CROWN PRINCE | LES MISÉRABLES

77.

"Mama, am I royal?", Timothy asked.
"Yes, you are. Partly at least."
"What was Papa's work before he passed?"

"A wonderful father figure for you. An artist, a terrible cook, a kind person."
"I wish to be just like him.", he said.

"Oh, you already are just so much like him. Your face, your hair, your eyes. Everything is your father's. You have my nose though.", I said, chuckling.

"Can I be the father figure for my sibling?", he asked.
"Of course you can. But you don't need to be. I have raised you alone as well. You know, when we lived in the Netherlands?", I said.

We remembered the time. How beautiful it was. Bastien and I had discovered the place in 1830. We went ice skating and were so in love. Good times that I will never forget.

"Mama, Combeferre is here.", Timothy yelled.

I got up from where I sat and walked to the door.

"Bonjour Madame, I came to deliver this to you. Bastien had Feuilly made this for your wedding day. Feuilly couldn't finish it in time."

I opened the small box and inside was a necklace with three letters attached to it. One was an A, the other a B, and the last one a T. It was our initials.

"It is beautiful."
"He wanted to give it to you as a present."
"He was just torn out of life too quickly."

"How are you?"
"I feel numb. I do not have any tears left. I want to cry but I cannot. I need to be strong for my children."
"Bastien loved you all."
"I know. And he still does. I feel it. I feel it in my heart.", I said.

"Do you eat enough?"
"I have to. My baby needs to be nourished."
"Exactly."
"Will you come inside?"
"Of course."

He walked past me. Combeferre had been one of his best friends and he tried to cheer me up. He would give me all the presents Bastien wanted to give me. Where he had them from, I don't know. I was moved. Those little presents made my heart flutter.

I went to the kitchen for some water. It was unreal for me. This house used to be filled with laughter and now it was silent. No more random dancing, no more loving words whispered in my ears.

It was like all life had been sucked out of this house. It was like all life had been sucked out of me.