Chapter 2
Marius arrived late from work that night. He had been working on a particularly rough case; a case where both sides seemed to be in the wrong. He set down his stack of papers on the side table in the armoire, removing his hat and coat. Marius' attempts of entering the house quietly were thwarted however, when one of the law books in his arms fell to the floor with a loud thud. It was then he heard the soft little whimper of Cosette, in her sleep. She was on the couch, a book on her chest, showing her failed attempt at waiting for Marius' arrival home from work.
Marius went over to his wife, who was snuggled into a blanket on the loveseat in front of the fire. "Oh, Cosette. How worried you make me," he murmured to himself as he brushed her hair back from her face. She mumbled in her sleep, snuggling deeper into the blanket. In one swift movement, Marius had her in his arms, bridal style as he ascended up the stairs to the bedroom.
Once he had deposited her onto the bed, he began to undress, thinking of how he hadn't had a chance to ask Nicolette about Cosette's health that day, how his case was difficult, all those things that ailed his life. Suddenly, he was brought out of his thinking. "Marius? I waited for you! You should have woken me." "Cosette." Marius said sternly. "Mmmhmm? What's the matter? You sound terribly stern!" Cosette said this jokingly, as if he was going to ask her a very trivial question. Marius decided then, that the best way of going about his task was to be straightforward. "Cosette, I need to know what's the matter with you. You're ill all the time and much too thin, I feel your fevers at night…..I'm worried about you!"
Cosette looked down then, in a rather ashamed manner. "Marius…I wasn't going to tell you until I knew everything was all right." He looked at her inquisitively, completely confused. Suddenly, she blurted out two words that changed his life: "I'm pregnant!" "You're what! Cosette! What!" "Oh, Marius I didn't mean to worry you, but I wanted to keep it a secret a little longer but then you got worried just now and I'm sorry if I sprung this on you but-" He had placed his finger over her lips. "Cosette. I am overjoyed." Marius pulled her into a tight embrace, then kissed her forehead. Cosette seemed satisfied with his reaction and placed her small hand over her lips to cover her yawn. "Well I'll see you in the morning then?" "Yes, of course dear." She gave him one last smile before she snuggled down into the covers, almost appearing to fall asleep before she hit the pillow.
Marius sat on the bed completely stunned. Too many emotions were running through his head. He was going to be a father for Christ's sake! How was he going to be a father if he never had one? Would Cosette be healthy again? Marius knew she was usually healthy, but always small from the malnutrition of her childhood. And at that moment he realized something, something that would simply not leave his mind. His mother had died in childbirth.