December 24, 1999
"Seriously you guys should go out for Christmas!" Azelma replied from the couch, "have some fun! I mean Cosette's going to have the baby any day now, things are going to get hectic so take some time off from parenting, relax!"
"You can't just take some time off of parenting," Éponine sighed as she looked at Jehan who was crawling on the floor.
"Courfeyrac and I could watch him for a couple of hours," Azelma smiled, "you need to spend some time outside of this apartment, with Alex, it's Christmas."
"Which is another reason why I wouldn't want to saddle Jehan on you," Éponine pushed her hair back.
"You wouldn't be saddling him on us," Azelma grinned as she picked up her nephew, "right sweetie? You aren't any trouble are you?" she started speaking in the classic "baby voice".
"The answer is still no," Éponine shook her head.
"This is about Courfeyrac isn't it? You don't trust him do you?" Azelma laughed.
"I didn't trust Alex at first and he is Jehan's father!" Éponine replied.
"You have got to be kidding me," Azelma shook her head, "this is why you need to lighten up!"
"Azelma, it's not going to happen," Éponine shook her head.
"'Ponine I know that you are worried about Jehan, I get it-"
"No you don't," Éponine interrupted, "you don't understand what it's like-"
"Okay so maybe I don't understand completely," Azelma smiled, "but you should give us a chance, besides I think Courfeyrac can be responsible!"
"Responsible?" Éponine folded her arms across her chest.
"He was responsible enough to propose at last!" Azelma flashed an engagement ring.
"Wait, Antoine Courfeyrac actually proposed to you?" Éponine gaped.
"Don't act so surprised it was bound to happen sooner or later," Azelma winked.
"Well I was expecting later, much later in fact," Éponine teased, "he seems to enjoy a bachelor lifestyle far too much."
"Is your mommy being mean to her sister?" Azelma made a face at Jehan.
"Don't turn my kid against me," Éponine smiled.
"Go out on the town, let Tony and I babysit and I might consider leaving him on your side," Azelma tried once again.
"Exactly why is it that you want Alex and I out of the house so badly?" Éponine raised her eyebrows.
Azelma sighed, "Is it a crime for wanting to spend time with my adorable nephew? Think of it as a win win situation."
"I don't know," Éponine rubbed her temples.
"God you can be such a hard ass!" Azelma rolled her eyes.
"I am not!" Éponine replied defensively.
"Prove it," Azelma replied.
"Just for tonight? A few hours?" Éponine went through the plan with Azelma.
"A few hours, you and Alex can get some dinner have some fun," Azelma talked wistfully.
"That does sound nice," Éponine sank back into the chair.
"It does, doesn't it?" Azelma continued as she adjusted Jehan in a sitting position on her lap, he then started reaching out for Éponine, "okay, you can go back to mommy," Azelma smiled as she passed the baby to Éponine.
"Does Courfeyrac know about your plan?" Éponine asked as Jehan reached out for her hair pulling at her curls, "owww! No baby, don't pull mommy's hair!"
"I may have neglected to tell him of my plan," Azelma bit her lower lip.
"And you think that he's really going to enjoy watching a nine month old baby on Christmas Eve?" Éponine asked incredulously.
"He adores Jehan," Azelma smiled, "I feel like if he could he just might kidnap your son."
"Heaven forbid," Éponine laughed.
"So what do you say?" Azelma asked again.
Éponine exhaled, "Well... I would have to ask Alex, this is rather short notice-"
"I've already talked to him," Azelma smiled.
"Why you sneaky-"
"Eponine Celine Enjolras, you need a night off," Azelma giggled, "come on let's get you dressed."
"But I never agreed..."
"Too bad, deal with it," Azelma grinned, "right Jehan?" she winked at the baby who just looked at her in confusion.
Xxxxxxxxxxx
"How the hell did you get me looped into doing this?" Courfeyrac grumbled, "it's Christmas Eve..."
"I thought you loved Jehan," Azelma replied as she balanced the nine month old on her hip, "besides 'Ponine and Alex needed a break." She then put the baby on Courfeyrac's lap.
"You are praying on my weakness," Courfeyrac sighed as he began to play with Jehan.
"I knew it wouldn't be hard to win you over," Azelma smiled.
Courfeyrac glared at Azelma, "why you sly little-."
"Uh uh," Azelma grinned, "watch your language around my nephew! Enjolras would strangle you if he discovered Jehan swearing-"
"He's not even a year old!"
