'No running in the house.' Marie signed to her two youngest children. But they paid her no attention and ran out the house into the courtyard. They hadn't even noticed she was in the room. She hated when that happened. Just then Benvolio entered the main hall.
"Good morning, darling." He said, kissing her softly. "How are you this morning?" She shrugged. "What is it?" He continued.
'Nothing' She signed.
"I don't believe you." Marie shook her head, he never gave up.
She sighed silently then told him. 'Sometimes the children don't notice when I try to talk to them.' She signed slowly. Even though Nurse had helped him learn sign language, Benvolio still had some trouble when Marie signed quickly. Benvolio nodded. "I see…I'll be right back." He exited the house and a few minutes later returned with the two youngest.
"Romeo! Juliette!" He called and a moment later the twins came bounding down the stairs. Behind them was their second child, Mercutio. Marie stood by the door and watched as Benvolio gathered the children around him.
"What is it Papa?" Angelica, the youngest, asked.
"The five of you know that your mother can't speak, correct?"
The children nodded. "Now, we both now that you don't mean to hurt her, but it's very hard when she tries to talk to you and you ignore her."
"We're sorry, Mama." Angelica said. The three-year-old wandered over to her mother and hugged her. Marie hugged her back. The other four followed their younger sister's lead and hugged their mother.
'Thank you.' She signed to them. 'Now, go play.' The five smiled and darted off in various directions. Marie laughed silently.
She and Benvolio had been married two years after Romeo and Juliette had taken their lives. They had both lost close friends in the feud and had consoled one another in the first weeks after the shock. And shortly there after, they had fallen in love. It took them a long time to get married because, even though the feud was over, the Montagues' had a hard time adjusting to the fact that Benvolio wanted to marry a servant of the Capulets'.
A year after they were married, Marie gave birth two twins that the couple named Romeo and Juliette. When the twins were two, they had another child, a son named Mercutio after Benvolio's best friend. When Mercutio was one, they had another son. Marie had insisted they name to boy Tybalt. Marie hadn't been very close to Tybalt, but after he had been very nice to her and treated her like everyone else. She had been very upset when he died. And finally, their last child was Angelica. She was named after the Nurse.
'Thank you'. Marie signed to her husband.
"Not at all." He smiled. "What do you want for dinner tonight?"
'Fish.' She signed with a smile.
"Why didn't I guess?" Benvolio laughed. "I'll tell cook." He kissed her cheek, then left for the kitchen. Marie curled up in a chair with a book by the fireplace.
If you had told her ten years that she was going to marry Benvolio Montague, she would have laughed and said were crazy. But now she couldn't imagine her life without him. Marie realized how lucky she was. People like her were usually ignored. But her she was.
" 'Cutio give me my doll!" Juliette cried.
"Come and get it!" Marie heard her second son tease. Silently sighing, Marie rose to her feet and headed the courtryard.
This is just something that popped into my head when I was listening to Romeo et Juliette. I've always thought Benvolio and Le Muette would be a good couple. Reveiw!
~Kate