Chapter 3:
Montfermeil, 1828 (5 Years Later)
On the eve of her 13th birthday, Eponine didn't feel any older, but she had to act that way. Her parents had waited to journey to Paris because of her, so she had no choice but to act like she was twice her age to make her parents feel secure about their long awaited decision. It's true that waiting had been more profitable. They continued picking off their visitors and had already sold the Inn to a couple of newlyweds looking to start a living.
As her teenage years approached her, she reflected on the past five years. She hadn't seen Cosette since the day her father came to take her away. She couldn't even recall why or where the man was taking Cosette, but it was better that he did. Eponine and her parents were free to do as they pleased now that Cosette was out of their custody. "The brat's 'is problem now," she remembered her father saying many years back.
Yet, she had wondered about Cosette more and more frequently in the past few months than she ever had before. Was she happier? That was a question easily answered. Of course she was. Life was bound to be better anywhere away from the Thenardiers. Was she pretty? That was hard to answer, because Eponine had never seen Cosette's face beneath all the soot and grime from her chores. Finally, where was she? Was she in France? Or had her father taken her elsewhere? Eponine had hoped Cosette got out of France because she had always heard Cosette singing during her chores about a place far away that she had always wanted to see.
Besides her thoughts of Cosette, Eponine had begun to focus on womanhood. Her mother promised that once Paris was in their grasp, Eponine would have her pick of lucky men. Little did her mother know that the man Eponine envisioned spending her life with was right beneath her nose. Eponine had never taken into consideration the thought of herself falling in love with one of her father's friends, yet that is what had happened.
Since the four men were around the inn constantly, she couldn't avoid any one of them for very long. She couldn't stand being around Babet, Brujon, or Claquesous for more than five minutes, but there was something about Montparnasse that drew Eponine in. He was so different than his companions were. He was, as she put it, the leader behind the figurehead, her father. Montparnasse was the most sensible one of the group. He knew how to break up a fight, how to settle disputes and most importantly, get her father to calm himself down. The fact that he was the most attractive of them all didn't hurt her argument either.
Still, the man was carrier to many negative qualities. He was easily convinced when let off his guard, he had a mean sense of jealousy, and did not handle anything well that did not go as he had planned. Also that fact that he was more than twice her age was an issue circling her mind. However, despise these, he was the best of the five, which made him at least a bit outstanding to Eponine.
As she pondered these thoughts, the man of whom she was thinking walked up to where she was seated under a tree away from the Inn. He walked up to the tree and seated himself beside her. They sat in silence for a while before he spoke.
"You excited? I mean, it's Paris! We'ze all can't wait!"
"I don't know, 'Parnasse. I mean, this has always been home to me. You I can't understand, but me..."
"What do you means by that?"
"Oh, nothing. I just meant that you'd never had a real place to call home. But now, Paris will be..."
"I always called this place home. Your father has been so generous all these years. We'ze don't know what we'ze do without him." He turned to look at her. "I personally don't know what I'd do without you, 'Ponine."
"'Parnasse, we agreed that after we move to Paris, we'd see what happens."
"How long after we get there? You'll meet somebody else when it's me you should be with. I need to know that you're gonna be with me. I can't do this to meself anymore." He looked into her eyes. "I is beginning to suspect that this is some juvenile game that you is playing with me."
She gaped at him. "How dare you!" He grinned at her. "What are you smiling about, may I ask?"
"It was a test, 'Ponine. I knew that if you denied it, you was lying to me. But if you gots mad at me, I knew you was telling me truths."
"You have a funny way of showing a girl you care about her."
"Well, it's not every girl I meet that gets me special test. It's only for those select few I see perfectly fit."
"And how many girls, may I ask, have already been seen fit in your eyes?"
"Just one." He leaned towards her and pressed his lips gently to hers. She did not retreat as she had before, to his surprise, but kissed him back. He pulled her towards him as her hands encircled the back of his neck.
They stayed beneath the tree until voices were heard which broke them from their trance. They looked around, and to their surprise, night had fallen. Montparnasse stood and offered his hand to Eponine, who took it and was pulled from the ground. They began to walk in the direction of the Inn when they encountered the three other men.
"Finally, nows we can eat. Lets go, you'ze two." Brujon turned around as soon as he saw the two.
"Yeah, Brujon's wine is calling him. Wheres were you at anyhow?"
"Oh, us? Montparnasse was showing me how to get across the river down there in case we ever needed to retreat from the Inn," Eponine responded to Claquesous's question.
"That seems pointless, now don't it? We is due to leave after we have some birthday wine tomorrow. What's wrong with you, 'Parnasse? You'ze got a screw lose in that head o' yours?"
"You're right, Babet. That was stupid. I was consumed by me thoughts of leaving this run down town that I hardly knew what I did at all today."
