A few hours later, Éponine was awoken to a weight landing on her feet. "Eppy! Wake up! It's time for supper! You have to come meet Adrienne. She's really nice and pretty. Even prettier than Cosette. But not prettier than you."
"Woah, slow down, Gav. Give me a second to wake up before you start complimenting me. I want to be awake to hear my praise." She said, sitting up.
"Gabe's sister, Adrienne, got here just a little bit ago. You were still asleep, but she said I was a handsome young man!" He said, very proudly. "I think you'll really like her. Come on! Get up!" He exclaimed, pulling on her arms.
"Where's Gabe?" She asked, slowly getting up and walking over to the mirror above the dresser. Her hair was a mess, but after brushing it out quickly and slapping her cheeks a couple times, she looked fine.
"He's downstairs. He said you were taking a nap and when Jonathan said it was time for dinner, he told me to come get you. I'm hungry. Please come quickly so we can eat!" He grabbed her arm and practically dragged her out of the room and downstairs to the dining room. It was still ornate, but it was even more so, since it was dark outside and the chandelier was lit above the table. There were three more chairs at the table, two more on the side that Gavroche sat on for lunch, and one on the other. Régis, Jackie, Gabe, Adélaïde, and her two kids were all in the same seats. There was a tall, dark haired, broad shouldered man beside Adélaïde, a dirty blonde, teenaged boy across from him, in between Théo and Pénélope, and a petite blonde next to Régis. Gav sat down next to the woman, which left Éponine to walk around to sit in between Gabe and the new man. As soon as Éponine sat down, the servers came in with the food and the room went quiet.
The food all looked delicious and fancy, like lunch. For dinner, there was seasoned chicken breasts, asparagus, and buttered wheat bread. She noticed the woman next to Gavroche didn't have chicken, and instead had a bowl of yellow rice.
"Éponine, this is my husband, Gilbert, and our adopted son, Zacharie. Zach, Gil', this is 'El's girlfriend, Éponine Jondrette." Adélaïde introduced.
"And this is-" Régis started, looking at the blonde woman.
"I can introduce myself, Daddy. I'm a big girl." She said to Régis. "I am Adrienne Enjolras, 'El's older sister. I'm so happy to finally meet you, Éponine. He's told me so much about you. I am glad you agreed to come for Thanksgiving."
"Now that introductions are done, I think the children would really like to eat." Jackie said, nodding at Gavroche. He looked sheepish. "Go ahead, dig in everyone." She said. They all did. Éponine's taste buds immediately reacted to the wonderful chicken. They ate in silence for the most part.
"Did you finish your project this afternoon, Gilbert?" Gabe asked.
"Yes, I think we did. Do you want to tell them about it, Zach?" He said, looking to the boy. The boy, in turn, just shrugged and shoved another forkful of chicken in his mouth. Gilbert, Adélaïde, and Jackie all looked at the boy, disappointed at his lack of interest.
"Leave him alone. Just let the boy eat his food." Régis said. Éponine glanced at Gabe, noticing he hit a sore spot for the family.
"So, Adrienne, what do you do? Gabe mentioned something about an internship?" Éponine offered up conversation to get out of the sticky situation.
"Yeah! I'm in my second year of internship with Scholastic Books. I basically just read manuscripts and make notes for the editors to eventually look over to choose which authors they are going to publish. Don't get me wrong," Éponine kind of zoned out at this point. Adrienne seemed like a bubbly, outgoing person who could talk about the weather for three hours and make it interesting. Her babbling seemed to diffuse a lot of the tension, but she watched as Adélaïde and her mother had a discussion with their eyes. Régis was completely engrossed with his younger daughter, and everyone else was politely listening while eating. Except Théo, who was throwing cut up pieces of chicken all around his plate. At least Gavroche was old enough not to play with his food.
Peaceful conversation was made for the rest of the meal, and when everyones plates were clear, following a very rich chocolate cake that the girls brought out, everyone went into a different living room area. This room had more seating areas. There was a comfortable sectional, that Régis, Jackie, Adélaïde, Gilbert, and Gabe were seated on, a La-Z Boy, that Zach claimed, and another chair, that Éponine claimed, not wanting to sit on the floor again. Gabe made a fake pouty face at her, and motioned to his lap. She just rolled her eyes at him. Pénélope and Théo got some toys out, and were playing quietly on the floor. Gavroche sat on the floor between the playing kids and the chair Zach was sitting in, sulking and playing on his phone with earbuds in.
