The continuation... Ha. Tell me if you like it or not. It's not as funny, because these characters aren't humorous, like our friend Courfeyrac. Still, I hope you like it. I do!
The next day, Cosette heard the front door open. Poking her head around the door, she saw a middle-aged man being escorted in by Basque. The man asked for Marius, but upon seeing Cosette, greeted her. Basque went up the stairs to find Marius.
"Madame!" the unknown man said, taking a respectful bow as she offered her hand politely. Looking him over more attentively, she saw he was on that middle-aged border right before he would become old. He had dark hair streaked with gray and was of average height. He had wrinkled on his face, but his posture was still strong and erect. There was something lingering on his face that she found extremely familiar, as though she knew this man when he was much younger. His face struck a chord with her, and she found herself searching her memory for this man when he was young. She could not say why, but it was striking.
"Welcome, Monsieur," she said, taking him into the living room, still trying to place him when the door opened and Marius walked in. She turned to face him and introduce him to their visitor, before realizing that she did not know his name. However, Marius seemed to know him. As she turned to face her husband, she was surprised to see him staring positively starstruck and trembling. One of his hands was reached out, and his mouth was open in a look of awe. He had gone pale, but looked less sickly than shocked.
"There you are," the man said with an air of relief in his voice. He had a scar across his face, but when he smiled, his face look unmarred and flashed to what it must have been twenty-years before. "I've been waiting a long time to see you."
Cosette's heart skipped a beat, at once recognizing him as he drew Marius to him in a fatherly embrace. Fatherly. She had never seen Georges Pontmercy before, but now she saw the resemblance between him and Marius. It was striking, and their looks of amazement were heartwarming to Cosette. She knew how Marius had longed for this moment, and it gave her happiness to see him finally get it.
However, she still needed to sit down. The room began spinning, and she landed with a soft thud on the chaise lounge. She heard Marius calling her name.
"I'm fine," she said, weakly. And she was- she felt fine, just overwhelmed. Whatever was going on? First Courfeyrac, now Marius' father? Had the doors of Heaven opened into their home? "I'm just a bit confused."
"And, Madame, I cannot say I blame you. I, too, am confused," Marius' father said kindly. "I can only tell you that an hour ago, I was sitting in my resting place, wishing I could have the opportunity to speak to my son, and then I was outside your door."
Cosette stared at him a little too long, then blinked, trying not to be rude. Marius, on the other hand, seemed perfectly accepting of the fact that his dead father was standing in their living room. Perhaps it was just that his wish had been granted.
Cosette regained her manners abruptly (dead or not, this man was a guest- more than that, he was family). She stood and offered her hand again. "I am very pleased to finally meet you, Monsieur."
"And I, you, Madame. I must say it is an honor."
"Marius has told me all about you."
Marius looked at the floor, embarrassed. "As much as I knew, anyway."
"Which, monsieur, has been as much as he could find. You have a very devoted son," she said. Marius looked up and once again met his fathers eyes, which were kind and loving. She sensed that she should let them speak privately. "Excuse me," she said.
"Wait!" Georges called after her. "If you please, Madame, when you return, may I please meet my grandchildren? I would like to see them as well. I've been watching over you from up above," he explained to Marius. "I've only caught snippets, but I know I have grandchildren, and I would adore to meet them."
Cosette nodded and smiled, then excused herself. However this had happened, she did not know. Marius' father visiting was one thing, but should their home become a revolving door between the after world and the earth, then she couldn't say what she'd think.
She made her way to the nursery to check on Marie, who was being watched over by the nurse, Julie. She'd been a wonderful find- attentive and kind, not like some of the nurses Cosette had seen with the children, who were stern and unsmiling. But before she went into the nursery, she turned into her and Marius' bedroom so she could change her dress. The one she was wearing had gotten dirt on the bottom while she was in the garden.
Opening the door and humming to herself- she was trying to put some of the more confused thoughts from her brain- Cosette was given quite the start. Her hand flew to her heart and she gave a small cry upon seeing another woman in the room. A woman she had never seen before.
The woman looked up, alarmed at the cry. She was blond, and Cosette's age almost to the very day. She was pale like Cosette, and had beautiful, white teeth. Her blond hair fell past her waist in thick, healthy curls. Their eyes locked, and Cosette only glimpsed the blue irises for a split second before the woman began to weep.
"It's you," she cried, standing up. Cosette was now given quite pause, as she had no idea who this woman was. However, she seemed to know exactly who Cosette was. "My darling Euphrasie!" she cried, standing up from the bed and moving towards Cosette, reaching for her hand. Cosette, alarmed, dared not imagine who this could be- it would be too far-fetched. Only Marius and her father knew her real name was Euphrasie. And, of course, someone else. The person who had named her.
The woman spoke again. "I've waited so long... suffered so! I've been praying for this day, and here you are, my love! My sweet! My little Euphrasie! My Cosette!"
Cosette took a step back, her back hitting the door to the bedroom and keeping her upright. The room spun once again, as she realized that she was looking into the face of her mother.