"But you know what would happen," Azelma giggled, "he'd probably cut you tongue out, or maybe-"
"Don't be so gruesome, besides how could he trace it back to me?" Courfeyrac asked as Jehan reached out for the necklace he was wearing, "who is to say he wouldn't have learned it from his mother?"
"Eponine?" Azelma scoffed, "when is the last time you heard her swear?"
"She swears all the time," Courfeyrac shrugged.
"But not recently," Azelma replied, "I think it's been about nine months?"
"Nine months, why do you say nine months?" Courfeyrac asked.
"Nine months ago Jehan hadn't been born," Azelma answered.
"Woah," Courfeyrac paused, "totat mind fu-"
"Tony!"
"Firetruck! I was going to say firetruck!" Courfeyrac replied defensively.
"Firetruck?" Azelma replied incredulously.
"Yes firetruck," Courfeyrac gave a nod.
"Right, now do me a favor and check his diaper," Azelma replied, "I'll go get his pajamas."
"Me? You want me to change his diaper?" Courfeyrac seemed to pale.
"I said check it," Azelma sighed as she stood up, "and if need be change it, the extras are over there," she nodded towards the box that Éponine had pulled out before they had left."
"Can't you do it?' Courfeyrac whined.
"You are more than capable," Azelma replied, "now go on!"
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"'Ponine relax," Enjolras grabbed her hand, "Jehan is in good hands, you trust Azelma don't you?"
"I trust Azelma, I don't trust Courfeyrac," Éponine glared.
"That is reasonable," Enjolras laughed, "but I think you can trust that Azelma won't be letting him do anything stupid."
"Oh god," Éponine sighed, "I hope you are right."
"Do you two know what you would like to order?" The waitress came up to them.
"I need a few more minutes," Éponine smiled at the waitress who nodded and walked away.
"Your sister is a lot smarter than you give her credit for," Enjolras replied.
"I know," Éponine leaned back into her chair, "did you know that Courfeyrac proposed to her?"
"Are you serious?" Enjolras knit his brows together.
"Why would I lie about something like that?" Éponine asked.
"You do make a good point," Enjolras nodded, "I just never thought I'd see the day... For awhile that guy had a new girl every week, that's why I was surprised when he stuck around 'Zelma for more than two weeks."
"And why I never wanted her to be with him in the first place," Éponine smiled, "I'm mean he's a nice guy and all but-"
"Relax, your sister has a lot of influence on him," Enjolras smiled, "in a good way."
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"You know you could be a gentleman and help me with drying the dishes," Azelma called from the kitchen.
"Someone needs to watch Jehan," Courfeyrac replied.
"You can see him perfectly fine from here," Azelma replied, "part of the reason Éponine chose this apartment."
"Fine," Courfeyrac grumbled as he stood up, walked into the kitchen and grabbed a dish towel. He then proceeded to twist it around a few times before whipping Azelma's back side.
"What the fu-!?"
"Language," Courfeyrac cut her off with a suggestive wink, "you were about to say firetrucks... Right?"
"You are so sleeping on the couch tonight," Azelma glared, the red on her cheeks matched the color of her hair.
"Right," Courfeyrac wrapped his hands around her waist.
"No, no, no," Azelma pushed him off of her and passed him a wet plate.
With a huff Courfeyrac took the plate and started drying, everyone and awhile he would glance over at Jehan who was playing on the floor.
"Here," Azelma passed him another plate.
Courfeyrac continued to dry and he looked up at Jehan who was making an attempt to stand against the couch. The kid had been trying and trying all night while they had been there but he kept falling back to the ground with a laugh. Courfeyrac smiled as he continued to dry the pots and silverware, but he nearly dropped a large pot when he saw Jehan appear to take a step forward.
"Hey, has Jehan started walking yet?" Courfeyrac asked as Azelma was bent on cleaning up the rest of the kitchen space.
"According to 'Ponine not much beyond standing," Azelma replied.
"Are you sure?" Courfeyrac asked.
"Of course," Azelma smiled, "you saw him yourself, why are you asking?"
"Take a look at him now," Courfeyrac nodded to where Jehan continued to grip to the couch, but he had moved farther a long than he had been when Courfeyrac had looked at him before.
"He's standing," Azelma shrugged.
"No," Courfeyrac shook his head, "I swear to god he was walking!"
"Tony," Azelma sighed, "maybe we should put you down to sleep when Jehan goes to bed? This last year of college running you ragged?" she teased.
