"Papa! Papa!" Cosette said running to Valjean late one evening.
Valjean looked up from his newspaper and said, "Cosette, please do not shout. We wouldn't want to wake our neighbors."
"Forgive me," she said blushing.
"What is it that has you so excited?" he asked folding his paper and beckoning Cosette closer.
"Papa, I was looking through this book and I saw the picture," she said pulling out an old book and pointing to the black and white drawing. Cosette could not read well enough to understand the page that described the picture. Valjean has a small library of books that were stacked on the corner. Cosette liked to flip through the books and try to understand the pictures that were sometimes included. Valjean always encouraged her to be curious about books and was pleased.
"Why, these are people dancing at a ball," Valjean said.
"A ball?" Cosette said wrinkling her nose. She wrinkled her nose when she was confused. Valjean found it most endearing.
"A ball is like a party, a much bigger party. It is an event where people dress up and dance. It is usually for a wedding or a ceremony of some kind," he said.
"Have you ever been to a ball?" Cosette asked looking up.
"Afraid not. Your papa is a mere commoner and not important enough to get invited," he said laughing.
"I would invite you!" Cosette said very seriously
"That is very sweet of you," Valjean said.
"I wish I could go to a ball, " Cosette said wistfully, "It sounds lovely."
"It does, " he said, "I have an idea."
"What papa?" she asked.
"Darling go into your room and put on your favorite dress and come back here when you are finished."
"But it is nearly bedtime," she said confused.
"So it is, but I think we can spare a few minutes."
"You mean I can wear my Sunday dress?" she said surprised. Her Sunday dress was her loveliest dress, and Valjean only allowed her to wear it on Sunday's in fear of getting it dirty.
"Yes love," he said shooing her.
Cosette went upstairs and changed from her plain day clothes into the dress. It was a dark blue with lovely lace trim. She wondered why her papa was acting so peculiar.
She returned to the living room and Valjean announced, " Mademoiselle Cosette of Paris!"
"Papa?"
"People at balls are typically announced. And we shall have our own little ball this evening," Valjean beamed at her. Cosette face lit up. It always surprised Valjean at what made Cosette smile.
"Papa of… here!" Cosette then chirped.
Valjean laughed. He moved closer to Cosette and bowed.
"Courtesy," he instructed and showed her. She made clumsy curtsey. He took her hand the moved her again so her small feet were standing on his boots.
He held her small hand and placed the other on her waist and they began to dance. Valjean had never learned how to properly dance but he knew the gist of it.
Cosette all the while squealed with glee.
"Duh duh duh duh dooo da. Da da du duh," Valjean hummed to imitate an orchestral. He remembered there had been some sort of gathering in his village when he was a teenager. He remembered he was heading home from somewhere and he heard music drifting out of one of the larger houses. He remembered thinking this was foolishness, to just stand around and dance, but that was before he had Cosette to show him beauty in small things.
He finished the song as best as he could remember. He twirled her and when he brought to a graceful stop she said, "Again papa!"
"Wouldn't you get dizzy?" he mused.
"I suppose but you would be there to catch me," she smiled and hugged him tight.
"Well I suppose one more twirl before bed couldn't hurt," he said resuming his humming. He twirled her again and she giggled.
She was a bit tipsy but he scooped her up and deposited her into her room.
"Thank you papa. That was lovely," she said.
"You're quite welcome," Valjean said. Inside he wished he could throw her a proper ball but knew that would be impossible. Perhaps if she were to marry a baron, she could attend balls… No! She is far too young for you to even think about such a prospect.
"Get ready for bed and say your prayers. I will be back in a bit to tuck you in," he said kissing her forehead, "Someday I will take you a ball Cosette."
He left the room and Cosette was left with a wonderful light feeling. She got ready for bed as per usual. She changed into her nightgown and washed her face. She looked into the small mirror hanging on the wall and thought Someday I shall go to a ball! I will dance with my papa and I shall be the happiest girl in France! She promised herself this would happen someday.
It was many years later and it was the morning of the wedding. Cosette was all nerves and Marius came by to check on her.
"I do believe it is bad luck for the groom to see the bride," Cosette smiled.
"How can I have bad luck when I am with you?" Marius asked.
"I hope everything will be alright," Cosette fidgeted.
"Cosette you mustn't worry. The food, guests, ceremony and music are all prepared," Marius reassured her.
"The music," she paused.
"Is everything alright?"
"Yes," she said still pausing. Something was coming back to her.
"Cosette, where are you so I might bring you back?" Marius asked her. He moved so she was looking was looking at him. She had been going off into her own world for the last few days. He figured it was stress.
