Author's note: Since I will be starting school soon, I am rushing to get these last chapters of part 2 out (I know lots of you ae waiting for a special event). So, here is chapter 38!
Éponine ran through the house, tears trickling down her cheeks. She screwed up everything, her impression on Enjolras's mother, the mother and son reconciliation. Everything. She fled downstairs passing Clithby on her way. "Mademoiselle! What happen?" he asked. Éponine didn't say anything, just rushed past him. "Éponine? Éponine!" She hurried through the halls until she reached the front door in which she pushed it open. Éponine ran across the path until she finally collapsed in front of the fountain. The water misted onto the distraught young lady. Her eyes were swollen with tears and her heart hurt. She had been caught up in messes before, but with those messes she managed to hide behind a false story. This time was different. She told the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. And now she had a feeling she was going to pay the price.
All of a sudden, Éponine felt a figure hover over her. "I'm sorry, Enjolras! I completely ruined everything! All I wanted to do was to make things right, make you happy! Now I know your mother will never accept me. No one will accept a girl like me. You were right! You don't deserve me. You don't deserve a whore like me. One who makes your life miserable. One who will not be able to provide for you. You deserve someone stable, mentally, emotionally, and physically. I am not that girl. We should just break our engagement off. I'm sorry, Enjolras." Éponine sobbed.
"Well, you might want to tell him that. Not me." Came a woman's voice. Éponine looked up. It was Madame Enjolras. "May I sit down next to you?" she asked. Éponine sniffed and nodded. The Madame took her place next to the crying girl. The two of them sat in silence, except for the sound of running water and birds chirping. "So, it's true?" Madame Enjolras asked quietly. Éponine rubbed her swollen right eye. "What?" "That you are a street girl." "I am not just a street girl. I'm a thief. A slut. A rat. A parasite, pretty much any terrible name that could possibly be given to a person is what I am." Éponine sniffed. "That's not what my son sees." Madame Enjolras told. "Why would you care what your son sees in me? I'm nothing!" Éponine was a moment of silence before the Madame asked, "Why did you say that you can't get pregnant? Just because you are a who—lady of business, doesn't mean you cannot conceive." Éponine sat up and looked into the Madame's eyes. "I have had every man in Paris. Twice. Some come for more than others. What are the chances of a girl like me being a brief diversion of some man and not having at least one child? It's impossible, unless…" she trailed off into tears. Madame Enjolras, doing something didn't cross Éponine's mind as different until later, opened her arms towards her. "Come here, child." Éponine hugged the Madame tightly, tears raining down her face. She felt Madame Enjolras's hand cup the back of her head, the same way she did with Enjolras on their first day. "Dear child. Sweet child." The Madame cooed, slightly brushing Éponine's hair with the palm of her hand. Éponine continued to cry, but felt a little comfort from the Madame. Motherly love. Something she hadn't had since she was eight.
"Does my son know?" Madame Enjolras asked quietly. "Not until today." Éponine squeeked. "And he probably would not want me after this announcement…" "Nonsense!" Madame Enjolras pulled away from the hug and stared into Éponine's eyes, her hands clinging to the shoulders of her son's wife-to-be. "He adores you! He worships the ground you walk on! Why,just on our little carriage ride all he could talk about was you! I'm pretty sure I know everything about you just in those short fifteen minutes!' Éponine grinned at that statement. "What did he tell you about me?" she asked. The Madame relaxed her grip and placed her hands in her lap. "Well, he says you like boats but you don't like deep water. You are afraid of Père Nöel and the end of the world. You like plays, but wish they would be ten minutes shorter. You raised your three brothers and younger sister all by yourself. He told me that when you smile, you get a little crease in your nose." Éponine smiled and nodded. "Yes, though I am not too sure about my nose part. I can't see my nose very well." The Madame and Éponine shared some giggles. When they both stopped, Madame Enjolras told in all honesty, "My son loves you. He wouldn't have chosen you to be his wife if he didn't. Despite your social standings, beneith all that thievery, that unpleasantness that most people see, my son found a beautiful and intelligent young lady." Éponine blushed at that remark. Madame Enjolras looked around before whispering, "To tell you the truth, you are better behaved than most of the women I have tried to match up with my son. And they have been doing etiquette training all their life!" Éponine chuckled. "Really?" The Madame nodded. "Madame, I am really sorry about last night…" "Well, as much as I am not too thrilled about your actions, I overreacted over this situation. All I want is to protect my son from any harm. I guess being so distant from him all these years…" Éponine took Madame Enjolras's hand into hers. "I know what it's like. I wanted to protect my brothers and sister from the harshness of the streets. We all want to keep our loved ones safe. You feared that we might have a child before we are properly ready for a family. You were just doing what a mother should do. We were immature and rude to you. I apologize for the acts of both Enjolras and me." Madame Enjolras squeezed Éponine's hand. "You may have been a street girl, but you sure don't act like one. I think my son chose well." Éponine blushed. She had finally been accepted by the Madame.