"Well, we alls know you'ze never think. So you'ze better give me your second helping anight for making us go out and look for ya."
"Whatevers you say, Brujon," chuckled Montparnasse as he winked at Eponine.
**************************************************************************
Eponine gazed around her room for the last time, checking every nook and cranny that nothing was forgotten. Many things she had gotten rid of, such as her doll, many books, and toys. But she made sure she had all her clothing, money she had hidden from her parents, and a locket Cosette had left behind from her stay at the inn.
Eponine heaved a sigh, picked up her trunk, and closed the door of her room for the last time. As she descended the stairs, she heard her mother's muffled whispers from the kitchen. She dropped her trunk at the door and looked up to see the four men at a table eating whatever concoction her mother had decided to mix up this morning. She heard the whispers grow into shouts and threw a questioning glance to Montparnasse. He made a box shape with his hands and blew into it signifying a cake with candles. None of the others saw this, as they were absorbed in their food.
Suddenly, the door burst open and let in her mother's screams.
"You can't even bake a proper cake on me daughter's last birth- Eponine, darling! Happy birthday sweetheart." Her mother hurried over to her and gave her a kiss on the forehead. The others looked up, noticing Eponine, and murmured much the same. Then her father appeared with a lop-sided caked adorned with 17 candles, (her parents couldn't count above the number of fingers that they had.)
"'Appy birthday, child. Eats up now. As soon as those newlyweds gets their selves situated in 'ere, we leave for Paris."
Within hours, the couple had arrived and the Thenardier's cart was filled with trunks and bags. Thenardier and his wife climbed into the driver's seat of the cart, while the five other's piled in the back among all the baggage. After Madame had indeed successfully climbed up, Thenardier cracked his whip, and the cart began to roll towards Paris.
Eponine glanced back at her only home. She saw the couple wave towards them and shout encouraging thoughts. As the house began to fade, Eponine let out a silent cry. Montparnasse placed his hand over hers, and they exchanged glances. They never looked back from that point on, as they enjoyed the silent ride into Paris.
**************************************************************************
Hey. Just to clarify from a review I received, I am not using the book as my main reference to this story. I fell in love with Les Miz because of the musical theatre production, not the book, so that's why some of the events are different and some characters do not appear. Also, because this is a story I made up one day while baking cookies, therefore it isn't going to stay completely true to the musical. I hope this doesn't affect your reading enjoyment. Thank you and PLEASE REVIEW!!!
Montfermeil, 1828 (5 Years Later)
On the eve of her 13th birthday, Eponine didn't feel any older, but she had to act that way. Her parents had waited to journey to Paris because of her, so she had no choice but to act like she was twice her age to make her parents feel secure about their long awaited decision. It's true that waiting had been more profitable. They continued picking off their visitors and had already sold the Inn to a couple of newlyweds looking to start a living.
As her teenage years approached her, she reflected on the past five years. She hadn't seen Cosette since the day her father came to take her away. She couldn't even recall why or where the man was taking Cosette, but it was better that he did. Eponine and her parents were free to do as they pleased now that Cosette was out of their custody. "The brat's 'is problem now," she remembered her father saying many years back.
Yet, she had wondered about Cosette more and more frequently in the past few months than she ever had before. Was she happier? That was a question easily answered. Of course she was. Life was bound to be better anywhere away from the Thenardiers. Was she pretty? That was hard to answer, because Eponine had never seen Cosette's face beneath all the soot and grime from her chores. Finally, where was she? Was she in France? Or had her father taken her elsewhere? Eponine had hoped Cosette got out of France because she had always heard Cosette singing during her chores about a place far away that she had always wanted to see.
Besides her thoughts of Cosette, Eponine had begun to focus on womanhood. Her mother promised that once Paris was in their grasp, Eponine would have her pick of lucky men. Little did her mother know that the man Eponine envisioned spending her life with was right beneath her nose. Eponine had never taken into consideration the thought of herself falling in love with one of her father's friends, yet that is what had happened.
Since the four men were around the inn constantly, she couldn't avoid any one of them for very long. She couldn't stand being around Babet, Brujon, or Claquesous for more than five minutes, but there was something about Montparnasse that drew Eponine in. He was so different than his companions were. He was, as she put it, the leader behind the figurehead, her father. Montparnasse was the most sensible one of the group. He knew how to break up a fight, how to settle disputes and most importantly, get her father to calm himself down. The fact that he was the most attractive of them all didn't hurt her argument either.
Still, the man was carrier to many negative qualities. He was easily convinced when let off his guard, he had a mean sense of jealousy, and did not handle anything well that did not go as he had planned. Also that fact that he was more than twice her age was an issue circling her mind. However, despise these, he was the best of the five, which made him at least a bit outstanding to Eponine.