"I'm sorry. I just remembered something, something from when I was little." These moments of memory often came back to her and more now since the wedding was coming up. Sometimes they were bad memories like the inn or sometimes-good memories like when she first lived with her father.
"Yes?" Marius asked concerned.
"Marius, might you fetch my father, I would like to speak to him a moment," she said turning to him.
"Cosette I'm worried about you. What is eating at your mind?"
"It is nothing. Marius when I was small I made a promise that I would dance with my father at a ball. I just remembered that promise. He always wanted to take me to a ball and I fear that won't happen. Since he shall not be at the wedding and cannot dance at the reception I must fulfill this promise now before it is too late," Cosette said.
"Very well," Marius said. He wasn't sure what his fiancée meant but he knew her father would and so he went to find him.
Valjean was in the spare bedroom packing his things.
"Monsieur," Marius said knocking on the doorframe.
"Ah Marius," Valjean said nodding to let Marius know he could enter.
"Why are you packing?"
"Tis nothing for you to think about on your wedding," Valjean said dismissively.
"Well Cosette wishes to see you," Marius said.
"See me? Is she alright?" Valjean said instantly worried.
"She is well. She just said she needed to speak to you. Something about a promise, that's all she told me," Marius shrugged.
Valjean was confused and followed the young man. Marius left him at Cosette's door and Valjean knocked.
Cosette answered the door and when she saw Valjean she flung her arms around him.
"Ooof! Is everything alright love?" Valjean asked her.
"Yes. Papa why are you dressed in travel clothes? I thought you were staying for a while," she said looking him over.
Nothing gets past my Cosette Valjean thought.
"Oh this, nothing for you to worry about. Marius told me you had to speak to me about some promise?"
"Yes of course, do you remember when I was small and we danced?" She doubted he would remember. It was so long ago she had forgotten as well.
"Yes. You were 9 and it was just before Christmas," Valjean said fondly.
"Papa you remembered! You always remember everything," she smiled.
"I am so sorry I could never give you that," Valjean said sadly.
"No you cannot be sad. After you were so kind as to dance with me I made a vow. Before you came up to tuck me in I promised myself I would dance with you at a ball," Cosette said.
"I am so sorry I could never take you to a ball. Cosette I am truly sorry," Valjean, said again his heart ached at not fulfilling every want of Cossette's.
"No, no papa you mustn't feel bad. I know you couldn't but I would like to now," Cosette reassured.
"Now?"
"If you aren't busy," Cosette said quietly.
"But you are in your wedding dress, you hair is perfect. I wouldn't want to muss it," Valjean said. He noted then just how beautiful she was. She looked like her mother, and that made Valjean's heart ache even more.
"I would have been dressed up if we had gone to a ball," Cosette said curtseying before him.
Valjean laughed and decided it was the least he could do for his little girl. He would be leaving this afternoon and he wanted her to remember him fondly.
"See 'tis not so hard," Cosette smiled.
"I see these old bones have life in them yet," Valjean said. He felt tears well up in his eye but he knew he mustn't let Cosette see. It would only worry her and delay the wedding. She needed to be married.
This time while they were dancing there was music. The musicians for the wedding were practicing somewhere in the house and the noise carried to her room. It was a lovely waltz.
Cosette leaned her head onto Valjean's shoulder. He smelled exactly like he did when she first lived with him, dusty, faint cologne and just a hint to tobacco. She felt safe in his strong arms. She knew he could protect her against anything and felt a bit sad she wouldn't have him by her side.
But the waltz ended too soon and the two curtseyed and bowed.
"Thank you papa," Cosette said kissing him on his cheek.
"Anything for you." Valjean said brushing her fly away hairs down.
"Are you sure you aren't well enough to attend?" Cosette asked again.
"I am so sorry. I am afraid this old man isn't what he used to be," Valjean fibbed. He couldn't be there due to the nature of his relationship with Cosette. He was not her father and he was done with hiding his identity. He had run too often and now it was time to disappear.
"Well, at least you will be here when I return," Cosette said.
He wished he could tell her that he would be gone, but he couldn't break her heart now. No this last dance would have to do.
"Yes. I will see you when you return. Then we can go to many splendid balls like you wished," Valjean said. He left the room before anything could ruin this for her.
Cosette always knew her father acted strangely at times but she knew she had fulfilled her promise. Cosette was content and now felt at ease to marry Marius.
"Cosette is everything better?" Marius asked leaning on the door frame.
"Yes," Cosette said.
"Will you do the honor and dance with me tonight?" Marius teased.
"Yes of course," Cossette beamed.
Marius left then to see to some other details and Cosette sat down. She could still hear her father's humming the waltz duh duh duh duh dooo as if she was little again and was there dancing.