𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐲 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐢 𝐜𝐫𝐲 [ 𝘫. 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘤𝘢𝘮𝘱𝘴 ]

épilogue

eight years later, 1970

Eponine's dress was flowy and light, and covered in embroidered flowers. Simone kept fussing over her hair. "Why won't you sit still?" she exclaimed. "Just jitters," Eponine replied. "Well you can jitter after, be still now."

She'd composed the music herself, which she was very proud of. She'd shown her dad a few weeks ago, and he looked like he was about to cry. "Your mother would be proud," he wept. Her relationship with Sylvie had never fully restored to what it was before she first heard about the engagement, but the two women could get along fine.

Eponine was just happy that Colette was freed from arranged marriage. Colette was currently seventeen, and always had paint-covered hands. She was currently busy arranging the flower baskets, but came in when that was done. She seemed to be hiding something behind her back, and she had a smile plastered on her face.

"You know, in old Norse and Germanic culture it was considered good luck to receive a cat on your wedding day. It stands for love and fertility," Colette said, her melodious voice catching the attention of all the women in the room.

Eponine gasped. "You did not!"

Colette smirked, and brought her hand forward from behind her back. A tiny orange kitten began roaring loudly, and Eponine immediately lurched forward. "Oh my god, what a cutie!"

"Do you want to know his name?" Colette asked. Eponine furiously nodded.

"Colby Jack," the teen smiled. Eponine felt her eyes prickle at the thought of her old cat, who had unfortunately passed away soon after Eponine left for the Royal Conservatory. "You're making me cry," Eponine laughed in sadness.

"Don't. Your makeup is too pretty for that, and old Colby would probably just try to bite your nose or ears to make you stop," Colette smiled. "Please don't bite my ears or nose," Eponine replied.

. . .

three years later, Joseph.

Colby Jack Jr. laid in Camille's cradle. For some reason unbeknownst to Joseph, his daughter loved the absolute menace of a cat. Maybe Colby Jack just hated Joseph. Which sucked for him, because old Colby Jack had loved him.

Maybe Colette should've listened to him, and gotten them a puppy as a gift instead. But now he was stuck with a big orange arsehole of a cat who was dead-set on hating him.

Unfortunately for him, Camille loved the beast. Colby Jack let her tug on his fur, and only slapped her without nails, which was a big thing because he loved using his nails. He also let her use him as a pillow, and would slap Joseph to get away from Camille when she fell asleep on his chest.

He'd immediately stopped smoking when Eponine became pregnant, not wanting any toxic fumes near her and their daughter.

"Mon ange, could you take Camille from her crib?" he called through the staircase of the house they bought with the money they earned by selling their father's companies. He heard his wife laugh from their office. "Is Colby Jack in there?" she called back. "Yeah."

He heard Eponine's light step ascend the stairs, open the door and enter the nursery. "I swear if the stupid cat keeps hogging my daughter I'll—"

Eponine pressed a quick kiss to his lips to shut him up, before reaching into the cradle and handing him Camille. Colby Jack meowed in protest, but let her do it. Joseph was baffled once more. "I don't know how you do it," he marvelled.

Eponine giggled. "Colby Jack just really likes us girls, don't you Jackie?" she turned to the stupid red beast in the cradle, and scratched his ears. Joseph grumbled. "Don't tell me you're jealous of your cat, Jo," she laughed.