CHAPTER SIX
(chapter title – Time To Say Goodbye, part 2)
Jean Valjean arrived at 10:00 that night and took a taxi to the hospital. He arrived twenty minutes later and was at Cosette's bedside ten minutes later.
"I'm here, Cosette." Valjean whispered, sitting on an unoccupied chair. He took Cosette's hand in his and looked around the room. He saw Marius, Ella, Courfrayac, Joly, Eponine and Sara.
"She's been waiting for you." Marius said, tears in his eyes. Valjean smiled at his son-in-law and turned his eyes back to Cosette.
"Papa." Cosette's voice was barely above a whisper. Valjean smiled and kissed her cheek.
"Let's give them some privacy." Eponine suggested, ushering everyone but Marius and Ella out of the room.
Cosette's breathing was nice and easy now. Her eyes were closed and she looked very content. Marius sat behind her on the bed while Valjean and Ella sat in hospital chairs not too far from where Cosette's feet were.
"How old are you now, Ella?" Valjean whispered. She held up ten fingers. "Practically a lady. I heard that you have a horse. Tell me about your horse."
Ella told him all about Hope, including her favorite treats (peppermints) and her new halter (purple and white).
Marius shot Ella a 'please stop talking now' glare as she continued to ramble. She stopped her rambling and Valjean smiled at her.
When her family members were asleep, the soft beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep rang throughout the room. Marius sat up and held Cosette as a nurse rushed in. Ella and Valjean were fast asleep, but quickly woke up when they heard the noise.
Valjean held Ella as she cried out for her mother. He stroked her hair and held her as nurses started chest compressions on Cosette. Marius transferred to the chair beside her bed and held her hand in his.
"Cosette, please wake up!" Marius pleaded. He saw a nurse take Cosette's pulse and shake her head. "NOOOOO! COSETTE!"
"Time of death – 11:45 PM." A nurse announced. Ella freed herself from Valjean's hold on her and rushed to her mother's bedside.
"Mama! No!" Ella wailed. She, along with Valjean and Marius cried, holding each other as Cosette was taken to the morgue.
Three months later
Marius, Courfrayac, Eponine, Enjolras and Joly were going through pictures of Cosette while Ella and Sara played silently nearby. Jolene and Anton were napping.
A rapping at the door made Marius look up. He went to answer it as all his friends – Combeferre, Bahorel, Feuilly and Jehan came through the door. Gavroche entered the house, too, looking much older than Marius remembered him. He had long blonde hair that was slicked back into a ponytail and stood a foot and a half taller than Eponine.
Her eyes filled with tears as she hugged her brother.
"Marius, we are so sorry for your loss." Combeferre told his dearest friend, hugging him, Enjolras, Courfrayac, Eponine and Joly.
Ella saw her dad's dearest friends enter the house and went to hug each one, tears streaming down her cheeks.
"I'm so sorry about your mother, Ella." Feuilly told the young girl, hugging her close.
"Same with me. I loved Cosette – she was like a sister to me." Bahorel spoke up, also hugging Ella.
The new friends gathered around the table and looked at pictures of Cosette just as Grantaire entered the house. Marius stood and hugged him for the longest time.
"I am sorry, my dear friend," Grantaire told Marius as he broke out of the hug. He then turned to Ella, "Dear one. Your mother was the kindest creature I knew."
Ella felt new tears in her eyes as she hugged Grantaire. He looked over her shoulder and saw Sara with Gavroche and Eponine.
He walked over to talk with them as Ella excused herself and went to her room. She closed the door and flopped onto her bed, her body shaking with sobs.
Jehan found her and went to her bedside. He took her in his arms and held her for a long time.
"Your father is so lucky to have you and Anton to take care of," Jehan told Ella as she continued to cry. "Your mother is in a safe place, looking down at you. Someday, you will join her and the two of you will gossip and giggle at the littlest things."
Ella sat up and hugged him around the neck as he continued to soothe her.
Enjolras, Marius, Courfrayac, Joly, Combeferre, Bahorel, Feuilly, Gavroche and Grantaire entered Ella's room. Ella looked up at the men and knew she was safe.
