Chapter 3

Cosette's eyes fluttered open to a grey, rainy morning. She sat up abruptly, however, when she realized Marius wasn't in bed with her. She looked back and forth, realizing that he wasn't in the bathroom, and she didn't hear him in the kitchen. Cosette looked down on the pillow next to her, noticing a note in Marius' handwriting:

Dearest Cosette,

You looked so terribly peaceful that I couldn't stand to wake you. There's tea waiting for you downstairs.

Much love ma Cherie,

Marius

She sighed, "Of course he's going to be all nervous about this now." Cosette new she was having a hard time with her pregnancy. The doctor had told her so a couple weeks ago when she was first suspecting her situation. "You're clearly a tad weaker than normal, and the sickness is quite heightened. Madame Pontmercy, the best I can tell you this early on is to simply take good care of yourself." And she'd been trying! She took less walks in the afternoon and didn't help Nicolette around the house near as much, but she still felt absolutely awful. Of course, she didn't know what else she could really do. Women always felt awful their first few months, right?

Cosette placed her head in her hands, and sighed. She seated herself on the window seat and leaned her head upon the window. Her symptoms were severe, yes, but Marius didn't know that. It was exhausting hiding how terrible she felt from her husband. Always trying to stay giggling and energetic, for she knew the minute she even mentioned feeling off Marius would be sending her either to that dreadfully unhelpful doctor or tucking her into bed like a mother with a sick child.

As Cosette was thinking this, Marius was leaving work for an appointment. He was headed to the physician. The thought of his mother's death was looming over him, and he simply had to know if…he had somehow passed it on. "Mr. Pontmercy? Into my office please." Marius followed the tall man into the dark (and to be honest, rather intimidating room. "Now. What can I help you with?" "Umm….my wife is…..has recently become….well is….with child." "Yes, I had an appointment with her a couple weeks ago, I hope she's feeling better? I was quite concerned with her case." "Oh…umm…why? Is she…alright?" Marius felt his heartbeat quicken. How come she hadn't said anything? Why on earth would she keep this from him? "Well, , I can't predict the future, but all I can say is I hope so." "Doctor, what I really came to ask is if…that is to say, is it possible that a man could pass on something like this to his wife?" "So what I presume you're asking is that is it your fault Cosette is abnormally ill?" "Yes." "I wouldn't think so, but one can never really be sure about the way things are passed down." "Oh…well. Thank you for your time doctor, I won't keep you any longer." "Good day to you, Pontmercy." And with a curt nod, Marius exited the room.

He stepped outside again, only to discover it was now storming. Storming to match his internal fire. How long did Cosette think she could keep this from him? Was she this secretive about everything and he just didn't know it? And why in God's name would she think it was perfectly alright to not tell him! He told her everything, sometimes even more than was appropriate about his cases, happenings at the law firm. He quickened his pace as he neared the house. Marius fully intended on having a talking to Cosette about this. She was his wife! He had complete right to now about the affairs of her health and his child's!

"Cosette!" Marius boomed as he entered the house, talking off his hat and overcoat quite vigorously. She appeared in the stairwell, looking concerned. "Yes, darling. What ever is the matter?" "Whatever is the matter? You deciding to keep secrets from me that is the matter! What, you thought I shouldn't know you're sick? You thought it didn't matter that something is wrong with not just you but possibly the baby too?" "Marius I only did that-" "There is no excuse for hiding things like that! This is serious! Good God Cosette what on earth were you thinking!" His voice had grown into quite a thunderous shout, and it was only then that he noticed the tears welling up in her enormous blue eyes. "M-Marius, I'm ever so sorry, I wasn't trying to hide it from I-I-I.." When she saw the still angry look on his face, she abruptly fled from the room, her head in her hands.

Marius sighed. He supposed that stressing her, especially in the heightened delicacy of her condition wouldn't be safe for either being the one body carried. Running his hands through his hair, he considered the best way to go about apologizing. And, as he usually reasoned, the best way was always the most straightforward.

As he climbed the stairs, the volume of Cosette's sobs increased, pulling at his heartstrings almost the instant the sound came into contact with his ears. Marius knocked on their bedroom door, only to hear the sobs snap abruptly into the best control she could muster. "Cosette, darling, I'm terribly sorry. Please, please let me in." It took a solid forty five seconds before he heard the rustling of her skirts glide across the room and open the door. When he saw his angel's red, tear-stained face he simply couldn't stand to be angry with her any longer. She was wrapped up in his arms in a second, and she nuzzled his neck and let out choruses of "I'm so sorry…" Marius hushed her. "Don't apologize, ma Cherie, I never should've yelled at you like that. Please forgive me." " I do, Marius, of course I do, and I'm sorry I kept anything from you…but if you don't mind me asking how was it you found out?" "I went to the doctor." "Why, what's the matter?" "I wanted to make sure you were alright." "Oh, Marius," she said flinging herself so her head was in his lap. "I'm so sorry I never told you! I just didn't want to worry you because I know how concerned you get with even the littlest things and you were working and stressed so I couldn't tell you something that would-" Marius stopped her with a warm but quick kiss. "Cosette! Shhh. All is forgiven, Cherie!" "Really Marius?" she asked, her eyes wide, "Really, darling." Marius wrapped her back up in his arms, nestling his face in her hair. "How about we go down and get some tea?" Cosette sniffled. "Alright."