Chapter 6
I'm in a really really really good mood 'cause my boyfriend Déaghy was super cute+romantic on Thursday so here's another chapter, 500 words longer than the last!
By the way, Phillie and Enjolras only heard the start, as they were leaving, and then the end, as they went to keep Éponine company, so they automatically think Marius is a baddie for leading Éponine on. Oh dear, Oh dear, Oh dear.
...
"Goodbye...'Ponine?"
Marius never got a response.
"'Please, 'Ponine?"
All he could hear in response to this was a sob, and he longed to run and comfort her. He longed to tell her it would all be okay, to make promises for today, for tomorrow, for forever. But he couldn't. Cosette's arms were still tightly locked around his neck.
"Come on, love. We have to tell father of our marriage," she smirked, evilly.
"'Ponine?" he ignored Cosette, longing for Éponine to roll over and smile at him and tell him this was all a dream.
"Marius, she's never been more than a thieving gamine, let's go!"
Marius began to protest at the insult that Éponine was supposed to hear, then sighed in defeat, as Cosette dragged him out of Éponine's room. They bumped into Enjolras and Madame Phillie, who had been listening the whole time. They both glared at Marius.
"Get out of here, and never come back." Enjolras glared him a stony, icy look, full with fury and hate.
"Poor 'Ponine..." whispered Madame Phillie.
"Enjolras, Phillie, I-"
"Get out, before you break poor Éponine's heart even more. You never deserved her love," snarled Enjolras.
"You, and your friends, you can all come to our wedding!" grinned Cosette, happy that this plan was going her way.
"I will no sooner go the wedding of a man who betrayed an innocent, close friend of ours, leading her on, giving her the most hope she's ever had, and then taking it away from. And I'm sure my friends will agree."
This was breaking Marius' heart more, having what he was doing explained in straight black and white.
"She's fragile, Pontmercy. She's been on her deathbed for days, and she's loved you for a very long time. You knew, you used her like a postman for all that time, making her send love letters to that bourgeois, you knew how she felt!" he spat, angrily.
"I didn't make her!" Marius protested.
"Yes, but you knew she couldn't refuse. It's as good as. Get out of my home, I don't want to see you near Éponine again. And take that whore with you."
"I'm not a whore, Monsieur!"
Enjolras ignored her, and strode powerfully to the front door, opening it for Marius, wordlessly.
Cosette, offended at his insult, powered ahead out the door, dragging a speechless Marius with her.
"Don't come back," he snarled as his once best friend left.
"What a fool, that boy! I should go check on 'Ponine, Monsieur Enjolras, she'll be in a right state... I'm not quite sure you're in the mood to comfort the girl," she smiled weakly, indicating his angry, fuelled up state.
He nodded, and made his way to the dining room table, where he sat with his head in his hands.
Phillie knocked lightly on Éponine's door, and when there was no answer, opened it gently and tiptoed over to the bed, and sat down on the other side of the bed.
"Éponine?" whispered Phillie.
Éponine continued to sob, but turned over to face Phillie.
"Ah, come on dear, there's no use in crying," she smiled, wiping away her tears.
"He's gone..." Éponine whispered, unsure of wether she was telling herself or Phillie.
"He's gone...to marry that...that C-Cosette!" she cried.
"I know, dear, I know. And you can either cry, or you can get up, and do something positive," she encouraged kindly.
This could sound pushy, or mean, but Phillie was only caring, and optimistic.
Éponine nodded weakly.
"But Phillie...what do I do?"
This was why Madame was glad she had not let Enjolras try to comfort the girl. He'd have just summarised the situation, making her relive it, making it worse, and then tell her to do something stupid, when she asked for advice.
"Well, we can start with dinner. Then, tomorrow, we can further your sewing skills, how does that sound?"
...
The next week, Éponine still wasn't in the best of form, but this was to be expected. When she thought she might finally had a chance at love, it was snatched away from her.
This was the rough outline of the last few years of Éponine's life. She thought something might happen, something good, she might be off the streets, she thought she might have a full stomach tomorrow, she thought she'd earn enough to escape her father's beatings, but all her chances, her wishes, were always snatched away cruelly.
Joly was now sleeping on the sofa in Enjolras' apartment, for the boys had a feeling it wasn't safe for him at his own apartment. Enjolras was sleeping in his own bed again, and Éponine on a spare bed in Phillie's room. The four had quite a comfortable arrangement. During the day, Phillie would show Éponine how to run a household, cooking, cleaning and sewing. The boys would talk and debate about history, politics, among others. At night, they could all be found laughing and joking around the dinner table.
