Chapter 7
"What is said about men often has as much influence upon their lives, and especially upon their destinies, as what they do."
After parting ways with Marius, Enjolras met up with his sister at the bakery. When he got there, he can't help but be shocked. Standing with Cosette was her father, Monsieur Valjean. With no hesitation, he walked towards them.
"Monsieur" he said acknowledging Cosette's adoptive father. Monsieur Valjean just nodded. This made Cosette scoffed, "Oh please. Will you two just get along? The silence is not making this any better" she said, earning a smile from the two men. The two men still was not talking yet the tension had already subsided.
Monsieur Valjean coughed, "So, shall we head for dinner?" he asked. "I presumed we were having dinner back at home with Mere." Enjolras said feeling out of place. Cosette leaped in excitement on who knows why.
"Oh yes. That would be a great idea. Father, join us. Mother will be ecstatic to see you." Cosette said. Monsieur Valjean agreed and Enjolras was about to refuse but seeing Cosette as happy as she is, he didn't dare himself to do so.
As the chariot was getting closer to the palace, Enjolras noticed a man on the palace steps. He squinted and saw that it was Coufeyrac. What was he doing here at this time of the night? Enjolras thought to himself. When the chariot stopped to the halt, he quickly went down and walked to his friend. Upon seeing his friend, Coufeyrac smiled.
"What are you doing here, Coufeyrac?" The shock in Enjolras voice was obvious. Coufeyrac just smiled.
"My mother asked me to send a letter to the Empress." Coufeyrac said as if the line was taken out of a script. It was a rather believable lie and to his luck, Enjolras believed him without any further questions.
"Oh!" Silence filled the air. Coufeyrac was about to go when Enjolras remembered something. "I remember, I bumped into Marius earlier. I thought you were with him." Enjolras said.
"Yes, I was. But I did have to send the letter. I thought he was home. Probably got bored" Coufeyrac said. "Enjolras, I must really go. I should see you tomorrow, mon ami." Coufeyrac said and he rode the chariot Enjolras and company just rode earlier.
Soon as Coufeyrac left, Enjolras quickly caught up to Cosette and Monsieur Valjean. Nearing their chambers, he heard laughing. Such a happy family, he thought. If only you did not leave. We could have always been this happy. Enjolras thought, a picture of his father, Félix Tholomyès, appeared in his mind. In disgust, he shook the thought away.
Fantine, seeing him outside, quickly ushered him in saying it was cold outside and he might get sick. But apparently, the sickness already got to Fantine and Enjolras noticed as he saw how pale her mother was.
"Mother, are you alright?" Enjolras said in worry. "Yes, it's just a little cold." Fantine said, coughing the words out.
"You should rest, Mother." Enjolras insisted. Fantine smiled, "That is not necessary, Enjolras. I am fine" Fantine said. "Mother, please" Enjolras answered back. Fantine shook his head but this time she was already coughing more. Cosette shrieked, quickly getting a glass of water. Enjolras, upon seeing his mother's ill self, turned towards Cosette's adoptive father.
"Monsieur, do something." Enjolras pleaded. He sighed and asked to take Fantine to the hospital. Fantine refused but after Enjolras and Cosette pleaded, she finally gave in. Together, with Cosette, Monsieur Valjean and Fantine went to the hospital.
Eponine woke up at a time she didn't usually do. It was nine o'clock when she stared at her grandfather clock yet she usually wakes up at six. Her curtains was still drawn down. Explains the three hour addition of sleep. The lights in the bathroom was still off and when she checked inside, the water was still not set. Odd, Fantine would usually set the water before she draw the curtains. Where is she? Eponine thought. Because of worry, Eponine put on her robes and slippers and quickly went down to check on Fantine. On her way to Fantine's chamber, he saw that the lanterns were still lit. She thought that Fantine might have just been asked to do another errand, an explanation for her absence this morning yet Fantine could not have forgotten to put the lights out of the lanterns. It's the first thing she does before she even goes to the palace. Something really was not right.
As she got to the chamber, she quickly knocked. But it shocked her that it wasn't Fantine who opened the door.
"Enjolras." she said. He looked down but assuming that he wasn't in the mood to talk about it, Eponine didn't acquire any further.
"I was just looking for Madame Fantine." Eponine said yet he did not say where Fantine was because at the mention of his mother's name, he broke down.
Eponine asked what was wrong and Enjolras, without no hesitation, relayed what happened the night before to Eponine. She sighed as the story ended. She led her to the living area so he could relax and quickly prepared them tea.
"She will be alright. She is a strong woman after all" Eponine assured as she handed a cup of tea to Enjolras.
"I just can't bare to think about it." Eponine knows that he was talking about death. Even she can't fathom the lost of Fantine. Eponine was about to reach for Enjolras's hand but then they heard a knock on the door.
"I'll get it" Eponine said before Enjolras can even stand.
