CHAPTER SEVEN
(chapter title – Reflections)
Cosette Pontmercy looked down at her two-day-old daughter. She was so beautiful and perfect. Currently, she was nursing and Cosette was watching her.
"Hi," Marius whispered, entering the room. He kissed the top of Cosette's head and looked at his little one, "how's she doing?"
"She's good, extremely hungry, though." Cosette answered as the baby finished nursing.
"Have you thought of a name yet?" Marius asked.
"I was thinking you should name her." Cosette said, gently burping her daughter before handing her to Marius.
"Welcome to the world Ella Fantine Pontmercy. I love you so much." Marius whispered to his daughter. She opened her eyes and stared up at Marius.
"I think she likes that name." Cosette whispered as Marius put her in her incubator and closed the lid. He was about to get in behind Cosette when Enjolras entered the room.
"Eponine had our baby – a little girl." Enjolras told the couple.
"We had a little girl, too, a couple days ago." Marius told Enjolras.
"How's Eponine feeling?" Cosette inquired.
"She's extremely tired, but doing well," Enjolras answered, going over to the incubator that Ella was in. "What's the name of your precious one?"
"Ella Fantine. What about your little girl?" Cosette asked, resting her head against Marius' shoulder.
"Serephina Ashlyn." Enjolras answered.
"Enjolras, could you do me a favor?" Marius questioned as he got Ella out of her incubator. "Would you be willing to take a picture of Cosette, Ella and myself?"
Enjolras nodded and Marius instructed how to operate the camera.
"I will love both of you forever." Marius whispered in Cosette's ear as Enjolras took the picture. Enjolras smiled and looked at the happy family.
"I feel rather foolish doing this." Marius told Cosette as he put on a pair of ice skates. Cosette smiled at him and laced up her own skates.
"You'll be fine. Don't be such a baby!" Cosette teased as she stepped onto the ice. She instantly did insane tricks and spins. Marius stared at her in amazement.
"How on earth?" Marius questioned, his green eyes nearly popping out of his head. Cosette smiled and came over to him.
"My mom was an ice skating coach. She died two years ago." Cosette told Marius.
"I-I'm so sorry." Marius apologized.
"It's all right. Just me and my dad now," Cosette said, blinking tears out of her beautiful blue eyes. "Marius, come on! It's fun!"
Marius stepped onto the ice and clung to the rail. Cosette skated over and showed him how to skate. He got the hang of it for a while before falling backwards onto his butt. Cosette giggled and helped him up.
"If you feel like you're going to fall, put your hands out behind you, but not too far." Cosette instructed as she skated circles around Marius.
"I can't believe you're doing that!" Marius marveled. He tried skating in a circle and instantly fell again. He put his hand to his mouth and pulled his hand away – there was some blood. "Ow!"
"I've gotten worse than that, trust me." Cosette said, holding her arms out for him.
The two of them skated for an hour before Cosette said she had to go. The two of them put on their shoes and walked up the stairs, hand-in-hand.
They stopped for ice cream on the way home, which Marius paid for. Cosette had chocolate crumble and Marius had double fudge birthday cake.
"So, you're a chocolate lover, too, huh?" Cosette asked as she ate her ice cream. Marius nodded.
"If I could live on one food for an entire month, it would be chocolate." Marius answered, taking a bite. "Would you like some?"
"No, thank you. So, what do you plan on doing in the future?"
"I was thinking of going to law school."
"You would make an excellent lawyer."
"Really? I mean, I've always been interested in debate and politics."
"What kind of law would you want to study?"
"I want to study anything really. I love all sorts of law."
"What about getting married or having children?"
"I want to get married someday. I also want kids. I'm sorry – I'm talking about myself. What do you want to do in the future?"
"I'm not sure yet. Maybe be a lawyer's wife."
"A what? – oh!"
Cosette giggled as she finished the last of her ice cream. Marius threw their containers away before opening the door for her.
The two of them drove back to Cosette's place, where Marius walked her to the door.
"This is a huge house." Marius remarked.
"It's been in our family for six generations. It's lovely inside. Want to come in?"
"I wish I could, but I should be going."
"Okay. I had a great time today."
"I did, too."
Marius leaned in and kissed Cosette. She smiled against his lips and kissed him back.
