Summary: Marie begins to grow up
Fourteen year old Marie Pontmercy wasn't feeling very well this morning and she didn't know why. She felt tired, she felt irritable and she had a tummy ache. She still managed to eat her breakfast despite that, and managed to be pleasant enough to her family that morning, but she didn't feel right at all. When she visited the water closet mid-morning though she immediately knew what was wrong. It was something her mother had told her would happen one day, something that was part of a woman growing up. She panicked a little at first, but remained calm enough to head straight to her bedroom to figure out what to do next.
She sat down on her bed, but felt fidgety so she stood up again and paced the room for a few minutes. It was obvious to her what she needed to do, no matter how embarrassing it was to talk about she needed her mother right now and that was all there was to it.
She sighed, and headed to her door again, thankful that her father had already left the house today and she would be spared the humiliation of him finding out. She prepared herself for a talk with her mother and when she stepped onto the landing and saw eleven year old Isabel passing by she knew her sister would be the perfect go-between for her.
"Isabel….Isabel!" Marie whispered
"What is it?" Isabel said, noticing her sister trying to get her attention.
"Can you get maman for me?" Marie said, waving her over.
"Why?" Isabel asked,
"I need her, tell her I'm not feeling well". Marie said
Isabel looked her sister up and down, she looked perfectly well, clearly she was hiding something from her she thought.
"Please Isabel can you just ask her to come up here?" Marie said, getting irritated at her.
"Alright" Isabel said, feeling put out by her sisters demand. And off she went to find her mother.
Marie went back into her bedroom and sat down on the bed again, waiting for what seemed like an eternity as her younger sister acted as a gofer on her behalf. No amount of time could have prepared her for the conversation she was about to have though, but it was an unfortunate necessity right now.
Finally, she heard a gentle knocking on her door and her mother stepped into the room looking as loving and gentle as she always did. For some reason Marie felt a little calmer just from her sheer presence.
"Marie? Are you alright dear?" Cosette asked.
Marie shook her head, looking down at the floor.
"Whatever is the matter?" she said sitting down on the bed next to her daughter and taking her hand, clearly something was the matter with her.
Marie didn't want to say what she had to say next, but somehow she found the courage from inside her.
"I think….I mean, I know, I've started my bleeding maman". Marie said quietly, not daring to look at her mother.
"Your ble….?" Cosette began to say, before she realised what Marie meant. "Oh….Oh my dear girl" she said, putting an arm around her daughter. "So that's why you look so worried. You were afraid to tell me weren't you?"
Marie simply nodded, still looking down at the floor and wishing she wasn't a girl right now.
"There's no need to feel embarrassed my sweet girl "Cosette said, stroking her daughters soft hair.
Marie began to cry, she didn't really know why, she just felt like crying all of a sudden. She rested her head on her mothers shoulder and Cosette held her daughter gently. "Oh sweetheart, don't cry". She said with a smile. "It's perfectly normal. It just means you're growing up".
"It's horrible maman. It feels disgusting". Marie said, wiping her eyes.
"It is rather unpleasant darling, but we're woman, it's what we have to bear. And it'll only be for a few days out of a month, the rest of the time you'll be perfectly fine". Cosette said, patting her daughters hand. "Remember, every woman goes through it. I do, your sisters will in their own time as well, you're not alone in this. If you ever need to talk about anything like this I'm always here for you my darling girl".
"Thank you maman". Marie said quietly
"Now…." Cosette said, "Do you need me to show you what to do?"
Marie nodded again, feeling a little embarrassed once again.
"Come with me" Cosette said, taking her daughters hand and standing up.
Cosette took Marie into her bedroom and then into the washroom leading off it. She showed her how to use folded pieces of cloth in her undergarments to stem the flow and other pieces of womanly advice for her time of the month. It suddenly struck Cosette at that moment just how fast her little Marie had grown up. She'd never be the tiny little girl who once fell off her rocking horse, bumped her head on the floor and could only be soothed again by a hug and a kiss from mama. She'd never again be the little girl who sat on her knee and fell asleep in her arms, her firstborn was practically an adult now, and it made Cosette feel an odd mixture of pride and sadness at the same time.
Once she had been fixed up by her mother, Marie worked up the courage to ask her a question.
"Maman, how old were you when you started?" She asked curiously
"I was your age dear, fourteen" Cosette said "I remember it happened during the night and I didn't know. When I woke up it was there all over my nightdress and my sheets".
Marie made a face to that statement, like she was embarrassed for her mother.
"Yes it was rather embarrassing" Cosette said with a smile, noticing her daughters expression. "My father used to wake me up every morning, and he saw….."
"Your father was there?!" Marie exclaimed, interrupting her mother. "And he knew you were…?" Marie couldn't finish that sentence; it was too horrifying for her. Then something crossed her mind that made her panic a little.
"Oh Maman please don't tell papa, I don't want him to know". Marie said, getting visibly upset again.
"Your father loves you Marie, and he knows all about this kind of thing, it's nothing to be ashamed of darling" Cosette said, comforting her daughter by stroking her shoulders.
"Please Mama, don't tell him." Marie said breaking down into her mothers arms.
"Oh my darling girl" Cosette said, rubbing her daughters back as if she was a baby again. "Ssssh now, if that's truly what you wish I won't say anything to him I promise".
"I couldn't bear it if he knew" Marie said tearfully, burying her head into her mothers shoulder.
"Don't worry; we'll just keep this between us". Cosette said, kissing her daughters hair. And though she was concerned about how upset her daughter was getting, it was nice to know that her daughter still needed her maman in some ways, even though she wasn't a child anymore it was obvious she was still her little girl.
"Look at me sweetheart" Cosette said, wiping away tears from her daughters face. "You can't hide yourself away when this happens; it's just a fact of life. Do you understand?"
Marie nodded sadly, though she didn't really want to accept that this would be part of her life now.
"I won't blame you if you want to lie down for a while today and just be on your own". Cosette said to her daughter "But I know your father will be worried if he doesn't see you when he comes home later on. You know how much he adores you and frets when he thinks you're ill".
"He always makes such a fuss" Marie said, managing a small laugh
"He does rather, but it's only because he loves you". Cosette said. "Now, as I said I won't tell him anything and if you can manage a nice smile and be your usual lovely self when he comes home he won't be any the wiser. Do you think you can do that?"
"Yes mama, I think so". Marie said, smiling at her mother.
"That's my girl" Cosette said, giving her a kiss on the forehead and then smiling at her. "Well I suppose I should call you young lady now shouldn't I?"
What should i do for my 30th chapter? Any ideas people?
