Love, Listen, Honour, Obey
February 16th 1833, Valjean was sat in the parlour of the Rue Plumet feeling fairly miserable. His daughter was getting ready for her wedding in her bedroom with the help of Toussaint and the carriage would be arriving soon to take them to church so that she would be married. That was only part of the reason he was miserable though, it wasn't just that she was getting married, it was the fact that he was losing her as his daughter.
"A father should be happy for his daughter on her wedding day" Valjean thought to himself "Except I'm not her father am I?"
He had been saying that in his head over and over, in an attempt to make what he had planned next easier on himself. If he kept telling himself that she was never really his then it wouldn't break his heart so much when he told her he wouldn't be around anymore.
"It's the best thing for her, she doesn't need me anymore. She was never mine too keep anyway and I can't keep lying to her about who I am, or to myself either."
He had already decided to wait until the next day to announce his leaving, there was no need to spoil her special day, besides which, as soon as she has a husband he would only have to discuss anything to do with her with the Pontmercy boy, and that would be easier than seeing her tomorrow and upsetting her.
"She'll have a new life now, a better life than what I can give her. It's the best thing for everyone". As long as he kept saying these things to himself it would surely be easy enough to let her go
He heard the door to the parlour open behind him, and he turned to see Toussaint stood in the doorway looking expectantly.
"Is she ready?" He asked, getting to his feet
"She wants to speak to you Monsieur" Toussaint said meekly
"Is something wrong?" He asked, worrying slightly
"It's not my place to say monsieur but think it's just cold feet. She asked for you". Toussaint informed him
"Oh, I see" he said quietly and made his way to the door. Toussaint placed and hand gently on his arm as he passed and in a hushed tone said "She looks lovely Monsieur"
Valjean nodded, not really listening to the old maid. He had had Cosette for ten years; he knew what she looked like. Besides if he let himself get sentimental now it would only hurt more tomorrow when he let her go. He brushed off the comment and simply headed straight towards Cosettes bedroom.
He knocked gently on her door and turned the handle, letting himself in. "Cosette?" he enquired, looking around the room.
She was stood at her window looking out rather pensively. Seeing her there in the daylight in her beautiful white gown for the first time almost took his breath away, Toussaint had been right, she looked absolutely stunning. She had turned into a beautiful young lady without him noticing, it occurred to him right then that she had never looked more wonderfully grown up before.
"Ahem" he announced, as she seemed to be lost in thought and hadn't noticed him yet; she turned to face him and then practically flew into his arms like she was a little girl again.
"Papa" she said sadly, burying her head into his chest. And all thoughts that she was somehow a grown up quickly fled from Valjeans mind.
"Come now child" he said easing her away from him gently "Whatever is the matter?"
"Oh, your arm. I'm sorry father, did I hurt you?" Cosette said, remembering his bandaged arm which unbeknownst to her was a faked injury to save him from fraudulently singing any of her wedding papers.
"Never mind me" Valjean said. Although he knew there was no way she could have hurt him anyway his concern was all for her at that moment. "Come sit down, tell me what's wrong".
He led her to her bed which had been stripped already of all her blankets and sheets and they both sat down on the edge of it. Cosette made sure to sit on his left side so that she could hold his good hand for comfort. She breathed out deeply, calming herself before trying to speak to her father about what was worrying her.
"You can tell me dear, tell me what's troubling you". Valjean said to her, stroking her hand with his good arm.
"I'm scared papa" Cosette said timidly, "I'm scared of getting married today"
"Whatever are you scared of Cosette?" He asked her, and suddenly Cosette fired off reason after reason of things to be afraid of
"What if I'm not ready for this papa? What if this is all a mistake and Marius realises I'm not right for him? How do I know if I can make him happy for the rest of my life? What if he tires of me after a week? What if..."
"Sssh now dear, don't get yourself worked up." Valjean said with a calming smile.
"I'm sorry. It's just sometimes I think I want to stay here with you forever". Cosette informed him, which was the worst thing she could have said to him. He needed her to get married today; he had to let her go. He was old now, and tired, and Cosette was young and free, she deserved to live a life he couldn't give her. Pontmercy could give her a good life now, and that's what he wanted for her.
Valjean decided to be honest with her, though a part of his heart wanted to scoop the young lady into his arms and take her away forever to England, he knew she didn't belong to him anymore, her heart belonged to the Pontmercy boy now, any idiot could tell that.
