Years passed, and the children grew up. Maximilien and Charlotte were very close to Josephine. Maximilien and Charlotte were also very close to Grantaire. Grantaire walked with a limp, and too much walking would tire him out.
Éponine, Enjolras, and Grantaire sat around the table. Charlotte was on Grantaire's lap and Maximilien was on Éponine's lap.
"Can you tell us a story, Uncle R?" Charlotte asked, turning around, her big blue eyes meeting Grantaire's. Grantaire chuckled, and ruffled her hair.
"My stories are for when you're older," Grantaire said.
"Correct," Enjolras said, narrowing his eyes. He felt his three year old twins were too young to know about drinking and mistresses.
"I have a story," Éponine said, putting her chin on Maximilien's head.
"Can we hear it?!" Charlotte asked excited, bouncing up and down.
"Of course," Éponine smiled. "So, one day my little brother, Gavroche, went out onto the streets. He noticed a man there, sitting down, looking glum. So, Gavroche went over to him. The man said he lost his wallet. Gavroche decided to go find it. He searched high and low for it. But," Éponine paused for dramatic effect, "It was nowhere to be found. So, Gavroche was sitting with his friends, pondering what to do."
"What did they do?" Maximilien asked. Charlotte and he were watching her with undivided attention. Both Enjolras and Grantaire had heard the story before, and were talking softly to themselves.
"They searched and searched and searched. But couldn't find the man's wallet," Éponine said, sadly.
"Did they ever find it?" Charlotte asked, her lip quivering.
"Yes. They found wallet in the nasty, smelly sewers of Paris," Éponine whispered.
"Ew!" Maximilien and Charlotte cried.
Éponine had to skip over how exactly they found the wallet. Gavroche had called her and Azelma over, and they searched the sewers. They ran into the Patron-Minette and Thénardier. Éponine distracted them, while Azelma and Gavroche pick-pocketed them. Gavroche quickly found the wallet in Thénardier's pocket. They had to sneak out, and there was a nasty encounter with a man with a knife. They got lost, and had to spend the night there. But, eventually, they got out.
"The man was so glad that Gavroche found his wallet. As a treat, he gave him two tickets to the opera. Little Gavroche invited me along, and we saw the opera," Éponine finished.
"What was the opera like? I imagine it was wonderful! With ball gowns and pretty ladies, and handsome princes," Charlotte said, excitedly. Éponine smiled at her daughter, who loved to hear Grantaire talk about Greek Mythology for hours.
"It was wonderful. Everyone had such lovely voices," Éponine said.
"Can we go see an opera?" Charlotte asked.
"Maybe when you're older and you can remember it properly," Enjolras said.
"Can we bring Josey?" Maximilien asked.
"Of course!" Éponine laughed at Maximilien's nickname for Josephine.
"Well, my leg is cramping up," Grantaire said.
"Come on, you can rest," Enjolras picked up Charlotte so Grantaire could get up. Grantaire leaned on the table as he stood up. Enjolras put Charlotte down, and let Grantaire lean on him. Éponine smiled as she watched them enter the bedroom.
"Can we visit Uncle Marius and Aunt Cosette?" Maximilien asked.
"You just want to see Josey!" Charlotte teased.
Éponine smiled and hugged her children close. "I love you two so much."