Weeks passed and Melaina had started her job at the seamstress with her mother. Their boss had taken a liking to the brunette, even though Melaina had pricked her fingers oh so many times during the course of her sewing.

"Well, that's not a big deal. No girl's a pro at sewing when she starts." She said as she patted Melaina on the shoulder and bandaged her thumb once more. The needle pricked her thumb through the bandage, which made it bleed again. Her boss had a few sons who brought the fabrics to the girls and waited by their sides until they were done sewing and making the garments before they brought them to the back.

The boy that waited by Melaina's side was a few years younger than she was and gave her cow eyes. She always tried to look away from him, but the boy always seemed to be in her view no matter where she moved.

"You're pretty, girl." He told her now as he brought the fabric for the next dress she was going to make.

"I have a name, Matthieu." Melaina responded as her fingers gripped the fabric and pulled it towards her. Matthieu stopped her and held her hand.

"Oh, I know. I just like calling you 'girl' it suits you more." Snatching her fingers away, Melaina glared at him and his response was a wicked smile. Little prat. She thought to herself as she bent her head and started to sew.

"But, what's a pretty girl like you working as a grisette?" He inquired and Melaina stiffened. Grisette was the French term for a working woman and she didn't answer his question.

"I asked you a question." He told her sternly as he placed his fingers under her chin to bring her gaze up to his. Muddy brown eyes replaced the blue that she had in her mind and Melaina looked away.

"I don't need to answer. But, no matter what profession I take, I'd be a grisette." She said as she finished her sewing and almost threw the dress at him.

"Take that back to your mother." She snapped at him and watched him smirk before walking off. Melaina put her needle in the needle holder that was for her and the other women who worked at the same table. Patricia, one of her Mama's friends was one of the women. She leaned over the table and said in a hushed tone.

"Watch that boy if I were you, Melaina. He likes to flirt with the new girls. And, if he gets his way, bed them as well. Be careful, dear." She finished talking just as he came back with pink and red fabric for Melaina.

"Mother said this is to be your last dress, then she'd pay you." He said as he placed the fabric in front of her. Melaina just stared, her mind trying out different ways to make this flimsy fabric in a nice day dress for a girl. A girl like Leilla. Tilting her head, Melaina started cutting and sewing the pieces together, stitch by stitch. She felt Matthieu's eyes on her, yet that didn't stop her.

Melaina finished the dress in an hour or so because her mind kept switching ideas and she was getting confused of what she wanted to do. What her result was was a fur lined red cloak and a pink and red dress. I would love it if Leilla could buy it. I might tell Julia the next time I' d see her. A small smile crept to her face as she remembered the times that she had with Enjolras. He'd come by after work every day and they'd walk together to who knows where. During their walks, they'd talk and talk. About his studies, her school, their hobbies, family, pets... anything and everything they could think of.

Melaina wanted Enjolras to break out of his seriousness and have a little fun, so as a surprise, she brought him to a lake that was near a bakery she always went to with her Papa. She taught Enjolras how to skip rocks and she remembered how her belly had hurt with laughter when he almost fell in. His face turned an embarrassed red and Melaina had teased him until he stopped her with a slight tickle under her chin. Screeching, she chased him alone the bank of the lake until she tripped from a pile of rocks that were camouflaged by the night sky.

Enjolras immediately turned around and rushed towards her, asking if she was okay. Melaina reassured him that she was, but when he made her look at him, he felt tears on her cheeks. Melaina said that they weren't sad tears, only tears of pain, but Enjolras still wiped them away and told her that it'd be okay. She refused when he asked to see if she was hurt, but Enjolras insisted. Melaina had closed her eyes and felt her face grow hot as he lifted her skirts, trying to remind herself that this man wasn't like the others. His fingers had skimmed softly over her leg where there was a black and blue bruise.

When he asked her if she still wanted to go, Melaina begged him to. There were pastries from Italy and Britain that he just had to taste. Melaina's favorite was a sweet Italian pastry called a Cannoli. The dough was filled with cream and had small chips of chocolate in it. Melaina lead Enjolras to the bakery and was relieved that it was still open. Refusing Enjolras's offer to pay, Melaina bought two for them and gave him one. She didn't want to have hers without seeing his reaction. She had laughed when he first tasted the cream, but it seemed to her that he liked it.

Hearing fingers snapping at her face, Melaina's eyes flew open and she realized that she was daydreaming.

"Ey, girlie. Your shift is up. Everyone's leaving." Matthieu's voice interrupted her and she frowned. Her Mama was standing by her shoulder with their pouches which held their pay.

"Sorry," she muttered as she stood up quickly and gathered her cloak. "see you next year, Madam!" She called out as she waved before turning around and walking with her Mama. Tomorrow was the Eve of the New Year and Melaina wondered what she was doing for it. Enjolras hadn't said anything about it, even when she asked him insistently. The questions seemed to make him uncomfortable and he would always ask Melaina something that he already knew.