Adrienne plopped herself in the middle of the floor. They all discussed how school/work/retirement/various projects were going. The whole time, Jackie and Régis were cuddled up together, but not disgustingly so. Éponine wasn't addressed very much until later into the night.
"So, how long have you two been together, Éponine?" Adrienne asked.
"About a month and a half?" She asked Gabe for confirmation. He raised his eyebrows at her, and smirked. She knew they were both remembering that day that she was sick and he rescued her.
"Oh, you are so cute! I'm so happy for you, 'El. Did you know he hasn't dated anyone since his sophomore year of high school?" Adrienne asked.
"I remember! What was her name, again? Alyssa? She was a cutie, but definitely not 'El's type." Adélaïde piped up.
"What do you mean? I thought everyone was Gabe's type." Éponine said. It was her turn to smirk, now. Gabe was blushing bright red.
"Let's just say, her looks were the only thing she had going for her. That, and she was on her way to becoming cheerleading captain." Gabe said.
"A flexible one, huh?" Gilbert joked. Adélaïde nudged him, but was laughing.
"Oh, come on guys! She wasn't that bad. She was just a little too much woman for our little Gabriel." Jackie put in.
"She was a junior, pretty girl who wanted to take the star of the football team to prom! So I said yes, not knowing what would come of it. A week after she declared we were going together, she also declared we were dating. It lasted until the end of the school year, when I found her making out with the senior class president." Gabe admitted.
"You dated someone just because she demanded you date her?" She asked. He nodded, but Gilbert interrupted.
"I married someone because she demanded it!" They all laughed.
"So, will you tell us more about you?" Adrienne asked Éponine. "You too, Gavroche. You've obviously both made an impression on 'El if he wanted to bring you home."
"There's not much to tell about me, to be honest. I'm studying to be an elementary teacher. My parents are out of my life, but my sister is a year younger than me and in the same major. She just got engaged." Éponine said.
"To Antoine." Gabe added.
"Courf! I love that kid! Always had the biggest crush on me." Adrienne said. "Speaking of your friends, how are they all? I should come up to the university sometime."
"They are all good." He updated his family on some of his friends that she didn't recognize. "As Ép said, Antoine is engaged to Azelma." He exchanged a glance, wondering if he should add why. She just shrugged. "They are expecting a child in June." Adélaïde and Jackie gasped, but Adrienne was still attentively listening.
"That's so exciting!" She exclaimed. "Éponine, don't mind them and their old-fashioned views. Mom is still in denial about Henri being gay."
"Henri?" Éponine asked.
"Grantaire. Grantaire and Jehan are doing wonderfully. They are also doing the project and have an adorable little girl. She's a six-year old twin. Marius and his girlfriend have the other." Gabe clarified and continued.
"And how is Maurice doing? Is he still on that death sentence of an academic track?" Jackie asked.
Éponine had to think who she was talking about, and then she remembered. Combeferre, Gabe's best friend. He was the one who drove them back to the apartment after she passed out the day the started dating.
"Yes. He's still medicolegal. We haven't been spending as much time together, recently. Actually, I'm not sure he's even been to the apartment." Gabe said, looking to Éponine.
"He dropped us off that one time I got sick." She said.
"So, he's been in the doorway. We should really have him over for dinner sometime." Gabe said, once again looking to Éponine, and she nodded.
Adrienne then looked to Gavroche. "And what about you, Gavroche. What's your story?" She asked.
"I'm just an eight year old kid. My parents left me on the street when I was three. I've been at Miss Fantine's orphanage ever since. Now I'm living with Éponine and Gabe, which is really cool and fun. I like to play soccer and love superheroes." He told them all, in a good speaking voice. He looked at his sister for confirmation, and she nodded. She was always impressed by his maturity.
"And you are going to say absolutely nothing about Rachelle?" Gabe prompted.
