A Promise

Chapter Eighteen

        It was evening, and I stood in Musichetta's bedroom with my eyes closed. 'Chetta had invited me to her house and was helping me get ready for my date with Enjolras. She had finished sewing my all my new dresses, and had firmly instructed me to keep my eyes shut tightly before she revealed her handiwork.

        "Can I peek yet?" I asked impatiently.

        "Wait a minute... Okay,  open your eyes."

        I did so, and let out a gasp of delight as I beheld the dresses Musichetta had made for me. "'Chetta, they're beautiful! Thank you so much!" I cried happily. 'Chetta had really outdone herself. The dresses were gorgeous, each one sewn to perfection.

        "I thought you might like to wear this one to the wedding," 'Chetta said, indicating the dark green one. "Bossuet seemed to like it the most."

        "Oh, you showed these to Bossuet?" I asked.

        "Of course!" 'Chetta replied. "I show him everything I make. Besides Joly, he is my closest confidant. He's like my brother."

        Bossuet doesn't feel that way, I thought to myself. My heart ached for Bossuet. The poor man was forced to watch his best friend and the girl of his dreams fall in love and get married, and he could not do anything about it. Thinking about Bossuet's predicament was beginning to depress me, so I quickly changed the subject. "Which dress should I wear tonight?" I asked.

        "How about this one?" Musichetta replied, holding up a dark blue dress with black lace. I held it against my body and smiled. "It's perfect!"

        I changed into the dress. The light material was soft and smooth against my skin. Musichetta combed by hair and pinned it into a high bun on the back of my head. She offered me a silver necklace to wear with the dress, but I turned it down. "Thanks, 'Chetta, but I'll stick with the ring Enjolras gave me."

        'Chetta smiled. "You look beautiful. Enjolras should count himself lucky to have a girl like you."

        I looked into the mirror, and I could not keep the smile off my face. 'Chetta had truly worked magic with me. I felt like a princess going to a ball. "Enjolras will be here in a few minutes," I said. "Oh, 'Chetta, I'm so nervous! What if I do something foolish and mess everything up?" 

        "You won't," 'Chetta promised. "Everything will go perfectly."

        "How do know that for sure?" I asked.

        "Because you and Enjolras were meant to be together!" 'Chetta said. "The way you look at each other is the same way Joly and I look at each other. You can't mess up something that was meant to be."

        "Thank you, 'Chetta," I said, giving my friend a grateful hug.

        "That's what friends are for," 'Chetta said, returning my embrace. We heard a knock on the door.

        "He's here," 'Chetta said. "Good luck, honey. You're going to have the best time of your life."

        I smiled nervously as 'Chetta and I walked to the door. 'Chetta opened the door, and Enjolras stepped inside. He was wearing a neat suit with a red jacket. His normally messy blonde hair was combed neatly. He looked more nervous than I was. In his hand, he held a small basket covered with a red cloth. When he saw me, his eyes widened. "Mademoiselle," he said, taking my hand reverently. "Your beauty never ceases to amaze me."

        I giggled softly. "Since when do you call me 'mademoiselle'?" I asked. Enjolras shrugged. "I thought you might like it."

        "I like it when you call me 'Ep.'" I told him. "It always makes me smile."