He knew she was the girl of his dreams.
"Five hundred twenty-five thousand
Six hundred minutes
Five hundred twenty-five thousand
Moments so dear
Five hundred twenty-five thousand
Six hundred minutes
How do you measure, measure a year?" Cosette sang. She and Marius were doing karaoke and they just happened to have one of Cosette's favorite songs.
She finished singing and went to sit with Marius. He kissed her forehead and looked into her beautiful eyes. He was in the community theater's production of RENT and had managed to get the cast, himself included, to sing Will You Marry Me to the tune of Seasons of Love.
"Darling, I have a surprise for you." Marius told Cosette as she took a sip of her soda. She raised an eyebrow as he led her out of the karaoke bar.
"What is it?" Cosette asked, as Marius placed his hands over her eyes.
"Dearest Cosette, I love you so much
Dearest Cosette, I think you do, too
Dearest Cosette, I know you love me
Dearest Cosette, I love you, too.
I love you in the morning, I love you in the evening
I love you even when you stumble and fall
So, dearest Cosette, I have a big question
Will you come with me to the mall?
To pick out an engagement ring
To pick out an engagement ring
To pick out an engagement ring
I cannot wait to hear you sing
When I ask will you marry me?" a chorus of voices greeted Cosette's ears, even Marius'. He got down on one knee, in the snow, in the cold and presented Cosette with an empty box.
"I was thinking we could pick it out together," Marius told her, as she smiled at him, tears streaming down her cheeks. "What do you say, Cosette Fantine Valjean – will you marry me?"
Cosette didn't trust herself to speak, so she nodded and threw her arms around Marius' neck as he stood up. She wrapped her arms around him and kissed him. Marius was thrown a little off guard, but kissed her back just as passionate.
"I don't understand it. I was certain I would make a good mom." Cosette cried as she leaned back against Marius. This was her second early delivery. She had three miscarriages and two early deliveries.
"There are other options, dearest." Marius told Cosette. She shook her head as tears tumbled down her cheeks.
"No! I am not giving up just yet!" Cosette yelled. Marius rubbed her back and watched as the doctor took the dead baby away.
A year later, they decided to try again.
"Are you sure, darling?" Marius asked. Cosette nodded and showed him the pee stick – it was positive.
"I don't want to tell anyone until I'm at least larger than I am now." Cosette answered. Marius nodded in agreement.
The two of them made a doctor's appointment for that afternoon at 2:00. Eponine was four weeks along with her first baby. Cosette and Marius couldn't be happier for their friend.
The doctor was a woman doctor named Dr. Carter. She was extremely friendly and kind.
"Well, Cosette, it turns out you are expecting. You're about four weeks along." Dr. Carter told Cosette as she removed her gloves and threw them away.
"My best friend, Eponine, is four weeks along, too." Cosette told the doctor. She smiled and handed the Pontmercy's brochures on OBGYNs, Lamaze classes and other baby-related things that the young couple should know.
When Cosette was six months along, she found out she was expecting a girl – same as Eponine.
"What shall we call our daughter, honey?" Cosette asked as Marius gave her a foot rub that night.
"I've always liked the name Ella." Marius answered.
"That is beautiful." Cosette said.
"What about you? Are there any names that you like?" Marius inquired.
"I've always liked Belle, Fantine, Angelique, Dominique and Ami." Cosette listed off her favorite names.
"I have the perfect name," Marius announced after a while, "Ella Fantine Pontmercy."
"I love that!" Cosette said, placing a kiss on her husband's cheek.
"I cannot wait to meet you Ella Fantine." Marius told Cosette's stomach. Cosette smiled and felt Ella kick her.
"I think she likes her new name." Cosette told Marius, feeling him climb in next to her.
"I think she does, too." Marius said, drawing Cosette closer to him.
Cosette looked at herself one last time in the full-length mirror. She was wearing the gown of her dreams on the biggest day of her life.
"Did you really have to pick pink for the bridesmaids dresses? I hate pink – I don't know how I can express my hatred for the color pink!" Eponine ranted, helping Cosette pin flowers in her hair.
"Shush, 'Ponine. You, Carly, Emma, Heather, Liz, Sophie and Amanda look wonderful." Cosette told her best friend and Maid of Honor.