Gav blushed. "Rachelle is my best friend. She is staying with Marius and Miss Cosette. She got to the orphanage a couple months after I did, and we've been best friends ever since. We also look out for the twins that Gabe mentioned earlier, Hillaire and Julien."
"Awww, you're such a cutie." Adrienne gushed. Adélaïde rolled her eyes, but smiled.
"I also recently found my biological family. My parents aren't much, but my sisters are the best." Gav said.
Éponine looked from the boy to her boyfriend with wide eyes. "Oh? Then why aren't you with them for this holiday?" Adélaïde asked.
"'Laide! It sounds like you don't want him here!" Adrienne squealed.
"I was just asking!" Adélaïde defended. Realizing his mistake, Gavroche looked at Éponine and Gabe apologetically. Gabe nodded at both of them.
"I am. Éponine is my sister, and Azelma, too, but she's with Courf." Gavroche said. The room went silent. The only noises were coming from Zach's earbuds. Even the younger kids had become quiet.
"I'm going to take the kids home, now." Gilbert said, standing. Zach looked up, and recognizing the cue, stood up to leave as well. The both males walked over and kissed Jackie on the cheek and shook Regis' hand. Then they did the same for Adrienne, who had jumped up for them, and Gabriel. Both avoided Éponine. Gilbert lifted Théo in his arms, and Zach took Pénélope's hand. Éponine noticed the older boy was fairly tender with his adopted siblings. Once they had left the room, attention went back to the secret that had just been revealed.
"Gabe, why didn't you tell us?" Régis asked.
"It wasn't my story to tell." He responded simply.
"I don't understand why it's a big deal…" Adrienne said, taking Gilbert's seat between her siblings.
"So you're parents are con-artists. Your sister is pregnant and engaged, to Antoine Courfeyrac, no less. Your brother has been in an orphanage all his life, and you just want to be an elementary school teacher with your life? Why do you think you deserve to be with my son?" Jackie said.
No one spoke. Éponine blanched. She was right. She was exactly right. There was no reason that she deserved anyone even half the man Gabe was. Her life was so messed up and he didn't deserve to have to deal with that. He spent the last month cooped up in his room working on the case to win custody over her brother, even though there was no guarantee they would win, or that Éponine was even capable of care for the boy.
"Because I said so." Gabe said.
"What? This has nothing to do with you." Jackie said.
"This has everything to do with me! It's my life. Mine and Éponine's. And Gavroche's. Not yours. I just expect you to support me. Éponine is an amazing woman. Gavroche is a great kid. Azelma is wonderful as well, and is marrying one of my best friends. Éponine is the hardest worker I have ever met. She is paying her whole way through college and works her butt off to keep her scholarships and make more money for the rest of her tuition and her sister's. Now she's trying to save even more money so that the judges will let her take custody of her little brother. She got herself and her sister out of her parents' house and has been the best possible partner I could have asked for to do this project with.
"Over the last few months, we've grown very close, and I can't imagine spending anymore of my life without her. No, Mom, don't have a heart attack. I'm not asking her to marry me, we have too many of those happening in our group. If you don't accept her, all of you, we can leave first thing tomorrow. I don't plan on giving either of these two wonderful people up anytime soon. But I do want to ask, Ép, Gav, will you come live with me after this semester is over?"
There were tears in her eyes, but looking at the excited look on Gav's face, she nodded at her boyfriend, who swiftly rose, came over to her, and swept her to her feet, kissing her soundly. She was full on crying now, but it was out of happiness. After Gabe put her back on her feet, he motioned for the boy to come over and join them. The older students both hugged the eight-year-old, before turning to look at the Enjolras'. Adrienne also had tears streaming down her face, but she was smiling and nodding.
"So?" He asked them.
"'El! That was so romantic!" Adrienne squealed.
"Thanks, 'Enne. How about you, Dad?" Gabe said, going on to the next most likely to agree with him.
"I don't know when you turned into such a sap, son, but if she makes you happy, she is a saint in my eyes." Régis said.
"Mom?"
She didn't respond for a moment. She and Adélaïde exchanged some glances before she looked back at the three. "I guess she is welcome in our house. But you must understand, it will take some getting used to." Jackie said and Éponine sighed out of relief.
"What about you, 'Laide?" Gabe asked. Éponine tightened her hand on his, and he squeezed back.