As she pondered these thoughts, the man of whom she was thinking walked up to where she was seated under a tree away from the Inn. He walked up to the tree and seated himself beside her. They sat in silence for a while before he spoke.
"You excited? I mean, it's Paris! We'ze all can't wait!"
"I don't know, 'Parnasse. I mean, this has always been home to me. You I can't understand, but me..."
"What do you means by that?"
"Oh, nothing. I just meant that you'd never had a real place to call home. But now, Paris will be..."
"I always called this place home. Your father has been so generous all these years. We'ze don't know what we'ze do without him." He turned to look at her. "I personally don't know what I'd do without you, 'Ponine."
"'Parnasse, we agreed that after we move to Paris, we'd see what happens."
"How long after we get there? You'll meet somebody else when it's me you should be with. I need to know that you're gonna be with me. I can't do this to meself anymore." He looked into her eyes. "I is beginning to suspect that this is some juvenile game that you is playing with me."
She gaped at him. "How dare you!" He grinned at her. "What are you smiling about, may I ask?"
"It was a test, 'Ponine. I knew that if you denied it, you was lying to me. But if you gots mad at me, I knew you was telling me truths."
"You have a funny way of showing a girl you care about her."
"Well, it's not every girl I meet that gets me special test. It's only for those select few I see perfectly fit."
"And how many girls, may I ask, have already been seen fit in your eyes?"
"Just one." He leaned towards her and pressed his lips gently to hers. She did not retreat as she had before, to his surprise, but kissed him back. He pulled her towards him as her hands encircled the back of his neck.
They stayed beneath the tree until voices were heard which broke them from their trance. They looked around, and to their surprise, night had fallen. Montparnasse stood and offered his hand to Eponine, who took it and was pulled from the ground. They began to walk in the direction of the Inn when they encountered the three other men.
"Finally, nows we can eat. Lets go, you'ze two." Brujon turned around as soon as he saw the two.
"Yeah, Brujon's wine is calling him. Wheres were you at anyhow?"
"Oh, us? Montparnasse was showing me how to get across the river down there in case we ever needed to retreat from the Inn," Eponine responded to Claquesous's question.
"That seems pointless, now don't it? We is due to leave after we have some birthday wine tomorrow. What's wrong with you, 'Parnasse? You'ze got a screw lose in that head o' yours?"
"You're right, Babet. That was stupid. I was consumed by me thoughts of leaving this run down town that I hardly knew what I did at all today."
"Well, we alls know you'ze never think. So you'ze better give me your second helping anight for making us go out and look for ya."
"Whatevers you say, Brujon," chuckled Montparnasse as he winked at Eponine.
**************************************************************************
Eponine gazed around her room for the last time, checking every nook and cranny that nothing was forgotten. Many things she had gotten rid of, such as her doll, many books, and toys. But she made sure she had all her clothing, money she had hidden from her parents, and a locket Cosette had left behind from her stay at the inn.
Eponine heaved a sigh, picked up her trunk, and closed the door of her room for the last time. As she descended the stairs, she heard her mother's muffled whispers from the kitchen. She dropped her trunk at the door and looked up to see the four men at a table eating whatever concoction her mother had decided to mix up this morning. She heard the whispers grow into shouts and threw a questioning glance to Montparnasse. He made a box shape with his hands and blew into it signifying a cake with candles. None of the others saw this, as they were absorbed in their food.
Suddenly, the door burst open and let in her mother's screams.
"You can't even bake a proper cake on me daughter's last birth- Eponine, darling! Happy birthday sweetheart." Her mother hurried over to her and gave her a kiss on the forehead. The others looked up, noticing Eponine, and murmured much the same. Then her father appeared with a lop-sided caked adorned with 17 candles, (her parents couldn't count above the number of fingers that they had.)
"'Appy birthday, child. Eats up now. As soon as those newlyweds gets their selves situated in 'ere, we leave for Paris."
Within hours, the couple had arrived and the Thenardier's cart was filled with trunks and bags. Thenardier and his wife climbed into the driver's seat of the cart, while the five other's piled in the back among all the baggage. After Madame had indeed successfully climbed up, Thenardier cracked his whip, and the cart began to roll towards Paris.
Eponine glanced back at her only home. She saw the couple wave towards them and shout encouraging thoughts. As the house began to fade, Eponine let out a silent cry. Montparnasse placed his hand over hers, and they exchanged glances. They never looked back from that point on, as they enjoyed the silent ride into Paris.
**************************************************************************
Hey. Just to clarify from a review I received, I am not using the book as my main reference to this story. I fell in love with Les Miz because of the musical theatre production, not the book, so that's why some of the events are different and some characters do not appear. Also, because this is a story I made up one day while baking cookies, therefore it isn't going to stay completely true to the musical. I hope this doesn't affect your reading enjoyment. Thank you and PLEASE REVIEW!!!