Fantine stumbled along the street, exhausted. Her blonde hair hung limp against her, and she knew her usually pale complexion had splotches of red. Her daughter, Cosette, was a ball of energy at three years old. Her blonde hair was like a crown on her and bright blue eyes were remarkable. She took after her mother, which Fantine was grateful. She didn't need another reminder of Tholomyès. Cosette ran forward, laughing. "Maman, look!" she pointed to where two girls were playing in the street. One had dark brown, almost black hair and looked about Cosette's age. The other had chestnut hair, and was younger than them. The younger one was trying to walk, but kept falling down. She would stumble a little, and her sister would quickly catch her. The little girl would laugh and be held upright. The girls were being supervised by their mother, a plump woman with dirty blonde hair in a messy bun.
"Hi!" Cosette ran forward to the elder girl. The girl smiled and said "hi!" back. Fantine walked over to where the woman sat, watching the girls.
"Why, they're like sisters!" The woman said, laughing. Her daughters had accepted Cosette, and now all of them were playing on the street.
"They are, aren't they?" Fantine said. She sighed, "It's hard getting a job here. No one will accept a single mother."
The woman observed Fantine out of the corner of her eye. Fantine certainly looked wretched, and the woman sighed, "It's a tough world."
Fantine turned to the woman, pleadingly, "Can you please look after her for me? Until I find a permanent job and get more money?"
The woman hesitated, thinking. Another child was costly, but she'll somehow make it work, "Fine." She said.
Fantine turned to where Cosette was sitting with her new friends. She walked over to say goodbye to her. When she came back to the woman, her husband had walked out. He was thin and tall and looked like a rat. He sat it'll cost her, and Fantine paid him his money.
"Thank you Madame," the man said. Fantine nodded and headed away.
"Maman," Cosette looked down sadly. Éponine, the elder daughter, put an arm around her friend, "Don't worry, she'll come back."
Cosette sighed, "I hope so."
The little sister, Azelma, started crying after another failed attempt to walk. Their mother rushed over and picked Azelma up. "Éponine, take Cosette to your room. Dinner will be soon."
XXX
Éponine and Cosette grew close. Cosette was sent to do chores, and Éponine would help out. Madame Thénardier was more lenient with Cosette, letting her get away with small mistakes. And once Cosette was done her chores, all three girls would gather around the fireplace and listen to Madame Thénardier tell them stories.
"There once was this girl called Little Lotte," Madame Thénardier said, picking up a book, "she had beautiful blonde hair and blue eyes," Éponine glanced to Cosette's own blonde hair and blue eyes. They all listened close to Madame Thénardier read from the book.
Madame Thénardier let Éponine take the book and read it once she learned to read. She would read to Cosette and Azelma about Little Lotte. Soon, the girls wanted another story.
Madame Thénardier sighed, "Fine, I'll tell you one. Each child is assigned an angel, an Angel of Music."
"What's an Angel of Music?" Cosette asked.
Madame Thénardier yawned and kept knitting, "an angel who looks out after you. This particular angel uses music as its gift."
"All of us have one?" Éponine asked, excitedly.
Madame Thénardier nodded, "Yes. Be good and you'll be visited by your angel."
Later that night, Éponine and Cosette excitedly talked about their angels.
"But what if I can't sing?" Éponine asked. "Then my angel will never come."
Cosette had already begun singing when she was doing chores outside. Éponine said her voice was pretty, and that her angel was probably going to come soon.
"Practice makes perfect, right?" Cosette said, "We're just going to have to practice."
"So our angels will be impressed!" Éponine said, smiling.
XXX
Éponine would sing with Cosette sometimes, but her voice wasn't as good. Cosette seemed to have a natural talent for singing.
"I'm jealous!" Éponine exclaimed. "Your angel is going to come and mine isn't!"
"Your angel will come eventually," Cosette said, reassuringly.
The girls were distracted by Thénardier walked over to them. Cosette ran out to do her chores, and Éponine quickly left to her room.
XXX
Cosette was adopted by a kind old man, who informed her of her mother passing. Cosette ran over to Éponine's room to say goodbye to her.
"You are leaving!?" Éponine asked, surprised. Cosette nodded and told her what had happened. Éponine frowned, but hugged her friend, "Perhaps we will meet again."
Cosette smiled, "perhaps we will."