"No seriously!" Tony continued, he looked over at Jehan who appeared to smile as he stood but had stopped moving.
"Tony," Azelma shook her head, "I don't expect this kid to just get up and start walking- What do you think you are doing?" she asked as Courfeyrac whipped off the dishtowel and walked over to Jehan and got down on the ground about a foot away.
"You'll see," Courfeyrac turned to her as he held out his hands in Jehan's direction, "come on buddy you are going to help me prove Auntie 'Zelma wrong."
Jehan smiled and reached towards Courfeyrac.
"No buddy," Courfeyrac smiled, "you've gotta come to me."
"Tony give it up, sure he's been standing longer than usual but that's not-"
"Look now!" Courfeyrac got steadily more excited, "look!"
Jehan slowly took a step towards Courfeyrac, he hesitated for a second before taking another and another before falling over.
"Told you so!" Courfeyrac laughed as he lifted up Jehan.
"Okay you proved me wrong," Azelma sighed, "but don't you dare breath a word of this to 'Ponine!"
"Why not?" Courfeyrac asked as he played with the baby.
"She won't be pleased that she missed her baby's first steps, that's why," Azelma replied, "now I think it's time we put him to bed don't you think?"
"It's 7:45," Tony raised his eyebrows.
"He's a baby," Azelma reminded him, "a concept you are not particularly great at grasping."
"Alright, alright," Tony sighed as he got up taking Jehan with him to be put down for bed.
The phone in the apartment started to ring, "Who could that be?" Azelma muttered as she picked up the phone only to see Courfeyrac still standing there with Jehan, "put him to bed!"
"Hello?" Azelma answered the phone.
"'Ponine?" came the voice from the other end of the phone.
"This is Azelma," Azelma replied, "'Ponine and Alex went out... Who are you?"
"'Chetta," the other voice panted, "what do you mean went out? Since when do they actually get out at night?"
"I had to twist her arm to breaking point," Azelma replied, "you sound distressed, what's up?"
"Cosette's at the hospital about to have the baby..." Musichetta replied.
"Wait, what?" Azelma replied, "about to have the baby?"
"Yeah, I was just calling around to let everyone know, but you don't need to rush down or disturb 'Ponine and Alex-"
"'Chetta," Azelma sighed, "dear, I wish we could be there."
"I know, but don't you dare leave Jehan," 'Chetta laughed slightly, "I'll be fine, Cosette will be fine, don't you worry."
"Are you sure?" Azelma replied.
"'Zelma it's fine, Combeferre is waiting with me and you guys are busy-"
"But 'Chetta-"
"No," Musichetta spoke firmly, "you have your commitments, keep them or else I'm going to lay all my lawyering on you."
"Oh," Azelma paused, "you can be quite scary when you do that, you are one hell of a lawyer."
"Don't I know it," Musichetta laughed, "now I'll call you again later, alright?"
"Alright," Azelma smiled.
"You didn't leave Courfeyrac alone with Jehan, did you?" Musichetta asked.
"No..." Azelma pushed her hair behind her ear.
"Right, anyway goodbye," Musichetta giggled.
"Bye 'Chetta," Azelma hung up the phone and quietly padded down the hallway to the room where Jehan's crib had been moved to. Silently she opened the door to she Courfeyrac sitting beside the crib where Jehan was laying down.
"So all we could do was to sit! Sit! Sit! Sit! And we did not like it! Not one little bit!" Courfeyrac read from the book enthusiastically but in a hushed tone.
"And then something went BUMP!" Courfeyrac grinned, "how that bump made us jump!"
Azelma smiled as the watched Courfeyrac continuing to read, perhaps if she saw Courfeyrac like this she would be a little less wary about leaving Jehan with him.
"'I know some good games we could play,' said the cat. I know some new tricks, said the Cat in the Hat. A lot of good tricks. I will show them to you. Your mother will not mind at all if I do-"
"She will if she finds up you kept him up far too late," Azelma interrupted.
"Come on 'Zelma we just started the story!" Courfeyrac replied quietly.
"And it appears as if he is already asleep," Azelma smiled.
Courfeyrac looked over his shoulder between the bars of the crib to see the child out cold, "Oh..."
"I think you should finish the story another time," Azelma laughed.
"I suppose your right," He put the book down and held out a hand.
Azelma shook her head, grabbed his hand and pulled him into a standing position, "Goodnight Jehan," she whispered as they walked out of the room.