Adélaïde, in response, got up and left. Éponine's heart stopped. Adrienne got up to go after her sister, sparing a worried glance for the couple. Éponine curled into Gabe as he wrapped his arms around her.
"I'm sorry, Éponine. Why don't you guys head upstairs to get ready for bed. It's getting late. We'll deal with Adélaïde. She'll come around, eventually." Régis said, getting up. Gabe helped Éponine and Gavroche up the stairs and let Éponine get ready for bed while he tucked the boy in.
"Will Eppy be okay?" The boy asked.
"Eventually. Your sister is so strong, and I meant everything I said downstairs. We will probably leave really soon after lunch tomorrow, unless Adélaïde apologizes. Sleep well, bud." Gabe said.
"Night." Gav responded. Gabe shut the lights off, shut the door, and then went knocked on his childhood bedroom door.
"Ép, can I come in?" He asked. There was no response, so he tried the door. It was unlocked, so he walked in, but couldn't see his girlfriend. The bathroom door was open, and he saw that the room was dark. Not finding Éponine, he went to look in the other room, where his parents thought she was sleeping. He knocked on the door, and although there was no response, he heard movement. He opened the door and his heart dropped.
Éponine was laying on the still-made bed, her head buried in the pillows, sobbing. He could see black makeup already running on the pillows. He ran over to the bed and wrapped his arms around the girl, burying his head in her hair. "Oh, Ép. Éponine. Everything will be alright. Shhh. Calm down, sweetheart. It's okay." He whispered to her.
"No, it's not. How can you even say that? Your mom was right. I don't deserve you. She knows it, Adélaïde knows it. I know it. You probably do, too." She said, still crying.
"Éponine, that's not true. You didn't know me before. I was so boring and antisocial. I only had the Amis, and even they all didn't like me. They just respected me as a leader. Then, Cosette introduced us, and I had a reason to be social and to leave my books. I had a reason to actually live. It was you. It was you and Gavroche. I really can't imagine my life without the two of you. That's why we have to win this court case. That's why I want to get a house for the three of us. That's why I'm thinking about the future, and not just my career and education.
"I'm thinking about all of the weddings we will be attending in the near future, together. I'm thinking of how long I have to wait into our relationship before I can propose to you. I'm saving my money, too, so that we can pay for our wedding if my parents won't help. I'm thinking about where we could build a house together to raise a family in, past Gavroche. I've been thinking about all of this. I never thought I would have any thoughts about this. I thought I would just live out my life in a small, one bedroom apartment. In forty years, I would just be an old, cranky attorney, who only concerned himself with his job." He told her, wiping her tears away.
"Éponine, I love you so much. No one can change that, ever." He said, sincerely.
"I love you, too." She relented. While there were still tears running down her face, she kissed him. They kissed, innocently, for a while before Gabe broke away.
"Come to bed with me, please." He pleaded. She nodded and tried to stand up, but he wouldn't let her. He placed a hand on her back, and the other swooped her knees out from under her.
"Gabe!" She shrieked.
"I've got you. You've had a hard night." He told her. She tucked herself into him. Once they got to his room, he threw her a t-shirt and pair of shorts to change into, and went to the bathroom to change into his pajama pants. When he came back in, Éponine was tucked into the bed, asleep. He crawled in next to her and pulled her close.
"Good night, Ép." He said, kissing her forehead, and then falling asleep himself.
A/N: In rereading this, I realized that the 'climax' of this chapter, and probably the most dramatic part of this story actually happens really quickly and even I wasn't sure what happened... Regardless, I hope you liked this chapter. I got a couple responses to my last AN, but I still would like more votes. Here's a reminder:
1. Suggestions regarding the court case.
2. The Courfeyrac baby.
3. Sequel. I have some ideas formed, but if there's anything you want to see in a sequel, any resolutions or problems, let me know!
I have a lot of stories in progress, but I don't publish until I'm sure I have an ending, or will be able to finish. If you want any say in what I post next, check out my profile and let me know what sounds good to you. I also take commissions, but I will make no guarantees that they will be finished. I will try my hardest, however. Read and review for me, please! Have a wonderful week, and I'll see you with Chapter 20? Next week!