Family Comes First- ASOUE

Chapter 29: Another Arrival

*Duncan's POV*

Another three dreadful days living with the Poe family passed and we had taken the Fickle Ferry to a small dock in the town where our new guardian lived. Lake Lachrymose was as large as the city and I remembered at school before the fire, there was talk of how dangerous the waters were. I never wholeheartedly believed them but I would change the topic of conversation anyways when someone tried to talk about the creatures that lived in it. The entire east edge of this town was a beach on the coast of the lake, and it was a very popular tourist location in the summer, I recalled.

I set down the luggage on the platform of Damocles Dock. I was carrying both my bag and Violet's, since she was carrying Sunny in one of her arms, and Sunny's bag in the other. Edgar and Albert had tried to tease me about helping her or being as nice to her as I was being, but I ignored their stupid comments. How I treat the people I care about is none of their business, even if Violet happened to know them longer than she knew me. They tried telling me about some of the boys she used to like and how they were nothing like me at all aside from maybe looks, and thus my "painfully obvious crush on her won't grow into anything else". I hadn't told anyone else about the conversation, but we all hated the Poe Brothers for different reasons, and all hoped that stay was the last time we'd have to see them.

"Well, children, the banking day has already begun," Mr. Poe said once we had looked around for a few moments and gotten a good look at our surroundings. "Remember, you can always rely on us at Mulctuary Money Management. I must catch the ride back to the other side of Lake Lachrymose that departs in eight-ish minutes, so the most I can do is wait with you a little while, or until you can catch a taxi."

"Josephine isn't meeting us here?" Klaus asked.

"No, she's not. She said she's afraid of it, and anything to do with the lake." He explained. "It might have to do with the death of Mr. Anwhistle."

"Anwhistle was our mother's maiden name," Violet pointed out. "How closely is Josephine related to us?"
"Your mother's... sister in law. Yes, that's it." He said, proud that he could remember.

Violet blinked. "We've never met her. We didn't even know Mother had siblings."

"Our parents were rather vague about their childhood," Klaus explained to us.

"Ours too." Isadora agreed.

"Well, I do have something for you to enjoy while you wait," the banker said, reaching into his pocket. He pulled out a little paper bag with red and white stripes on it. "Peppermints!" He exclaimed, handing the bag to Klaus. "They were my second favorite candy when I was a boy. And here's the money to pay your driver, with just a little bit extra, should you need it." I wasn't sure how far her house was, so I assumed the amount he handed over was enough, with the little bit extra he stated.

"Cheers, children!" He beamed, walking back towards the Fickle Ferry as he started coughing. We waved politely back at him, sighing in relief as soon as he wouldn't be able to hear us.

"I hope your Aunt Josephine is as nice as Uncle Monty was." Isadora said with a small smile. "Our mom had some family, but we never met them either for one reason or another."

"We hope so too," Klaus agreed. "Would you like the peppermints, Quagmires?"

"They're all yours. We don't like them that much."

"We can't eat them," Violet explained as Klaus threw the bag away into a nearby trash can. "Mother was allergic to them; her tongue would swell up and she'd get these awful hives all over. Klaus and I both inherited the allergy, and we assume Sunny has it too. They're not lethal but they're very quick to take effect."