"Cosette, listen to me now. I won't lie and say I'm happy about the way you behaved with that boy, the way you snuck out of the house to meet with him every night….." He said, before quickly putting two fingers up to her lips to stop her from apologising for her behaviour once again. "But I believed you when you said nothing untoward happened between the two of you, and I can see how happy he makes you. That's all I want for you my child, and he'll bring you that happiness. Just as you will to him".
"But what if I'm not a good wife?" Cosette asked nervously
He knew what he was about to say next was the most important thing she needed to hear, from tomorrow her husband would be in charge of her and whatever he decided to do in regards to Valjean would be his decision, and therefore law in his house. So he had to make sure Cosette knew her husband would always make the right decisions for her from now on.
"I can't know what makes a good wife, I never had one Cosette" Valjean began, "but I know what you need to do to make your marriage work, and for your life to be a happy one".
Cosette looked at him expectantly and with complete trust, as only a girl can do with her father when he's about to tell her a most important truth.
"Love him Cosette, listen to him, honour him and most of all obey him, that's what will make you a good wife. Everything else you will learn along the way" Valjean informed her. He knew the everything else he spoke of was mostly to do with marital relations, but there was no way he was going to be able to speak to her about those things.
"Is that all there is to it?" Cosette asked, with a small smile
"That's all; just remember that everything he decides will be for the good of both of you. Make sure you understand that and you'll be a wonderful wife. After all you've been a wonderful daughter all these years". Valjean said, actually managing a smile too.
"I'll always be your daughter papa" Cosette said, furrowing her brow.
"Hmm, of course" he said quickly, covering his tracks. He cursed himself inside for almost slipping and getting too attached to her again. If he kept doing that then he wouldn't be able to get through today at all. He needed to be more careful from now on.
"Now…." He said, patting her hand. "Are you ready? Because the carriage will be here soon".
Cosette took a deep breath, calming herself again. "Yes….I think so papa"
"Alright then" He said, patting her hand again and standing up.
She stood up as well, and Valjean helped her adjust her veil correctly. He looked at her for a brief moment in sadness; as this was the last time she would be in this house as his daughter.
"You really do look lovely my dear child" Valjean said quietly, and Cosette smiled radiantly at him.
As they left her bedroom that day he heard Cosette whisper to herself the advice he had given her. "Love, listen, honour, obey. Love, listen, honour, obey".
"She's going to be just fine, she's a good girl. She always was. Just let her go, it'll be best for everyone that way". He thought once again to himself.
As he watched her that day up on that altar standing next to that boy, both dressed in their finest, a flood of memories overtook Valjean that he found himself barely able to hear Cosette as she spoke her vows. He remembered that cold, frightened filthy little creature that he'd met in the woods the first night they'd been brought together, he remembered the delightful little girl she became in those few short months in the gorbeau house, how sweet and lovely she was after a proper bath, good food and fatherly love. He remembered sitting her on his knee as he read to her at night and how he would tuck her into bed and kiss her hair before she fell asleep. He remembered the terrible time when she fell in the street when they were out for an evening's walk and she cut her knee badly, how he carried her home and cleaned the cut and bandaged it, she was such a brave little soul that evening. He remembered how sad she had been at first in the convent when she knew she would have to leave him and board with the other girls there, but how delighted she was when she found out she would still be able to see him every day. He remembered how lovely she looked on the day of her confirmation, much like today she wore a beautiful white dress and she beamed with delight to know her father was allowed into the chapel that day to see her rite of passage.
He had so many wonderful memories of his daughter; she had been the one source of joy in his entire life. Even though he had already made up his mind to let her go tomorrow he knew it was going to be the hardest thing he would ever have to do.
His mind snapped out of his wonderful memories of her just in time to hear Cosette say "I Do", and that was it, they kissed and they were now man and wife and she didn't belong to him anymore, she was now Madame Pontmercy. He allowed himself one tear to fall from his eyes but he remained strong, it was already going to be hard enough for him to let her go, if he let himself get emotional it would be impossible.
The entire congregation was on their feet now, applauding the happy couple and it did pain Valjean a little that Cosette didn't notice him as she and Pontmercy were walking back down the aisle, the two of them only had eyes for each other and she looked so happy she was literally beaming.
Valjean knew she was going to be a good wife, he knew that her life was going to be wonderful from now on. "She doesn't need her papa anymore" He thought to himself, but it was only because if he kept thinking that then maybe he could make himself believe it.
The End