After everyone left, Marius and Ella settled down on the couch to watch a movie. Marius got up to make more popcorn when there was a knock on the door.
Javert stood in the doorway, head bowed and an envelope in his hand.
"I am so sorry to hear about your wife," he told Marius. He then extended his hand and gave Marius the envelope, "it's for you, Ella and Anton."
"Thank you. Would you like to come in?" Marius asked. Javert nodded and saw Ella sitting on the couch. "We're watching Finding Nemo."
"I love that movie." Javert said, making himself comfortable in the armchair next to the couch. Marius handed Javert a bowl of popcorn before joining Ella on the couch.
"I'm going to put her to bed, I'll be right back." Marius told Javert when the movie finished.
"I'll do that." Javert offered when the monitor went off. Marius went to check on Anton while Javert put Ella to bed.
He placed her under the sheets and brought the blanket up to her chin. He made sure she had her favorite stuffed animal tucked under her arm before turning off the lights and exited the room, closing the door halfway behind him.
"You're a natural." Marius said, making Javert jump fifty feet in the air.
"I sometimes watched my niece, Sally, for my brother." Javert said, helping Marius put the popcorn away.
"So, how come you never married?" Marius asked.
"The right person never came along. I've tried dating, but no one seems interested in me," Javert answered. "How did you meet Cosette?"
"In high school. I wrestled, believe it or not, and she was a cheerleader. We met at a football game." Marius told Javert.
"A skinny little man like you, wrestle? I'm surprised you didn't get squashed like a bug." Javert teased. Marius smiled and took apart the popcorn maker.
"Would you like to spend the night? There's an extra bedroom at the end of the hall." Marius said.
"Oh. Thank you, but I didn't bring any clothes or toothbrush or anything."
"You look like you're the same size as my grandfather. I kept a couple of his things when he passed away two months ago," Marius said, his voice muffled. He emerged from his bedroom carrying extra clothes. "There's also an extra toothbrush in the bathroom. It's orange."
"Thank you, again." Javert said as Marius showed him the extra bedroom.
"Ella has school and then violin lessons. Anton has a doctor's appointment, which he cannot miss, then I'm going into work for a while. Can you manage watching Anton until I come home? It'll probably be before seven. When you get up in the morning, I'll go over things with you." Marius said.
Javert nodded, thanked Marius for the third time and got ready for bed. The toothbrush was exactly where Marius said it would be. He brushed his teeth and went back to the extra bedroom. He picked up the book on his bedside table – The Red Pyramid and began reading until he couldn't keep his eyes open. He turned off the lamp and instantly went to sleep.
A week later was Cosette's memorial service. Everyone dressed in their best black outfit and went to the church where the memorial service was being held.
Marius, Anton and Ella were the first ones to arrive. A daycare volunteer offered to watch Anton for the service and reception afterward. Marius thanked her and handed her Anton, along with his diaper bag.
Eponine, Sara, Enjolras and Jolene were the next ones to arrive. They signed the guest book before Enjolras handed Jolene to a daycare volunteer. Jolene and Anton were the only babies at the memorial service.
Following the Thenardier's were Jean Valjean, Courfrayac, Joly, Jehan, Combeferre, Bahorel, Feuilly, Grantaire and Gavroche, all of whom signed the guest book and took turns hugging Marius and Ella. Marius had asked Eponine, Enjolras, Ella, Jehan, Courfrayac, Joly and Grantaire to speak, since they knew Cosette the best. Marius would be giving the eulogy.
As everyone took their seats for the memorial service, Marius saw Javert sneak in the back. Marius smiled at Javert as he turned the other way.
The priest stood and thanked everyone for gathering on such a beautiful day. She went on to say that there would be a reception following the service. She then led the congregation in a prayer before the first hymn was sung. During that time, Eponine, Enjolras, Ella and Jehan sat on the chairs behind the pulpit.
Enjolras took the stage first and got out his note cards, placing them in front of him.
