I am sitting just inside of the mouth of an alleyway, a child latched onto my breast staring up at me as best she could. I've been in this town for about two weeks now, my daughter's entire life, because the doctor who delivered her suggested – highly recommended, really – that I don't travel with an infant in two. Who am I to go against that?

Just yesterday, the constables in this damn town – Digne, I think – caught a man – an ex-convict, I hear – for stealing from the church. I heard that the bishop let him go, saying that they were gifts. The man let off was just about to leave the city when he spotted me. He says that I remind him of his sister and her child. He introduced himself as Jean Valjean, and asked for mine – Fantine Tholomyès, and my daughter Cosette. He came again just this morning, saying that he's staying in this town because of the two of us. He sits across from me now, looking out into the street that our alley branches off of, a ring in his hand. I don't know what it's for just yet, but I have a feeling that whatever it's for, it includes me. We are silent as the clock tower marks the time – two o'clock – and I look from the clock to the man across from me and ask, "What's the ring for?"

"It's a gift from the bishop, says it's supposed to remind me my soul belongs to God, that I'm an honest man now."

I know that's a lie now, realizing its meaning. I smile, sensing the child at my breast has removed her mouth from me and fallen asleep. I rearrange my clothing to cover my breast again, laying the child in my lap to do so. I know it's a wedding ring, and a tiny little voice in the back of my mind says, 'It's for you, Fantine. He loves you.' I shake it away as soon as the thought passes and ask him, "Who are you proposing to, M'sieur?"

"I haven't known her for that long," he says, finally looking at me. "She's a beautiful woman, has a young child …"

That little voice in the back of my mind comes back, louder this time. 'Say yes, Fantine. He loves you. Félix did, but he left you. You can't do that to Jean.' Another voice says, 'You can't. You need to wait for Félix. It only seems right.' That first voice says, 'Félix won't come back. Jean is as close as Cosette will ever get as a father.'

"… golden hair, beautiful smile." Subconsciously, I must have realized that he had completely described me, and it takes me a moment to consciously realize as much. He shifts to a kneeling position in front of me, telling me to stand up. I take my infant daughter in my arms and stand, looking at him. He says to me, "Fantine, I know all too well that Cosette isn't my child, but I will be the best father that I could be. Would you marry me?" He offers me the ring.

Slightly shocked, I say yes. He stands up and kisses me, minding the child as he does so, then suggests, "We should marry as soon as possible."

"I'm sure that Bishop Myriel would be glad to do the honors." I say, looking back at the church.

He smiles, taking my hand, and leads me to the church, where we meet the bishop on the front steps. He asks Jean if he is certain of what he is doing, then asks me of the same. The both of us say that we are certain of it, and then he leads us into the church and performs a short, simple wedding for the sake of the infant. He offers us rooming in the house next door, his and his sister's home, saying that she'd be glad for the company it's just been the two of them for so long. My husband accepts, and the two of us and my – no. Our – daughter follow him to their house and to the room we're to stay in. He looks over at me and smiles as the bishop continues to talk to us, but neither of us are really listening to him. He lets us into the room and shuts the door behind us after saying, "Enjoy your stay here."

Jean takes the child from me, allowing me to flop down on the bed, something I'm grateful for since I've been sleeping on whatever I could find for the past month. He sits next to me as I close my eyes and says, "We did it, Fantine. We did it."

"We did it," I repeat in a whisper as he takes my hand. "And I'm glad. I thank you, honey. We're going to raise her the best we can, won't we?"

I feel him nod as he lightly kisses my hand and says, "You look tired, Fantine. Get some sleep."

Despite it being just after two in the afternoon, I desperately need the sleep. He lets go of my hand and I turn over, a million thoughts racing through my head. The last one that runs through my head before sleep takes me over is, 'Only time will tell how the two of us work out. Only time will tell.'