|
Post by Evelyn on Mar 4, 2008 20:25:41 GMT -5
*Once again, she blushed*
"I'm sorry...I mean..."
*She looked down at her hands. And said, almost too low to hear: *
"I love you."
|
|
|
Post by Marius on Mar 4, 2008 20:30:51 GMT -5
"I--you--what?"
*He just stared at her, the words so unexpected that he didn't know how else to react.*
|
|
|
Post by Evelyn on Mar 4, 2008 20:42:17 GMT -5
*Somehow, she gained the courage to look him in the eye*
"I have loved you ever since I knew what love meant, Marius. I just...I never said anything before because I knew we'd have no future. Servants don't marry the master of the house."
*Marius' expression turned to one of sadness*
"Lisette. I shouldn't say as much, but...I never thought that way. Did you think I felt nothing for any of your family? You all were friends to me. If you'd given me a chance..."
*The last words hung in the air, as though waiting for something that had no name. Finally, Lisette let out a sob*
"I ruined my own chance? I could have--"
Could have had what I'd wanted.
*She let out another sob at the news, her head in her hands*
"Lisette, please, I'm sorry...I shouldn't have said anything..."
*He reached out to touch her, when suddenly she spun around and grabbed him by the lapels. With a fierce strength she didn't know she possessed, she pulled Marius to her and kissed him with all the emotion that she'd held back for so many years. A burning kiss of regret, yearning, and love*
|
|
|
Post by Aimée-Cosette on Mar 4, 2008 20:47:37 GMT -5
*Aimee walked out into the garden at just that moment, whistling a merry tune and intending on collecting some roses. And then she froze. No sound escaped her but for a soft gasp, quiet as was everything she did. Her shears fell to the ground after her hand went limp, and she could have sworn her heart stopped beating. Right before it broke, of course. She was overcome by a tearing feeling... as if something was inside her chest, trying to claw its way out.*
*She didn't glare, she didn't tear up... her eyes were blank with shock. After her momentary paralysis, she turned and stumbled as quickly as she could in the direction of the house. But before she could turn, before she could hide, those blue-green eyes showed more hurt and pain than any action or word could. The door slammed, and she was gone, up to the nursery.*
|
|
|
Post by Marius on Mar 4, 2008 20:55:11 GMT -5
*The shock of what Lisette was doing rooted him to the spot, but before he could break the kiss, there was Aimee...and then she was gone... He almost violently tore himself away from Lisette and ran across the garden* "Aimee! AIMEE!" *And disappeared into the house *
|
|
|
Post by Evelyn on Mar 4, 2008 21:05:45 GMT -5
*Lisette let him leave, standing limply in front of her beloved flowers as she listened to the distant sounds of him calling for Aimee. Her face almost milk-pale, she carefully set down the clippers near the flowers, then removed her gardening apron to fold it and set it neatly down by the clippers. Blank-faced, she turned and began to half-walk, half-run out of the garden and off the Pontmercy House grounds. *
|
|
|
Post by Marius on Mar 4, 2008 22:32:41 GMT -5
**A FEW DAYS LATER** ((A.k.a., before babywangst)) *Marius was wondering, ghostlike, through the house. Ever since Aimee's retreat from the world, he'd done almost nothing else. One day, not long after the angst in the garden, Colette came up to Marius, wringing her hands and looking a bit wan herself* "Monsieur, have you seen Lisette? I've looked about everywhere and I can't find her." *Marius stared blankly for a moment, then slowly shook his head* "I'm sorry, Colette, I have not." *Colette let out a sob* "No one has seen her! She gone missing, monsieur! My daughter--" *She quickly regained her composure.* "It is not like her." *Marius watched her leave with mixed feelings. On the one hand, he worried that Lisette might have gone and done something even more foolish than her action in the garden. On the other, he was still upset with her for disrupting the balance of his household. With a sigh, he put the other servants on the alert, imploring everyone to keep an eye out on their trips through Paris for Lisette. It was all anyone could do, really. Meanwhile, Marius continued to haunt the house like a ghost... *
|
|
|
Post by Aimée-Cosette on Mar 9, 2008 21:19:15 GMT -5
**LATER**
*Aimee was in the garden, months after Marius's departure, fawning over her children. They were under a large parasol, on a blanket in the grass. It was a beautiful summer's day, but Aimee was still deeply affected by Marius's departure. She delighted in each new thing their children learned, but wished he could be there to see, too... now they were babbling in baby sentences, and Alain could walk if she held his hands and let him lean his weight against them.*
*Johanna sat on the blanket, giggling as her mother walked Alain around. Her downy hair had grown into curls, just like her mother's, and both twins' eyes had taken up different shades: Jo's the clear blue of her Maman's and Alain a dark, greenish shade (which was nonetheless still blue and showed no signs of becoming anything else).*
*Aimee laughed as Alain squealed loudly and Johanna giggled softly behind chubby hands.*
|
|
|
Post by Aimée-Cosette on Mar 10, 2008 20:43:17 GMT -5
*Aimee smiled at his little concentrating face, letting him use her hands.*
*Johanna bounced but reached out and grabbed his feet.*
|
|
|
Post by galileo on Apr 13, 2008 15:11:18 GMT -5
**NEW DAY**
*The morning after the return of Marius and his mother found Thérèse out in the garden, quietly eating breakfast in a somewhat subdued manner. Though she was surrounded by the beauty and riot of the many colored flowers, she seemed more in tune with the black mouring dress she wore. Her gaze was distant, going over memories*
|
|
|
Post by Aimée-Cosette on Apr 13, 2008 15:16:57 GMT -5
*Alain marched boldly into the garden in front of his mother and sister, babbling loudly. Aimee arrived laughing and holding baby Johanna, who had a big grin on her face. Aimee was in light pink muslin, and Johanna and Alain were both in bright white baby clothes. Jo's were lace-edged. She'd come out here to spend the morning in the spring-bright garden with the newly-awakened babies, but paused when she spied Marius's mother. Oh, dear lord, the impression she must have made on the woman last night...*
*Alain wandered off into the garden (it wasn't very large and Aimee wasn't worried about his ability to scream very loudly if he was hurt). Aimee curtseyed as best she could with a baby in her arms. Her rank was technically above that of her mother-in-law, but she felt obligated to curtsey nonetheless.*
"Bon matin, Madame."
|
|
|
Post by galileo on Apr 13, 2008 15:25:22 GMT -5
*Her melancholy completely vanished when Aimee appeared with the children. She smiled at them warmly, gracefully getting to her feet and walking over to her daughter-in-law and grandbabies.*
"My dear, I appreciate the thought, but you don't have to curtsey."
|
|
|
Post by Aimée-Cosette on Apr 13, 2008 15:28:07 GMT -5
"I, well... I... " *She stammered.* "I'm Aimee-Cosette." *She said finally.* "And this is Johanna." *She gestured to the baby in her arms who blinked at Therese curiously.* "And Alain just wandered off into the garden..."
*She knew that Therese had probably already heard her name, but introductions were, at least, somewhat less than awkward.*
|
|
|
Post by galileo on Apr 13, 2008 15:34:06 GMT -5
"And I am Marie-Thérèse, though Thérèse will do fine. I'm so glad to finally get to meet you all. The three of you were all he ever spoke of, you know."
|
|
|
Post by Aimée-Cosette on Apr 13, 2008 15:36:28 GMT -5
*She smiled softly.* "I can imagine, though I don't think I'm that interesting. I go by Aimee, by the way. Cosette... well, it's long, and it has some... connotations to it."
|
|