March 30, 1983
2:00 PM PDT

It really was a warm spring day, as the Quagmires planned to have a picnic - as their guardian, Hector would join them. It had been exactly one year ago, since the three Quagmire triplets were reunited. For several months, Quigley was actually presumed to be dead. Duncan remembered how happy he was to see that Quigley was alive.

Still, not everything was well. The Baudelaire children - who, like the Quagmires, were orphans - had also been missing for a year. Duncan, along with Isadora, had first met the Baudelaires at Prufrock Preparatory School - and they soon became good friends.

"Are you kids ready?" Hector called out, jovially. "Today sure is a nice day to have a picnic. I had received a telegram from Phil, and he said that he received a vision. He didn't go into detail, but he did receive reassurance that the Baudelaires are fine."

Duncan was a little uncertain of what to say to that. Phil was a nice enough man, but he actually tended to be overly optimistic. He desperately wanted to believe that the Baudelaires were alive, but he wasn't sure of whether or not he could believe in Phil's vision. He just did his best to put the fate of the Baudelaire children out of his mind.

"Let's head into the car, everyone," continued Hector. "It might not be warm enough to go swimming, yet - but it will still be lots of fun to lie outside in the sun. The lounge chairs are in the back of the car, as are the coolers and the sunscreen. Ready?"

"Did you brings a lot of sodas along?" asked Isadora. As Hector nodded, she added, "How about the boom box? I figured it might be good to listen to some music - as we relax. I mean, we could listen to tapes by Lionel Ritchie and Christopher Cross."

"Oh, brother," groaned Quigley, "that music puts me to sleep. I was thinking more like Van Halen or Def Leppard. Now that's the type of music to listen to, while being in the real fresh air. What we really need, is something that'll get our adrenaline pumping."

Duncan sighed, as he knew that Quigley and Isadora had rather different preference of music. In fact, for all of their lives, the two of them really tended to have different tastes in about everything - with Duncan taking the middle ground. He would suggest compromises, which they would eventually agree to. He never really did like to fight.

"Please, no radio," Hector insisted. "We're simply going to use this day to get in touch with nature. No offence, but I actually don't care for that noisy music that you young ones listen to." He took a deep breath, as he added, "Let's make this a great picnic."

As everyone stepped into the car, Duncan thought of the Baudelaires. He just wished they could be at the picnic, too. He tried to think quite positively - but he couldn't help but feel sad, as he thought of Violet. He believed they were separated for too long.

oooooooooo

Duncan thought of how the weather was almost summery, as he was licking on an ice cream bar. He knew he should just wait a half-hour after eating, before stepping into the water. However, he sure felt the urge to swim right away. He suddenly noticed a couple who looked so familiar to them, and they were accompanied with a young girl.

"Jerome Squalor!" cried out Duncan, as he ran up to the trio. "Justice Strauss! It sure has been a long time since we've seen you! Who's that little girl that's with you? She's so pretty! Have you two, by any chance, managed to find the Baudelaire children?"

"I'm afraid not," replied Jerome, "and she's not Justice Strauss, anymore. We married nearly a year ago, and we're just in the process of adopting our little girl. Her name is Friday Caliban, who will soon be Friday Squalor." He very tenderly reached out to pat his wife's belly, just as he added, "Not only that, but we also have one on the way."

"You're pregnant!" gasped Isadora, as she glanced from the justice to her brothers. "I really think this is wonderful! The last time I saw either of you, I believe Jerome was in process of getting a divorce. So, out of curiosity, where have the two of you been?"

"We wanted to purchase a house in the countryside," explained Jerome, "and we had no absolutely such desire to live in the same town as Count Olaf did. However, Friday convinced us to move back here. Also, we decided that we should check up on you."

"By the way, my real name is Katherine," added the justice. "You children can just call me Kathy. We've had Friday in our care for close to a year, now. She is about to turn eight, and we just want for her to go to a rather nice school. Most kids her age would go into third grade, but she seems ready for fifth grade. Still, we're so uncertain..."

"We don't want to open her up to bullying," explained Jerome. "Kids who skip a grade tend to be targetted for ridicule, which really is unfortunate. We simply would like our girl to grow up to be a happy and sociable person. Education is important, but it's..."

