Running

9

Running Nine

A week after Enjolras encouraged her to tell Grantaire about her husband, Eponine finally mustered up the courage to finally talk about it. She waited by her window until she saw Grantaire's car pull into his driveway, and with shaky hands, she began her walk over to his house. He was just getting out of the car when she stepped onto the driveway. She wound around the car and wrapped her arms around his neck, hoping his strong, sure self would steady her. He chuckled quietly, and when they pulled away, he smiled at her.

"If only I could get a greeting like this every evening," he grinned, pressing a kiss to her forehead.

Eponine kept her hands on his shoulders. She managed a slight smile.

"Listen, there is something I want to talk to you about."

Grantaire's eyebrows furrowed, "Is everything alright, Ep?"

She nodded, "Yes, but it has to do with why I wasn't truthful with you to begin with. Why I used my sister's identity."

Grantaire's green eyes held a look of worry, and he brushed a hand through her dark hair.

"Alright. Hang on, and I'll be right over."

Eponine nodded and headed back to her house, sitting on her small sofa. Only a few minutes later, Grantaire walked into the living room, having only partly discarded his work clothes. He still wore his button-up shirt, vest, and slacks. He sat down beside her on the sofa and intertwined their fingers.

"I talked to Enjolras at the cafe the other night because he could read me like I was a book. He encouraged me to tell you what I am running from, and I think I've finally worked up the courage to talk about it. Well, some of it," she explained, staring down at their tangled hands.

Grantaire's thumb gently stroked her wrist, "I'm all ears."

Eponine took a deep breath and began, starting all the way at the beginning of her childhood. She told him about living in the slums with her abusive, drunkard father and a mother that simply didn't care. She told him all the heinous things her father would do, being highly involved in a gang, and he would do some of those things to her. When she began to talk about Azelma, emotion began to bubble in her chest. She felt hot tears sting her eyes as she replayed the night her little sister died. Grantaire reached up and wiped her tears away as she told him that she pleaded for her father to stop hurting Azelma, but he was too drunk and biligerent. Eponine thought she was going to break down when she explained that she held her sobbing sister, trying to comfort her in her final moments. No matter how hard she tried, she could never explain the way it felt to feel the life leave Azelma, she would never be able to forget it. It was something that haunted her every moment of every day. She smiled slightly as she told Grantaire that she sang Azelma's favorite song to her as she held her, and she told him what it felt like for Azelma to tell her that she loved her right before she closed her eyes forever. She knew that if she dwelled on Azelma for too long, she would never be able to continue, so she moved on. Eponine explained that she tried to start a good life for herself, but kept getting trapped in abusive relationships, specifically with Montparnasse. Then, all that was left to tell him was the topic of Marius.

She paused and looked up at Grantaire, squeezing his hand, "That's all back story I guess. That's not what I'm really running from."

"You can tell me anything," he assured her.

She held her breath before letting it out heavily, "I'm running from...from my husband."

She waited for a comment or a look, something that would tell her she had just lost the only person who had cared about her in years, but it wasn't there. Grantaire just looked at her patiently, waiting for her to continue.

"He was Prince Charming when we were dating, but then he just turned into a monster, right after we were married. He name is Marius Pontmercy, so I'm technically Eponine Pontmercy. I knew I had to get out, or he would eventually kill me, so when he left for a business trip, I ran. I needed to start over completely, so I took my sister's name, then when you found out my real name, I kept my maiden name. I never expected to meet someone like you, someone who actually cares about me. I'm sorry."

Eponine couldn't look at him. She'd just told the man she has begun to like that she is already married, married to a monster. She felt Grantaire's fingers under her chin, pulling her face up to look at him. His green eyes pooled with water.

"You have nothing to be sorry for, Ep. Nothing at all. I am so sorry you've had to go through all this, but I swear to you, I will never hurt you intentionally in any way. I will never lay a hand on you or put you down verbally."

She looked at him in confusion, "But doesn't this change things, Grant? I am married."

"Yes, it changes things. It changes how we proceed, but I will figure this out. We can talk to Enjolras, see if there is any way we can end your marriage with that piece of crap without him finding out where you are. Just because you are still married to your horribly abusive husband doesn't mean I will leave you or write you out of my life. I care about you, deeply. I won't go anywhere unless you want me to go," he explained.

Eponine let out a sigh of relief and tears flooded her vision. She collapsed onto Grantaire's chest, taking deep breaths, and she let his strong arms encircle her.

"Thank you Grant," she breathed.

"Anything, Ep," he replied, rubbing her back, simply letting her know he was there.