Valjeans Angel
It had been a very bewildering few days for Jean Valjean, he had rescued little Cosette from the horrible Thenardier family and was about to start a new chapter in his life, he had become a father for the first time and it was a strange new experience. He knew the first time he felt little Cosettes hand in his own that she was someone very special and that was a slightly scary feeling for him, He had been feeling things that he hadn't felt in a long time, it was a little overwhelming but Valjean knew this was something he had to do, perhaps if only to atone for past sins.
The first thing he had to do though was to bring the little girl home and put her to bed.
Valjean had just arrived at his new lodgings; he had found a suitable place for him and Cosette where they could be safe and most importantly hidden from anyone that might come looking for them. He felt assured enough at his recent supposed disappearance that no one would be looking for him now but there was always that paranoia nagging at the back of his mind, for now though he had something altogether more precious to think about.
It had been a long journey from Montfermeil and Cosette the poor little thing had fallen asleep, Valjean was carrying her in his arms when they arrived at the room he had rented.
He stepped inside and looked around, it was dark and Valjean had his hands full so he couldn't light any candles right way, the moonlight was shining through the whole place though so he made his way to the little inner room where a small bed had been prepared and he laid Cosette down on it.
He found a candle and matches on a table so he lit it and then he went back to Cosette, he put the candle down next to her bed and just looked at the girl for a moment, it was quite simply bliss he thought to watch this child sleep.
He removed Cosettes shoes and her little socks so that she would be more comfortable and then draped a blanket over the sleeping child and tucked her in. She looked like a little angel Valjean thought, "Yes that's exactly it" he suddenly realised, "this girl is an angel".
Valjean stepped away from Cosettes bed and like any new father would he suddenly felt a moment of sheer panic.
"What if I can't keep her safe" Valjean thought, "how can I look after this child when I'm looking over my shoulder all the time, Is it right to keep this girl hidden? I'm the one who's done wrong not her but how can I make it right for her? How can I be a good father to this little angel? What do I do?
Valjean got on his knees beside Cosettes bed and began to pray.
"Please God help me" he whispered, "help me look after this angel, please help me to be a good father and to be a good man, I feel like this child is a gift from you, if it's your wish for me to be her father I won't turn away from that but please help me by showing me the way to help her, I did wrong by her mother, I know that now, but with your help and your strength I know I can make things right."
Valjean looked down at his sleeping angel again and felt calm; she seemed to have an amazing ability to make him feel at peace whenever he looked at her and what else could do that apart from one of Gods truest gifts?
I'm not going to walk away from this he thought, this is what I have to do now, I have to be her father, nobody else is going to do it and this little girl deserves to be loved by someone, I'll do what I have to do to raise this girl to the light, it's not me who matters anymore, it's her.
He leant down and kissed Cosettes hair, he smiled and then whispered to her "sleep tight my angel, I love you."