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“Why up so early, Fanny?”
Fantine turned around and smiled at her partner, Favourite, then pointed to Cosette who was gulping down breakfast.
“The child needed breakfast.”
Cosette looked up when she heard herself mentioned and both women smiled at her. By now they knew better than to try to touch her unless she touched first. It hurt Fantine to see her child so hurt, but she knew she could do nothing but be a caring mother until Cosette was able to trust her.
“Hey, you should go to bed. I’ll watch Cosette,” she cut Fantine off before she could protest about Cosette needing someone to watch her.
“But you must be exhausted also. You still have your makeup on.”
“And that’s exactly why I should watch Cosette. Go to sleep; I’ll sleep in the afternoon. Besides we both have a show tonight and we both know that it takes you longer to put on makeup so you should take the afternoon shift.”
“I don’t like leaving Cosette all alone with only Mabeuf every night,” Fantine said, as Favourite helped her unlace her corset. Mabeuf was an old bookseller that slept in their house every night and in payment watched Cosette while Fantine and Favourite were at work as opera singers.
“She likes Mabeuf.”
“I know, but she needs me. Children need their mothers.”
“Listen, Fantine.” Favourite sat on their bed, next to her, and took her hands in her own. “It’s not your fault. You had no choice. And you couldn’t know how awful the Thénardiers were going to be.”
“But-”
“Hush, it’s not an argument.” She kissed her forehead. “Now go to sleep and I’ll watch Cosette.”