Klaus cutted in. "Oh, on the contrary, I'll have my new secretary give you a ride home as soon as he's finished typing up that report." Mr. Poe said and then the door opened to reveal the hook-handed man. "I think we need to call the IT guy." He said, holding up the broken typewriter with his hook. "That man works for Count Olaf!" Klaus exclaimed, looking back at Mr. Poe. "He did say Count Olaf was one of his professional contacts. It was good seeing you, Baudelaires." Mr. Poe replied and then walked away.

"We're not going back to Count Olaf's house! Look at Klaus's face!" Veronica shouted to the banker. "Oh no, no, no, orphans. Look at mine." The hook-handed man said with a grim smirk. Veronica gulped with fear, knowing this couldn't be good.