"Good afternoon. I am Raphael Enjolras-Thenardier, but I go by Enjolras. I had the pleasure of meeting Cosette when my best friend, Marius, would not shut up about this girl he met. She was pretty, popular, sweet as ice cream and loved everyone. She wasn't mean to anyone, or if she was, she didn't show it.
She was a cheerleader, sang in the chorus, had almost all the leads in the musicals, started a book club at school, played field hockey, ran cross country, was on a nationally ranked bowling team and still had time for friends and family.
When she was expecting her daughter, she asked me to go with her to an appointment when Marius had to work and couldn't get out of working. I knew when she was ready to be a mother when she and I heard Ella's heartbeat for the first time. Her eyes welled up with tears and she looked up at me, a huge smile on her face.
Blessed be this wonderful mother, wife and friend. She will be missed by all." Enjolras said, blinking tears out of his eyes. He took his seat as Eponine came to the pulpit.
"I'm Eponine and I would like to tell you about my best friend and sister, Cosette.
I first met her in high school when we did cheerleading together. I thought she would be one of those stuck-up 'think-they-know-everything', mean, stupid cheerleaders, but she was one of the friendliest, kindest, funniest, sweetest people I have ever had the pleasure to meet.
She was actually the one to introduce me to my husband, Enjolras. He was the one to introduce her to Marius.
Cosette became my sister when both my parents died when I was a sophomore in high school. I had no other living relatives, except my brother, Gavroche. Both she and her father took us in as if we were members of the family.
She and I never fought or argued, something that Gavroche and I did often. When we would fight, Cosette came between us and thought of a positive way for us to work things out," Eponine paused to wipe the tears out of her eyes. "I will miss her so much and I hope she is listening to all the kind words people are saying."
She cried as she took her seat next to Enjolras. He rubbed her back as another hymn was sung. When the last word of the hymn was sung, Ella walked to the pulpit and read from her note cards.
"Hi. I'm Ella Fantine Pontmercy and the oldest child of Marius and Cosette Pontmercy. I'm also older sister to Anton Pontmercy.
My mom was – and still is – my hero. No matter what stupid thing I did, she wouldn't punish or hit me. She was always so positive about everything, even when she was depressed about something. She would push through her depression and do all sorts of fun things with me.
She loved horses, like I did, and before I got my own horse, she and I would go riding almost every day at my uncle Courfrayac and uncle Joly's barn. She rode horses with such grace and elegance, she could've been a professional Dressage rider. Instead, she decided to stay home and take care of my brother and myself.
Like most people, my mom loved cooking. She would cook the most amazing foods from apple pie to zucchini pasta, she could make it all without a recipe. I loved helping my mom in the kitchen – we would listen to music or sometimes sing. She loved musicals so we would mostly sing something from a musical.
I will miss our special time together and I really don't understand why God took her from me. I miss her so much and can't wait to see her again." Ella then exited the pulpit and leapt into her father's arms, nearly knocking him backwards. He regained his balance and held Ella as she cried.
"Are you going to be able to play your violin?" Marius asked. Ella nodded, straightened up and went to the small side stage to play her mother's favorite song Suddenly. Jean Valjean smiled and nodded his head in time to the music.
Once Ella finished playing the piece, she went to sit down as Grantaire took the stage. He read a beautiful poem he wrote called Wild Geese. As he read the last word, he looked up and saw not a dry eye in the room. He took his seat as Courfrayac went to the pulpit.
"Everything that has been said so far is true," he started, looking at the picture of Cosette that sat on an easel next to the pulpit, "she was kind, generous, positive, loved everyone, loved musicals and had wonderful cooking skills. She was also generous, helpful, sweet as honey, had a wonderful sense of humor and was both a loving wife and mother.
Marius, Ella and Anton are the luckiest people alive because Cosette loved each of them dearly and would from now until the end of eternity." He looked back at the picture and went to sit down.
A prayer was said before Joly walked to the pulpit. He told a funny story about a date that Cosette and Marius went on that Marius found slightly embarrassing – ice skating. Cosette was a natural as soon as her feet touched the ice. Marius, however, was like Bambi when he saw winter and ice for the first time. Cosette skated circles around Marius while he clung to the wall.