"Mama, what are we doing tomorrow?" Melaina asked as they made their way home. Her mother's blue eyes looked at her daughter and she smiled.

"Why, Alexander's parents invited us for dinner and champagne. It'll be fun!" Her mother chirped and Melaina's gaze slid down to her mother's.

"Is there something you're not telling me?"

"Of course not, dear." Melaina dropped the subject.

"Y'know, you should wear that turquoise dress that you love so much. That's the only one you haven't worn, I think."

"I wasn't sure if I should save it or not."

"Well, tomorrow's a good time to wear it." Melaina smiled with her mother and they walked the rest of the way in silence to their home.

Her mother was oddly secretive during the day. She kept fussing with Melaina's hair, which was now brushing her shoulder blades and wondered out loud if she should pin it up or keep it loose.

"Pin it up, Mama. You do such intricate designs with my hair." Her mother nodded and went to work, curling and placing her hair up and intwining ribbons and little bits of flowers in the places. Soon, her hair was up and a few curls wisped around her face. Melaina hugged her mother tightly and went to change.

"Are you ready, Mama?" Melaina asked as she was finishing placing the matching hat on her head.

"I am." Her mother replied as she walked in and Melaina clapped her hands. Her mother was wearing a dark blue dress with black lace on the edges and she looked around ten years younger.

"Mama, you look amazing."

"Why, thank you dear. You look stunning yourself. Come, we're going to be late." Her Mama pulled Melaina out of her room and they walked outside. As she locked the door, Melaina heard a whiney and saw a coach waiting for them.

"What is this?" She asked her mother who smiled.

"They decided to bring us to them." She said as she took Melaina's arm and led her towards the coach. The horses pawed at the snow that lined the ground and the door opened for the two women. Melaina went in and then her mother, just as the door closed the coach started to move. The ride was in silence and Melaina could see something was up with her mother. Her lips kept twitching into smiles and she couldn't stop twisting her fingers around. It was her nerves and her mother was very jittery.

"Mama? Is everything alright?" Melaina whispered to her as they got out of the coach and her mother thanked the driver. Melaina looked at the horses and smiled softly at them. Her mother didn't respond as Maximus opened the door. His blonde hair was combed back and his blue eyes twinkled with warmth.

"Evening, Madam and Mademoiselle." He said as he walked them through the house. Melaina suddenly felt very shy and skirted around everything like she was going to break something. Her green eyes flickered around the room and she saw Enjolras dressed in his finery. Finery was a black vest over a white shirt with puffed sleeves. The vest was embroidered with silver thread with intricate designs and he had black dress pants and shoes on. His blonde curls were combed, yet they still fell over his forehead. His blue eyes watched Melaina with interest and she noticed his eyes stray from her face to the dress she had on. That was the first time that it ever happened.

"Are you hungry, Melaina?" He asked her as he took her arm.

"A bit peckish. Nothing too major." She replied softly as she turned to look at him.

"Well, can I invite you to a walk before dessert?"

"That sounds lovely, Enjolras. Thank you." She said and looked up at him with a smile. He smiled back at her and she sat down next to him. Leilla made her way and sat on Melaina's right. The little girl wouldn't stop fidgeting and Melaina wondered what was going on.

The courses came and went very quickly. There was a salad with olives, cheese, and a nice thick dressing. Meats from different cuts of the same animals, roasts, pastas, almost anything and everything Melaina could think of. Heavy and light courses and it almost felt like she couldn't eat another bite. Let alone dessert. Leilla hinted that there would be Crème brûlée and mousses of different flavors. Ice cream, custard tarts and floating islands weren't out of the question either. Melaina felt a nudge on her elbow which interrupted her conversation with Leilla and she looked over at Enjolras.

"You still up for that walk?" Enjolras whispered in her ear as she turned to him.

"I am." She said as she got up from her chair and Enjolras took her arm. The adults suddenly stopped talking and the look on her mother's face looked ecstatic. What in God's name is going on?

"We'll be back." Enjolras stated as he pulled/led Melaina through the back door into the garden. She could smell the snowbells and tulips in the garden and wished to pick some.

"Why did you bring me out here?" She asked him as they walked side by side in a strolling pace.

"Well, ah, I, uh, I have a question for you."

"A question? Couldn't you have just said it in front of everyone?" She felt a tug on her arm as he stopped and she turned around to look at him.

"No. I couldn't. And I won't. Melaina, I... God, I don't know how to say it." Melaina tilted her head and studied the man in front of her.

"I'm just going to say it then. There's... something about you that makes me want to know more. Something that makes me want to strangle and embrace you at the same time. Our bickering doesn't really matter whenever we have our cups of tea together and talk. Damn it, what I'm trying to ask Melaina is... will you marry me?"