"Éponine?" came a voice in front of the two women. They turned their heads to see Enjolras with a concern look on his face. "I'll leave you two alone." Madame Enjolras told. She got up and walked over to the front door. Enjolras quickly sat in his mother's place and took his wife-to-be's hands into his. "'Ponine! Are you alright?" Éponine nodded. "I'm fine." "I am so sorry you got caught in the middle of this! I hope my mother didn't hurt you! I—I don't ever want to see you in this kind of pain! I will talk to her and straighten this all out—" before Enjolras could even finish his sentence, Éponine captured his lips with hers. Her heart skipped a beat when she heard a small growl come from her lover's throat. She cupped his cheek, then slowly had her hand move until she could grasp a clump of his golden curls, pushing his lips harder on hers. The two of them gasped for air and just gazed into each other's eyes. "Talking too much?" Enjolras asked. Éponine nodded. "'Ponine, I—" "Everything is fine between your mother and me. She approves." Enjolras smiled. "That's great, ma chére!" he leaned over and kissed her cheek. "Enjolras…I don't know if you heard me say this, but I am…infertile. I cannot get pregnant." She whispered. Enjolras looked at his fiancée. "Is that what you were crying about?" "It was one of the reasons." "Why are you concerned about this now?" Éponine hesitated, before finally giving in. "This may sound stupid, but I remember you saying that you wanted to be a father. When you said that, I thought back on my time in the streets. Most of those women have had three to seven children over the course of their work. Me? I have had none, and I have slept with every man in the city. I have never once have carried a child. Before I met you, I would've thank God for saving me from such a thing. After I fell in love with you, the idea of starting a family with you never crossed my mind. After you made that comment, I realized that I cannot provide that for you. I'm sorry…" Enjolras chuckled. Éponine cocked her head in puzzlement. "What? What's so funny?" He cupped her cheeks in his large hands. "Éponine! I never thought I would ever live through the barricades, much less get married. A child hasn't even crossed my mind! Yes, I want to be a father but not at this moment! If this is what is causing you pain, I want you to know that…whether you can conceive or not I will always love you. You are my whole world, Éponine. Let's not think about having kids now. Let's just imagine what our life will be like together. Our garrett. The sounds of the bustling city below us. Us waking up together, spending time with each other, just us being together. We will cross the bridge of creating a family when we get there, okay?" Éponine smiled so big, her dimples creased deeply into her cheeks. She blushed. "You always know what to say." She chuckled. Enjolras gazed at Éponine with compassion. "I love you." "I love you, too." Éponine whispered. The two of them leaned in for a light yet passionate kiss. Enjolras moved his hands from her face and took a hold of Éponine's hands. "Come! Let's go inside."
Once in the house, Enjolras and Éponine were greeted by Madame Enjolras and Clithby. She smiled at the two of them, who seemed completely content with one another. "I have something to tell you two. Since you broke the tradition, I guess that means you two can see each other from now until the ball." The Madame explained. "Just make sure you are in separate beds!" Clithby exclaimed. Enjolras and Éponine blushed. "Yes thank you, Clithby. And thank you for telling me about their meeting. I would have seen it anyway, but I'm glad you are a loyal servant." Madame Enjolras told. Éponine gasped, "Clithby! I thought I told you not to tell her!" Clithby shrugged. "I'm sorry, mademoiselle! I tried! But as soon as the Madame called me over, I just had to tell! It would be a sin to keep secrets from her!" "Now that is true." Madame Enjolras told. The four of them laughed. "Now get to your rooms and change! You're embarrassing me in your sleepwear!" the Madame teased. "See you at breakfast." Enjolras kissed Éponine on the forehead then kissed his mother on the cheek before making his way to his room. "Come, mademoiselle! Let's get you dressed!" Clithby told. As Éponine began to walk, she ran over to give Madame Enjolras a huge hug. "Merci." She whispered. The Madame returned the hug. "De rien, ma fille." As much as Éponine didn't want to let go, she did and went to her room to get dressed.
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