Cosette took Marius' hands in hers and together, they glided across the ice, moving as one.
When he finished, people were snickering, one of them being Marius. He smiled, remembering the date exactly.
Joly exited the stage as a hymn was sung. Courfrayac, Ella, Eponine, Grantaire and Enjolras filed off the stage and took their seats as Jehan and Marius took empty seats behind the pulpit.
Jehan waited until the music finished before looking at the notes in front of him.
"I found this reading a couple nights ago and thought it would be perfect for Cosette," he started, pushing his glasses further up his nose, "Your mother is always with you. She's the whisper of the leaves as you walk down the street. She's the smell of certain foods you remember, flowers you pick, the fragrance of life itself. She's the cool hand on your brow when you're not feeling well. She's your breath in the air on a cold winter's day. She's the sound of the rain that lulls you to sleep, the colors of the rainbow, she is Christmas morning. Your mother lives inside your laughter. She's the place you came from, your first home and she's the map you follow with every step you take. She's your first love, your first friend, even your first enemy, but nothing on earth can separate you not time, not space…not even death."
He saw people dabbing their eyes as he took his seat next to Feuilly. The other man squeezed his hand as Feuilly wiped away his tears.
Marius took the pulpit and looked out into the audience. He placed his hands on either side of it and glanced at his notes.
"Cosette Fantine Valjean-Pontmercy was born on September 16th, 1982 and died on December 22nd, 2013. She was thirty-three years old.
In her thirty-three years, she gave, lived and cherished life to its fullest. She was the sunshine on an otherwise cloudy day, the first thing I saw in the morning and the last thing I saw when I went to bed at night. She was the light in the darkness and a friend to everyone.
One of the many things I loved about her was her upbeat and positive nature. She was never mean to anyone and never punished Ella.
Cosette and our two kids – Anton and Ella – mean the whole world to me. There's not a day that goes by I don't think about Cosette. I swear there's some days I can feel her warmth and strength.
God love you, Cosette, and so do I." Marius had more to say about Cosette, but the pages were getting blurry. He exited the pulpit and went to sit down.
The priest said a few closing words before Jean Valjean got up and went to the mic stand on the small stage. He then sang Suddenly, with the help of the accompanist. Marius and Ella went to the back of the social hall and waited for the music to stop.
Everyone got out of their seats and started the procession line. Many people told Marius and Ella how sorry they were that Cosette had left them. Marius thanked them, shook their hands and smiled at the people leaving the social hall.
The only people that Marius hugged were Javert, Jean Valjean, Eponine, Enjolras, Jehan, Joly, Courfrayac, Grantaire, Sara, Prouvaire, Bahorel, Gavroche and Combeferre. He also hugged Ella, of course.
There was a reception that followed afterward in the large room off the social hall. Food and beverages were served.
Marius couldn't take his eyes off the three picture boards that he, Enjolras, Courfrayac, Joly, Eponine and Grantaire had put together.
On one board, there were pictures of Cosette as a young girl and teenager. The middle board consisted of pictures of Cosette as a young adult and the last board had pictures of Cosette, Marius, Ella and Anton.
He was looking at the last board, feeling tears sting the back of his eyes. The picture he was looking at was a black and white photograph of Cosette holding then a two-day-old Ella. Cosette was looking down at Ella while Marius rested his forehead on Ella's. It was his favorite photograph.
"What a beautiful picture. Who took it?" Javert's voice startled Marius.
"Enjolras." Marius answered, not taking his gaze away for one minute.
The reception lasted for an hour, which was fine with Marius. He went to get Anton from the church daycare, thanking the volunteer who had watched both him and Jolene.
Javert followed Ella and Marius to their car and helped Marius with the carseat. Anton was fast asleep and looked like an angel. Ella was out like a light as soon as the engine roared to life.
"Let me know if you need anything." Javert told Marius. He nodded and promised Javert he would before taking off.
As Marius fell asleep that night, he dreamt that Cosette was in a better place, watching over him, Ella and Anton.