Chapter 39: The Friendship

The bells rang. Esmeralda and Claude met eyes as they lay in bed. They didn't speak. Claude was still in awe that Esmeralda had wanted to spend the night with him, and Esmeralda felt more awkward than anything. But she didn't allow herself to think what she was tempted to think, that it was somehow wrong or shameful for her to let herself be in this position. Claude didn't judge her for it, so she tried to see it the way he did and not judge herself either.

"Good morning." Claude finally said.

Esmeralda barely smiled.

"Good morning." She returned.

"Breakfast?" Claude offered.

Esmeralda nodded.

They had a quiet breakfast together. Neither of them knew what to talk about, since the idea of being friends was still hard to grasp. Claude eventually mentioned that he had more construction to work on today.

"I'll be busy until sundown." He planned.

Esmeralda was impressed by Claude's efforts. He was engaging in labor that no one expected of a judge, even one who had crimes to pay for.

"I could stop by later." Esmeralda suggested. "Bring you some lunch."

"I'd appreciate that." Claude approved.

He went to one of the construction sites after breakfast. The first projects had been finished. New ones were starting now. It seemed like the work would never end, but Claude was determined to see it through.

Esmeralda arrived at noon at the house Claude was currently working on. He smiled when he noticed her, pausing his work to meet her. Esmeralda handed a rag to him, which he used to wipe the accumulating sweat from his skin.

"It's good to see you." Claude said gratefully.

He hoped it wasn't excessive to say that when he'd seen Esmeralda just that morning. But Esmeralda wasn't bothered by it. Life was lonely right now. She was glad to have someone who was happy to see her. She smiled.

"Same to you." She returned. "Are you hungry?"

"Of course I am."

For a while they sat on a log, eating together. Esmeralda brought up the topic of her literacy education.

"I want to practice my reading more." She shared. "Can we do that later?"

"Absolutely." Claude agreed. "I must say, you're getting quite good."

"I feel lucky. I never thought I'd learn to read."

"I feel lucky to have the privilege of teaching you."

They looked at each other fondly.

Just across the street, Elaine was passing by. She noticed Claude and Esmeralda, looking ever so happy together. She smiled. How nice for them.


Quasimodo was happy when Elaine visited again. He quickly showed her his newest carving, which depicted her. The paint had just dried.

"This is lovely!" Elaine praised. "Thank you for making it!"

"I'm glad you like it!" Quasimodo said happily. "How is your day going?"

"Very well." Elaine replied. "I was just walking through town. I saw Judge Frollo. He's working construction! Can you believe that?"

"Um... Yes. I've seen it."

"Esmeralda was with him. It seems she brought him lunch. That was very thoughtful."

"She did?! I mean... Yes. She is very thoughtful."

Elaine became concerned.

"Quasimodo, is something wrong?"

"What? No! I'm fine."

"It's just that... Whenever I mention those two, you seem unhappy."

"Well... It's complicated."

"They seem like good people. And Esmeralda is your friend, isn't she?"

"Yes... But... I don't know how to explain. Like I said, it's complicated."

Quasimodo picked up his deck of cards and shuffled them.

"Why don't we play a game?" He suggested.

Elaine smiled.

"Sounds fun!" She replied.

She could tell that Quasimodo was bothered by something, but he clearly didn't want to talk about it now. Elaine understood. She was willing to give him space until he was ready to explain whatever complicated thing was going on.


"Now suited up, he rode through Arthur's..."

Esmeralda paused. She struggled to read the last word of the line.

"Realm." Claude read.

Esmeralda nodded.

"Now suited up, he rode through Arthur's realm, Sir Gawain in God's care, and found this game was not fun."

Esmeralda chuckled.

"Now that sounds like an understatement." She said with a smirk.

"Indeed." Claude chuckled. "He's on his way to his death and finds it 'not fun'."

Esmeralda looked at Claude playfully.

"What?" Claude asked.

"If I remember correctly," Esmeralda reminisced. "When we started reading this book, you were very unimpressed when I laughed."

Claude remembered. He realized that he'd never found this book remotely funny before.

"I've changed in many ways." He observed.

"Apparently one of those changes is gaining a sense of humor." Esmeralda commented.

"Well, I've realized how fun this is." Claude explained.

"Reading?" Esmeralda asked.

"Being friends with you." Claude clarified.

Esmeralda hesitated. She knew that Claude wanted to be her friend, but hearing him call their relationship a friendship was still remarkable. She remembered when nearly every word out of her mouth had been a nuisance to the judge. She knew he'd changed his mind about her, but this was still remarkable. What had once been a relationship full of hatred and bickering was now a pleasant and humorous one. It was hard to believe.

Claude realized that he may have said something inappropriate. He didn't know if Esmeralda really considered him a friend.

"I'm sorry." He apologized. "What I mean is... I regard you as my friend. I don't know if you quite feel the same about me."

Esmeralda closed the book and set it aside.

"Things are still complicated." She said disappointedly. "But I like you, and I know you're there for me. So yes, I do see you as a friend."

Claude wished that nothing was complicated, but things were better than ever between him and Esmeralda. Better than he deserved. A sentimental expression formed across his face.

For a second Esmeralda worried that she'd upset him by mentioning the complications, but Claude soon let her know what he was thinking.

"That is more of an honor you can imagine." He told her.

Esmeralda was taken aback.

"An honor?" She questioned.

"I am honored," Claude repeated. "That someone as wonderful as you could call me a friend."

That was a kind of compliment that Esmeralda had never heard. Claude saw more significance in her than she had ever seen in herself.

"I'm honored that you think that." Esmeralda shared.

She meant it, and Claude knew that. He only wished that she saw herself exactly as he did.

Just to show his admiration more physically, he took her hand and gently kissed it.

Esmeralda smiled. Claude smiled back at her.


Sorry this one took a while! The next chapter will come sooner. Thanks for reading and especially for the comments! They really mean a lot.