As the door completely opened, Eponine gasped and her eyes widened.
"Well, what do we have here?" The stranger said looking at Eponine, then shifting her glance to Enjolras.
"Mother!"
"Am I disturbing?" The Empress said with a smirk on her face.
"Of course not, Mother. I was looking for Fantine you see. Enjolras here offered for some tea and I dared not to refuse. It was a humble offer after all." Eponine lied. The Empress raised her brow and strutted inside.
"I see. I was looking for her too." She turned to Enjolras. "Where is she?" the Empress asked calmly.
"At the hospital, Madame. She's ill." Enjolras said. He did a great job controlling his emotions. The worst thing that could happen is breaking down in front of the Empress.
"Hope she gets better. Aren't you supposed to be in school, Enjolras?" The Empress said. "I was on my way." The Empress nodded slowly went out of the chamber. "Eponine, I need to see you upstairs. There are things we need to talk about" Eponine rolled her eyes and smiled. "Yes, mother. I'll be right there" As soon as Eponine stammered the last word out, the Empress was already walking up the stairs.
"I'm surprise she cares about my education." Enjolras said.
"I'm surprise she cares at all" Eponine said. They stared at each other. Eponine smiled and Enjolras managed to do so too. She kissed his cheek and quickly followed after her mother screaming, "See you later." This made Enjolras smile. He got his bag and quickly started towards the University.
Eponine quickly caught up to he mother. She sighed. Why does she have to walk so slow? She's already at home. Eponine thought. Maybe it's just what Empresses must do. Do things slowly every time. She might just reconsider the slot for Empress, maybe she didn't want it after all.
The Empress opened the door. Eponine wanted to clap. The Empress actually did something, she opened the door. She was laughing internally but then she stopped seeing that the living area was not empty. In the middle, someone was standing. She looks familiar. As soon as the stranger heard the footsteps, she quickly turned making Eponine gasped.
"Musichetta!" Eponine said as she runs to hug her cousin. "What are you doing here?" Eponine quickly added.
"You tell me. My mother just said the Empress was looking for me. Maybe it's about the upcoming ball." Eponine's eyes widened.
"Ball?" she asked. Musichetta laughed. "You don't know?" she asked. Eponine shook her head. Musichetta bit her lip. "Apparently not." Musichetta said and stepped away from her cousin feeling the growing tension.
"What ball?" Eponine asked, looking at her mother.
"Your wedding ball." Musichetta gasped.
"I thought it was a belated birthday ball. I never knew you were going to get married. Why didn't you tell me?" Musichetta said.
"Because it was not yet final." Eponine said. "I can't cancel it now, Eponine." the Empress said as her daughter was starting to stare her down.
"And why can you not?" Eponine questioned.
"Because I already sent the invitations." the Empress said.
"Mother!" Eponine, not being able to hold herself, screamed.
Musichetta, knowing the tension was tightening, coughed. "May I go now? I'd be back before dinner. I just have to go to an appointment." The empress sighed and let her go but knew she had to face Eponine's nagging alone.
Enjolras arrived at the university just after the first period. Knowing that it was already lunch, he decided to go to the Cafe. As he got there, he saw that his friends was in the same table, a chair unoccupied, probably for him.
"Monsieur, where have you been?" Grantaire said, the alcohol reeking as he spoke. The other Amis looked up to see Enjolras. He shook his head and everybody knew that it was not there business to know. For the entire time, Enjolras didn't say anything. He didn't even dare to eat something. He only came to the Cafe to see some familiar faces and to hopefully, distract his thoughts from what has been happening.
Coufeyrac kept sneaking glances at Enjolras. He had this theory that maybe Eponine already told him about it but if he did, they should've known and Enjolras should have been drinking away his misery. Since worry was getting the best of him, he started towards his friend to ask what was it all about. Before he can reach him, Enjolras finally spoke. "Where is Joly?" Even though Enjolras was down, he still cared about every man in his group. Where they are, and what they are doing. Lesgle shrugged, "He said he was going to an appointment." he said. Nobody asked further questions. Instead, they went back to what they're doing even Enjolras. He stared outside the window, suddenly noticing something. Quickly, he rose from his chair and went out of the café. Coufeyrac was about to follow, but seeing that it was Cosette that he saw, he left it alone.
Enjolras got to Cosette just a minute after.
"Is everything alright, Cosette?" Cosette nodded. "Mother just wants to see you." she said. Enjolras sighed. He looked around, asked Cosette to way for a couple of minutes so that he can tell Coufeyrac to excuse him from his classes. After he did so, he followed Cosette towards the hospital, holding her hand.
Just across the street, someone saw this little meeting and it was breaking his heart. Marius was so happy to see the girl that he longed to see but he never expected to see her with another. In his perspective, Enjolras and Cosette looked really close and it broke his heart. If only he knew.
