Warning: use of gaslighting, and the beginnings of a potentially toxic and abusive relationship. If this is a trigger for you, please don't read. It'll only get worse from here on out.
Thursday afternoon, Grantaire dressed to leave the house.
"Where do you think you're going?" Charla asked, squinting at him. Currently she was in the midst of a pile of bridal magazines. All around her were pictures of wedding dresses and cakes, layers and layers of taffeta and icings piled upon pages and pages.
"Eponine and I were going to catch up," Grantaire shrugged.
Charla's look darkened. "Alright. But remember our conversation last week. I won't have you cheating on me. Especially not with my maid of honor."
"We're just friends, Charla," sighed Grantaire.
Charla nodded. "Just be back before five. Your mother wants to take us around to find a place to hold our reception. Might as well bring Eponine, she might have some good opinions on that matter."
Grantaire nodded.
"And don't think I haven't noticed how you're avoiding me," Charla said.
"What?"
"Every Wednesday morning? You leave, R." She pouted.
"Oh. Right. I guess this whole wedding planning is a bit stressful to me," Grantaire confessed.
Charla unfurled herself from the bed. "Oh babe, I know. But you were the one who wanted to have a short engagement. Best get it out now, I would hate for you to have cold feet on our wedding day. Understood?"
Grantaire nodded. "I got it."
"Good. Now go see your friend, and don't do anything I would disapprove of," the teasing slant was back in Charla's voice.
It was with great relief that Grantaire was able to leave the house. Charla had always been a strong independent woman, but lately she had begun to cling more and more to R. She had started watching his movements like a hawk, always questioning where he was off to, who he would be with, how long he would be gone...it was exhausting. He was sure that it was because she was still uncomfortable being left alone with his parents...they could be a bit much sometimes. But a small part of him worried that this whole thing was a huge mistake.
But that was silly. Just the nerves talking, after all getting married is a big commitment. So of course he would be nervous. Right?
He pulled into Eponine's driveway, and found her sitting on the porch. She already had to cups of lemonade on the table beside her.
"Oh R! It's so lovely to see you again," the 'alone' was clear from her tone. Eponine gave her best friend a close hug.
"Hey I'm sorry for any weirdness last time. Charla isn't usually like that."
A thin smile spread across Eponine's face, it looked almost pained. "I'm just happy if you're happy."
Grantaire nodded. "I guess I should have told her about the whole bi thing earlier...I don't know, it's just so much a part of me that I didn't really think I would have to explain it to my soul mate."
"She's your soul mate?" Grantaire couldn't help but to hear the doubt in Eponine's voice.
"Well yeah. She gets my art like no one else. She pushes me in the right direction-"
Eponine shook her head. "Enough of this. I've got lots of time ahead of me to get to know her. Let's talk about you! Tell me all about your posh friends in New York."
Grantaire smiled. "Well I told you about Joly, Musichetta and Bossuet. You'd love Chetta. You guys would get along great!"
"I can't wait to meet her," Eponine sounded genuinely happy.
"How is Gavroche? Are you in contact with any of our other friends?"
"Gavroche is fine. Struggling a bit in school, but you know him. He's a fighter, he'll come out on top," Eponine was always so proud when she was talking about her younger brother. "And as you know very well, after you and Enjolras broke up I stopped hanging out with his fancy ass friends."
"Ep," reprimanded R.
"Sorry. Nah. I still see Bahorel time and again. He spends a lot of time at the gym. I think he's some sort of trainer these days? Sometimes I run into Jean at the library or the cafe...but not too often," Eponine explained.
Grantaire sighed. "I've been gone for so long, and yet nothing has changed."
Eponine frowned. "That is not true. We may be a sleepy town to you, but a lot has changed. For example the Corinth expanded since you were here. They're open all week now, not just the weekends."
Grantaire laughed, "do you remember that time we snuck in and realized-"
"That it was a gay bar? Of course," Eponine joined in. "Couldn't keep you away from the place."
R shook his head. "I miss it. Not high school itself, that was fucking hell. But the friendships we had, even with the freaking triumvirate...they were good. Eating lunch with Jean and the others, going on day trips in Combeferre's beat up old car. It was all so simple."
Eponine rolled her eyes. "I hate to break it to you, but it wasn't. You and Enjolras broke up. He dumped you through an email. His friends defended him when you asked to speak with him, and they told you to get lost. They suck."
Grantaire frowned. "It was a very nice email."
"It broke your heart!" Eponine shouted. "If you ask me Enjolras got what was coming to him."
"Ep, don't say that," Grantaire frowned.
