"If she isn't well in a few weeks, please don't hesitate to call me." Valjean pleaded to Enjolras before leaving.
"Of course Monsieur, but I didn't get your name?"
"Uh, Monsieur La Mer." Valjean said quickly. He was still in hiding from Javert so he has living under the name "Madeleine La Mer" for what felt like a lifetime.
Enjolras recalled the girl Marius raved about that one night. It was Cosette. Valjean's daughter. He caught her just as she was about to walk through the door.
"Pardon me, Mademoiselle. Do you know of a boy named Marius Pontmercy?"
"Oh yes! Did he ask for me?" Cosette beamed.
Enjolras didn't know what to say.
"Mademoiselle, I'm afraid….last night…he fell at the barricade….I'm sorry…"
There was a painfully long silence after Enjolras finally finished his sentence. He saw another tear roll down Eponine's face. He saw more rolling down Cosette's. The two men tried to comfort her; it was no use. After a whole hour, Valjean finally took her home. Exhausted, Enjolras laid on the bed next to Eponine. They said nothing to each other. When Eponine fell asleep, he moved to the couch and spent the night there.
After a long night, the morning sun shone through the red curtains, waking up Enjolras. Eponine was still fast asleep. He had nothing better to do but just stare at her. It was Wednesday which was one of the Les Amis' meeting days. Enjolras didn't have to go today; everyone who usually showed up was gone. Except Eponine. She regularly came to the meetings to see Marius. Whenever she would show up, Enjolras's heart skipped a beat or two. He never showed it, however. He was the "marble man" to his comrades.
Enjolras almost smiled when Eponine opened her dark brown eyes. She looked coyly at him. He looked away trying not to seem like he was staring at her the whole morning.
"Good morning, Monsieur." Eponine said trying to sound enthusiastic.
"Good morning, Eponine," Enjolras replied. "By the way, just call me Enjolras, not Monsieur."
"Ok, Enjolras."
"I suppose you're feeling well?" he said chuckling.
"Well, I could always be better."
"Can't we all?"
Eponine giggled. Enjolras asked if she'd like some breakfast. She refused, however. She was never really hungry. She had to try to never be hungry. The Thenardiers never fed their children and they'd be sent to the streets to look for food themselves. Enjolras ate his breakfast and tried not to look at Eponine. That was a challenge even for him.
"Uh, I have to change your bandage today. I can't have your wound getting infected." Enjolras said awkwardly.
"Oh, alright then."
"I hate to say this," he said continuing the conversation, "but you'll have to say in bed for at least a couple weeks."
"Oh I don't mind, Monsieur…uh I mean…Enjolras. I don't even feel like getting out of bed." She said trying to smile.
He smiled back and walked into the washroom. What am I doing? he thought. Why are you acting this way? He already admitted he was in love with her to himself. But he didn't know how to act around her. What would Eponine think if she ever found out? The marble man? In love with her? Every time he'd try to forget about her, he would fall even more in love. You can't just forget about a girl like Eponine Thenardier. Just as he was about to fall into another fantasy, he heard a terrifying shriek that sent chills even through him. Eponine!
Enjolras ran out of the room to see Thenardier standing at his door and cursing something at his daughter. He was frozen in his place, like a statue. Thenardier finally acknowledged his presence.
"And you're the one who took 'Ponine?!" he yelled sounding slightly drunk.
"Monsieur!" interrupted Eponine, "He was trying to rob you! I screamed so you would come out and stop him!"
"What do you care if I stole Eponine? I didn't think you'd notice she was gone!" Enjolras fought back.
"Oh would you look at little Enjolras! The leader! The man of marble! Defending that thing on the bed! If you really were a leader you wouldn't have let your whole army die at the barricade!" Thenardier said mockingly.
As soon as Enjolras heard him called Eponine a thing, he became furious. Thenardier went to take Eponine but was stopped by Enjolras who pinned him to the wall with such force, it almost cracked.
"IF YOU EVER COME HERE AGAIN, I WILL PERSONALLY MAKE EVERY SECOND OF YOUR LIFE AS MISERABLE AND PAINFUL AS YOU MADE EPONINE'S! AND YOU WILL WISH YOU WERE IN HELL, WHICH IS WHERE YOU'RE GOING WHEN I GET DONE WITH YOU!" Enjolras raged.
He let go of Thenardier and let him sink to the floor. Then he limped out of the house like a weak puppy. Eponine laid in the bed shaking with fear from her father. When she was sure he was gone, she let out a sigh of relief.
"Enjolras, you practically saved my life!" she said breathlessly.
"Did I?"
"Monsieur, if you let him take me home, he would have given me a beating! And from the condition I'm in now, I surely would have been dead!"
Enjolras laughed.
"I just couldn't tolerate him calling you a thing." He said.
Eponine smiled at him. She smiled bigger than she'd ever smile at Marius. There was an awkward pause between them. They could have gone an eternity smiling at each other.
"I guess I should change your bandage now?" Enjolras said breaking the silence.
Eponine nodded. Enjolras looked in the cabinet for the bandages. At that moment, Eponine couldn't stop thinking about the "marble man."