Chapter 8

Thanks loads for your review!

For those of you who wished us luck, the Scoile Gramhaide Loreto An Ómaigh U20's gaelic team( my school's team) have won our provincial final, in a section that is sort of like a quarter of Ireland. Onwards and Upwards, we're hoping for our second All-Ireland final win in a row!

So that's why I'm so busy, and we had the Netball and Hurling Provincial Finals too, so I'm like crazy busy!

So sorry, here's an update! I decided after all the drama, I should probably tone it down a bit, so here's a nice, happy chapter...for once.

Disclaimer: I own nothing Les Miserables related, and no characters. That's all Victor Hugo.

...

Madame Phillie knocked lightly on Éponine's door, just like she did every morning.

"You awake, dear?"

"Oui, Phillie!"

Madame Phillie opened the door and pushed her little metallic trolly-cart in.

She lifted the tray upon reaching Éponine's bed, and placed it upon the girl's knee.

"Merci, Phillie!" she smiled.

"It's alright, dear. How's your injuries?"

"I think they're just fine and that I'm perfectly healthy, but Monsieur Joly thinks otherwise," she scowled.

Madame Phillie laughed. "He told me you were nearly healed about a week ago, dear. Hang on in there," she grinned encouragingly.

"But I miss walking round the apartment, I miss Paris, I miss the Seine-"

"I know, and I guarantee if Joly hasn' let you out of bed by this time next week, I will get Enjolras, and we will bully him into it," she laughed slightly.

"You promise? I don't think he'll let me off that easily, he's convinced that I'm unable to move from my bed, and will not walk for a few months or something," she scowled.

"He's just looking out for you! His friends died only a few weeks ago, and another friend left two weeks ago. He can't afford to lose any more friends, and he knows that. He's just make sure you're alright, that's all."

Éponine had felt the same way. She lost Gavroche, and the close friends she had found in Combeferre, Courfreyac, and all the other boys. Then she lost Marius, and she was still quite sad about that. But it was impossible to be sad around Phillie, Enjolras or Joly. They seemed to just radiate energy in Éponine's direction; deliberately.

"I know...I just want to move around the apartment! I want to go to the bathroom without being carried!"

Madame laughed.

They were promptly interrupted by a loud knock on the door.

"Éponine?"

"Oui, Monsieur Joly?" she replied, surfacing from ravishing her food.

"I'm here for a check-up!"

"Alright, come in!"

Joly pushed the door open and went to the chair on the other side of the bed, opposite the chair Phillie was on.

"Morning, Phillie," he grinned.

"Morning, Monsieur. You'd better have good news for this girl, or she'll not be happy," she laughed.

Éponine nodded furiously fast in agreement.

"Well, I'll see, but no guarantees," he consoled.

Éponine nodded and ate, while Joly checked her injuries. It had been three weeks since the revolution, and two since Marius' departure. Éponine was certain she was healed a long time ago.

A few minutes later Joly was done, and he sat back down.

"Well, Éponine, if you were very careful, and cautious, I'd say you'd be safe to get up. But just move about carefully, please, Éponine!" he pleaded.

"Really, Monsieur?" she grinned, jumping up from the bed.

She'd only been out of bed once, to show the boys her new dress, and had got heavy scolding from Joly for that, and was told to stay in bed. Other than that, she had stood up to get changed, or had been carried to the bath.

"Éponine," he warned. "I just said to be careful."

"Oh, I'll be fine, Monsieur!" she promised, running through the room and out the door happily.

"Monsieur Enjolras! I'm allowed up! Isn't it great?!" she shouted joyfully.

"Be careful, Éponine!" Joly shouted after her, worried that she was running before she could walk; literally.

"I'll be alright, Monsieur!"

Next thing Joly and Madame could hear, was a the sound of something hitting the floor, and a loud "Woops!" coming from Éponine.

Joly ran through to the kitchen, and Phillie followed closely behind him. There, they found Éponine in stitches of laughter on the floor.

"Éponine!" he sighed.

"There was water on the ground...and I slipped!" she laughed hysterically.

"Éponine, that's not funny! Your stitches-"

"Oh, be quiet, Monsieur Joly. I value your help more than you know, but you're not my mother!" she grumbled, getting up.

He chuckled. "So as you don't get bored and start running around the apartment again, and hit your head off the table next time, you should get out and try for work."

"Actually, I was talking to Valérie the other day. You know Valérie, with the boutique? She's a great friend of mine, and I mentioned I'd been teaching Éponine to sew. She was very interested in offering you a job, said she was short of workers. I said I'd send you over for a trial run when you were healthy again," she grinned.

"That's a great idea, Éponine! How about it?"

"But...But Phillie! I can only decorate dresses! I can't sew proper dresses!" she protested, lowering herself into a chair at the table.

"But I can teach you! It'll be a great experience, for you, working there! You'll only be starting out small anyone, as a trial! You're a fast learner, you'll be just fine!"

"Are..Are you sure, Phillie?"

Madame nodded encouragingly. "I know Valérie quite well, she's a fantastic sewer and a lovely woman, she'll make you just at home!"

"Well, I could try," she smiled slightly, suddenly shy.

"Yes, you should! Celebratory pancakes, anyone?" grinned Phillie.

"Me!" came a shout from Éponine.

"I'll have some too, please, Madame," smiled Joly.

"What's this about Éponine being allowed out of bed?" Enjolras strolled in, casually.

"Isn't it great, Monsieur?"

Enjolras' head spun round to where Éponine was sitting, and went to sit down beside her.

"It is indeed. Finally convince grouchy over here to let you up, eh?" he grinned at Joly.

"If you ask me, a week's more rest is in order but-"

"Oh, stop fussing over the poor girl," Madame laughed.

"And we convinced her to try for work experience at Valérie's Shop!"

"That's wonderful. Sew us a pair of trousers, eh, Éponine?" chuckled Enjolras.

She hit his arm playfully. "Yes, I am staying in your apartment, and I'm very grateful. But I highly doubt you would wear a pair of trousers made by me," she laughed.

"Hey, I would!"

"You would only do that because you were trying to be nice, Monsieur!"

"S'pose that's true," he grinned.

"Yeah, I'd be the same," Joly chimed in, with a smile stretching ear to ear.

"Uh...well, that's encouraging!"

"We're joking, Éponine. We're sure you'll make brilliant clothes, and we'll wear them!"

"You'll be my first customers," she laughed.

"Pancakes!" Phillie came in, plating up fresh pancakes.

"Merci!" came a chrous from the three best friends.

Phillie smiled fondly at her "children." For she looked at them that way.

She was as proud of Éponine's next venture as she was when her daughter decided to try for a job.

She was as proud of Joly as she was when her son passed the sciences and became a doctor.

She was as proud of Enjolras speeches as she was of her son's wedding speech.

These were her children, now.

...

Thank you! I know it's not much, but I wanted a bit of happiness!

You can call it the "calm before the storm"...hint hint.;)

As usual, names mean something. Valérie is Phillie's good friend, and the seamtress who Éponine hopes to work for.

Valérie = Healthy, and strong. This is because Éponine is now getting healthier and stronger, and her going to work for Valérie is almost like a symbol of this. Now that Éponine is going to work, it's proof that she's healthier and stronger than ever before.

Thanks for your reviews again, I'll try update soon!

Go raibh maith agat,

Ó Niamh Ní Luachra.