"Cosette, you look absolutely beautiful!" Valjean said as he entered the room.
"Thank you, Papa. Do you think mother would love it?" Cosette asked.
"I think your mother would love to see you in her gown – it was her dream." Valjean told Cosette, kissing her cheek.
The dress was made out of white satin and had a corset that laced up the back. It also had flowers and leaves etched in silver thread, but not enough so that someone could see it. It was also sleeveless, although Cosette wore a white sweater over it, since the air conditioning church made the room cold.
Her train was six feet long and she wore flowers in her hair. The train attached to a silver tiara that held Cosette's French knot in place. She didn't want a veil, even though it was tradition.
On her feet, she wore silver slippers, which were very comfortable.
She wore little jewelry – just her engagement ring and diamond earrings and necklace.
"Are you ready?" Valjean asked his daughter. She nodded and took his arm.
The wedding march played as Cosette and Valjean made their way down the aisle. Marius and his groomsmen – Enjolras (who served as Best Man), Courfrayac, Joly, Combeferre, Jehan, Feuilly and Bahorel – stood in a straight line.
She also saw her bridesmaids – Eponine (who was Maid of Honor), Carly, Emma, Liz, Sophie, Heather and Amanda – standing on the other side of the men, looking beautiful in their pink tea dresses.
Valjean gave Cosette's arm to Marius, who kissed her cheek and led her to the alter.
"You look very beautiful." Marius whispered in Cosette's ear.
"Thank you. You look quite handsome." Cosette whispered back.
The couple exchanged rings, vows and a kiss or two before saying their I Do's.
"By the power vested in me – I now pronounce you Mr. and Mrs. Marius Pontmercy. You may kiss the bride." The priest told Marius. He kissed Cosette's lips as she put her hands behind his neck, also returning the kiss.
The two of them went back down the aisle, hand in hand, followed by their bridesmaids and groomsmen.
They went to Paris, France for their four-month-long honeymoon.
Five-year-old Ella was playing with some toys when she felt she couldn't breathe. Cosette, who had been sitting on the couch, watching Ella play, got down to Ella's level.
"Ella, sweetheart, what's wrong?" Cosette asked as Marius came out of the master bedroom, all dressed for work.
"Cosette, what's wrong?" Marius inquired.
"She can't breathe!" Cosette yelled.
"Don't yell – you're scaring her," Marius told Cosette. He turned to Ella, "Sweet girl, it's all right. Just take some nice even big breaths for me. Can you do that?"
Ella nodded and took some big breaths as Marius rubbed her back in a circular motion while Cosette watched, tears streaming down her cheeks.
"You okay?" Marius asked Ella once she calmed down. She nodded and signed 'water'. Ella had been nonverbal for a while, but Feuilly, who was a speech therapist, came over and worked with Ella mostly every day.
"I'll get her some," Cosette offered, going to the kitchen and got a glass of water for Ella. She drank half the glass and signed 'thank you'. "You're welcome, baby."
Ella had another panic attack a month later. This one was scarier than the first. The doctor told Ella to calm down, but that only made her freak out more. Marius sang You Are My Sunshine and My Girl as Ella had her attack.
She calmed down and fell asleep in Marius' arms.
"When was the last panic attack she had?" the doctor asked.
"About a month ago." Cosette answered, stroking Ella's hair.
"What was she doing when she had the first attack?" the doctor questioned.
"She was playing with some toys, then she couldn't breathe." Marius answered.
The doctor asked Marius and Cosette more questions, all of which they responded honestly.
Once it seemed like Ella was okay, Marius and Cosette took her home.
"I wish I knew what caused these attacks." Marius whispered as he put Ella in her booster seat.
"I do, too." Cosette whispered back as she climbed in the passenger seat.
On the way home, Marius thought he heard Ella say, 'daddy'. He looked in the rearview mirror and saw Ella looking out the window saying 'daddy'.
"Cosette? Do you hear that?" Marius whispered.
"What?" Cosette asked.
"Listen."
"Daddy, daddy, mommy, cookie, horsey, doggy, kitty, baby." Ella sang happily.
Cosette and Marius felt tears in their eyes, happy that their little one was finally talking.