"I sure know what you mean," Duncan replied, as he thought of his own experiences at Prufrock Preparatory School. "Kids can be very mean. Iz and I remember what we had to go though, when we went to that boarding school. It was so horrible for us."

"That type of prejudice always distressed me," added Isadora, sighing. "It's really not like we chose to be orphans. As if it wasn't bad enough that we lost our parents, we were also banished to the orphan shack. To be made fun of for it was adding such insult to injury. I'm sure there were other misfits at the school, but we were really..."

"We have quite a few friends, now," Quigley reminded Isadora, as he placed his arm around her. "I'm sure happy that the school is now closed. It really is hard to believe that one of the teachers has tried to steal the Baudelaires' fortune. It was terrible!"

"I know where the Baudelaires are," Friday piped up. As everyone just turned to look at her, she added, "They're out on the island. There were there with that mean man, and a pregnant woman was also there. This man had actually released that Medusoid Mycelium, and everyone on our island soon died. I was the only one who survived."

"Why didn't you tell us about that, honey?" exclaimed Kathy, as she placed her hands on the young girl's shoulders. "You know, I have been worried about them for a year! I felt so... I felt as if part of this was my fault. I was so concerned with doing the..."

"You did what you felt you had to do," Jerome commented, gently. "I mean, you're a judge - so you felt you had to do what was quite legal. Anyway, just don't blame the poor girl. She's been through so much, and I'm sure she must be very traumatized."

"I'm so sorry," whimpered Friday, as tears filled her eyes. "I should've said something much sooner. Anyway, the day is tomorrow. In case they just don't know... we have to sail on over there! They were just great people, and I think it was simply unfair for Ishmael to act like they were... were troublemakers. They were only free-spirited!"

"I don't blame you, Friday," Duncan commented, as he hugged the little girl. "I'm very grateful, in fact, to have met you. I guess we really chose the perfect day to go on a picnic. You have no idea how happy I am, to find out where our friends have been."

"I knew it!" exclaimed a very familiar voice. Duncan turned around, to see that it was Phil. "I presume you've gotten my telegram, Hector?" Hector nodded, as he asked, "I was wondering, have you heard from Charles lately? I've really tried to contact him."

"I haven't heard from him in three months," replied Hector. "He was a great fellow to talk to - but about that, uh, thing that he had with Sir... I sure never did understand why he was quite chummy with that oaf. He sure treated the Baudelaires so awfully. Of course, he treated you awfully. I know it's not really my business, but I..."

"I know where Charles is," Kathy interjected. "He and Sir had a real falling out, and I was caught up in a legal case with them. Sir has been arrested for illegally paying his employees with coupons, so Charles runs the mill by himself. I'll call him, tonight."

"I'm very happy to hear that," Phil replied. "I'm sure all of his employees must be quite happy to not have to deal with Sir, as well. I always try to see the good in everyone - but, the thing truth is, he worked us all hard. It was also very hard to make a living."

"He was an asshole!" groused Quigley. "Of course, Mr. Poe was really an even bigger asshole - as he did a rather shitty job of watching out for the Baudelaires! I apologize for my harsh language, but these people do just piss me off! Now these poor children are probably feeling lost and alone - and, if Count Olaf hasn't killed them already..."

"Count Olaf!" gasped Jerome. Turning to Friday, he asked, "You did mention that the children were with a nasty man, right?" As Friday nodded, he gently asked, "You also said there was a pregnant woman with them? I just wonder if it could possibly be..."

"Kit Snicket!" gasped Duncan, as he thought of the woman that didn't join the others in The Great Unknown - which turned out to be a submarine. "Brother! I do hope she made it safely. I wonder if the baby was ever born, and if the baby is real healthy."

"I've looked into Count Olaf's files," explained Kathy, "and I know that he did have an affair with Kit Snicket. That was many years ago, though - like back in the 1960s. The baby she's carrying would most likely belong to Dewey Denouement. I just feel rather sad for how he... I really miss him. We'll just have to set out to the island tomorrow."

Duncan suddenly felt a ray of hope, as he there was a possibility that the Baudelaires would be real safe and sound. Still, with Count Olaf being on the island, he wasn't too certain. On the bright side, though, Kit Snicket seemed like quite a nice lady. He really was uncertain of how useful she would be, as he realized that she was near labour.