"His rebellious ideals are what got him kicked out of DC, so yeah. I think he does-"
"You don't know? I thought everyone in a small town would know," Grantaire was aghast, jaw slack.
"Know what?" asked Eponine slowly.
"His mother is dying in the hospital."
"What?" her voice caught weirdly.
"She's got cancer. He came back to pay her medical bills," Grantaire explained hollowly.
"Shit. Why did you let me say such horrible things," frowned Eponine. "I didn't know."
"I'm starting to think no one does...or at least very few," Grantaire elaborated.
"So he lets all those people believe..." Eponine breathed.
"Believe what?"
"That he's back because he failed law school, or they kicked him out...Fuck, that makes it harder for me to hate him," Eponine slumped back in her chair.
"You hate him?" R seemed shocked at the notion. How could anyone hate someone so passionate and caring?
Eponine snorted. "Me and Bahorel weren't batshit crazy for him, so when he dumped you it was easier for us to hate him. You know my family, R, we hold grudges. I just can't believe I was so wrong."
"Sometimes things aren't always as clear as they seem to be," R muttered. He checked his watch. "Hey my mom is dragging Charla and me to see some reception halls around five. In the mood to come mediate."
Eponine snorted. Helene could be a handful, and from what she saw Charla wasn't necessarily the easiest woman to get along with from a mother-in-law's point of view. "Sure. Guess I should get started on those maid of honor duties."
R smiled. "Thanks Ep."
The drive back was mostly silent. Eponine could feel a shift in her friend. He had been so calm and at ease in her home, but now he seemed to be tense. Eponine couldn't shake the idea that there was something wrong.
When they arrived at his parents' place Charla rushed out in a frenzy. "Where have you been?"
"I told you I was at Eponine's," Grantaire frowned as he got out of the car.
Charla tensed, she whispered, "I told you to be back by four."
Grantaire frowned, "I'm pretty sure-"
"Babe, your mother had plans for us to go see some reception halls, but they're probably closing up now."
"I think-"
"Babe, when I ask you to come back at four I expect you to come back. I've been worried sick for an hour that you had gotten into an accident or were off cheating on me. The least you could do would be to apologize for being so late," huffed Charla.
Grantaire looked down at his scuffed shoes. "I'm sorry, Charla. I must have forgotten."
Charla's mien softened. "Just don't let it happen again, babe. Let me drive back Eponine. It'll give us a chance to bond."
R nodded, before going into the house.
"Hey, maman? What time were we supposed to visit the reception halls?" he asked as he passed his mother in the kitchen.
Helene looked up from her book. "I told Charla to tell you four o'clock. Didn't she?"
Grantaire frowned. He must have made a mistake, "yeah. I guess I forgot."
Helene shrugged. "Not the end of the world, dear. We can just go look tomorrow."
R nodded. He was getting a headache, and all he wanted to do was go lie down.
In the car Charla kept her eyes on the road. "Eponine, are you free this weekend to go back to New York?"
"Yeah, I guess. It kind of depends what day, but-"
"Great. I've made an appointment with Klienfelds to find a dress on Saturday. You'll get a chance to meet some of the other bridesmaids, and help me chose the right dress for the occasion," Charla said.
"Sounds lovely," Eponine agreed.
"Good. I'll pick you up around six."
Eponine nodded, "I can't wait to hear more about your ideas for the wedding. Helene is really so pleased that you're having it in town."
"Yes, well it's not optimal, but sometimes sacrifices must be made," Charla sighed.
"I don't understand," frowned Eponine.
"A country wedding offers a lot less temptations to the groom, than one in a city," Charla shrugged.
"You don't trust R?" Eponine was guarded.
Charla let out a laugh. "A smart woman never trusts a man, and if she's got one she'll keep him on a tight leash. Especially when there are such beautiful girls as you roaming about."
Eponine wasn't quite sure what to say. It seemed to be a compliment...but she also felt like trash when Charla said it. "I don't think that's a good foundation for a marriage."
"Darling, that's feminism," Charla shrugged, "after all a woman must be modern."
Eponine could only nod. As she was getting out of the car, Charla chose to share one final piece of advice with her. "Men are dogs, Eponine. And what do you do with a dog? You collar it. See you Saturday!"
The car sped off into the night, leaving Eponine to stand on her darkening porch. What the hell had just happened?
Another short update. But as someone commented a short update is better than none! I hope you're enjoying this story. It's getting darker than I originally planned, but I like it. Please let me know what you think so far! Thanks for the continued support. I hope to have another update soon. ~T.W.o.W.