Éponine was decorating another of Phillie's daughter's old dresses in her room, when Joly knocked on the door.
"Yes?"
"It's me, Éponine!" Joly grinned, popping his head around the door.
"Oh right, come in, come in! Here to change my bandages?"
He nodded, and let himself in. He walked over to her bed, and she propped her leg up on the bed, still continuing her sewing. Joly got to work on her leg immediately.
"So, Éponine, how are you?"
"I'm fine, Monsieur. Thanks for asking."
"No, really.
"Yes, I'm fine."
He raised his eyebrows, not believing her for a second.
"Okay, yes, I maybe thought I had a chance with Monsieur Marius, but there's nothing there anymore, no point getting in a bad mood about it," she smiled a fake smile.
"Seriously, Éponine?"
"Yes!"
"Okay, calm down! I'm just asking. If I loved someone and they took off, I'd be the most grumpy, non-socialable human being alive," he shrugged.
She giggled slightly.
"Well, I was planning on becoming just that but Phillie wouldn't stand for it," she grinned.
This made Joly chuckle.
"Yea, she did that with Enjolras and I, about losing the boys," he looked down.
"How are you holding up?" she smiled sympathetically.
"Yea, it's obviously hard, but they died for a cause, for a reason. Enjolras and I, we're not going to let their lives go to waste, we're not going to back off just yet. Yes, we'll hide for a while, until they let their guard down, maybe grow a beard as a disguise," he chuckled slightly. "Wait until something major has arisen, so that the Government has other things on their mind and we won't be their priority anymore, and until we don't look the same, then we'll go back out and try round up the people again. It's not going to be easy, though. They all know what happened the last time; try getting them to sign up to that."
"I'll help!"
"Would you?"
"Of course! I can start before you, the National Guard don't know who I am. I collapsed before I could fight, they won't care about me. I could round up the people, so we could continue the revolution when you and Monsieur Enjolras feel it's safe for you to go out."
"Thanks, Éponine."
"It's the least I can do. Monsieur Enjolras gave me a home, and you saved my life-"
"Well, I hardly saved your life-"he started, shyly.
"Yes, you did! You should be proud of yourself!"
"Thanks, again."
"You don't need to thank me," she grinned.
He finished up changing her bandages.
"Well, you're doing well, Éponine. You should be healed soon enough!"
"Thank god for that. As much as I love Phillie, it's annoying having to ask her for help everytime I want to move about the flat. I like having independence," she huffed.
"Well, you'll have it back soon enough," he consoled, amused at her.
"What are you smiling at?" she laughed.
"Nothing," he shook his head.
"Sure."
"Well, I'm done checking you now. That dress is really nice, by the way. You have a knack for sewing, Éponine."
"Thanks, Monsieur!" she blushed. "It's a great way to pass time."
"It could be more than that, if you wished?"
"What do you mean?"
"I simply mean that, once you're recovered, and not a minute before hand, you could try for a job in a seamstress' shop."
"I'm not good enough for that, Monsieur," she blushed deeper.
"Of course you are, Éponine! I'm sure any place would be simply delighted to have you on board. At the speed you're progressing, you'll be sewing your own dresses in no time!"
"Well, in a while, Monsieur. I need to get a lot better at sewing,"
"And a lot better in health!"
"I've already told you, Monsieur, I'm perfectly healthy!"
He chuckled. "As stubborn as ever."
"I know, Monsieur. I wouldn't have it any other way," she grinned.
He laughed as he stood up.
"Enjolras and I are going to play cards now, want to join us?"
"I don't know how to play, Monsieur."
"You've learnt to sew, to cook, to clean in the space of little more than a week. You're a great learner, Éponine! You'll be fine!"
"Okay then, Monsieur. But I'm going to need help up."
He helped her up gladly, and she limped along side him out of the room.
...
Just to be clear, Enjolras and Joly are being super nice to Éponine because she's their friend, there are no romantic feelings involved.
Enjolras stood up for Éponine at the start because he feels that his revolution failed, and he's just decided that well, he can't help everyone at once, so he'll start with Éponine!
Some Marius next chapter!
Leave us love!
Go raibh maith agat,
Ó Niamh Ní Luachra.