"Isn't he the most wonderful thing you've ever seen?" demanded Bell, holding out her newborn child for all to see.
"Of course he is, he has to be," said Hamfast gruffly. "He's your son, after all."
Frodo said nothing. He simply stared in awe at the tiny pink creature, who was boredly blowing spit bubbles. He seemed to Frodo perfect in every way. The moment was shattered by the baby's older brother, Halfred, who came running in from outside and knocked Frodo over.
"Hey! Watch it!" he protested, shoving Hal off onto the floor.
"I just wanted to know if second breakfast was ready yet," Hal grumbled, pulling himself up to his elbows.
"No, and it won't be if you don't make it yourself," The Gaffer replied.
"What?" said Hal.
"Your mother's a bit busy, in case you haven't noticed."
As Halfred stomped off towards his room, Frodo asked, "Have you thought of a name for him yet?"
"We're going to call him Samwise," said Bell, her eyes shining with pride. Samwise belched to highlight the importance of the moment.
"It's a nice name," said the twelve-year-old Frodo sincerely. "It suits him." Samwise gazed at him steadily, holding his arms out and squealing.
"I think he wants you to hold him," said Bell. Frodo gently took her burden and held him up above his head. Just then Samwise belched again, and a stream of breakfast hit Frodo in the eye.
"Eeew…" he muttered, wiping at his face, but still holding onto the giggling baby, who was now amusing himself by tugging at his curly hair. "Stop that!" he protested, gently pushing his hand away.
Neither of them knew it, but it was the beginning of a great friendship that would last beyond both their lifetimes.
"Of course he is, he has to be," said Hamfast gruffly. "He's your son, after all."
Frodo said nothing. He simply stared in awe at the tiny pink creature, who was boredly blowing spit bubbles. He seemed to Frodo perfect in every way. The moment was shattered by the baby's older brother, Halfred, who came running in from outside and knocked Frodo over.
"Hey! Watch it!" he protested, shoving Hal off onto the floor.
"I just wanted to know if second breakfast was ready yet," Hal grumbled, pulling himself up to his elbows.
"No, and it won't be if you don't make it yourself," The Gaffer replied.
"What?" said Hal.
"Your mother's a bit busy, in case you haven't noticed."
As Halfred stomped off towards his room, Frodo asked, "Have you thought of a name for him yet?"
"We're going to call him Samwise," said Bell, her eyes shining with pride. Samwise belched to highlight the importance of the moment.
"It's a nice name," said the twelve-year-old Frodo sincerely. "It suits him." Samwise gazed at him steadily, holding his arms out and squealing.
"I think he wants you to hold him," said Bell. Frodo gently took her burden and held him up above his head. Just then Samwise belched again, and a stream of breakfast hit Frodo in the eye.
"Eeew…" he muttered, wiping at his face, but still holding onto the giggling baby, who was now amusing himself by tugging at his curly hair. "Stop that!" he protested, gently pushing his hand away.
Neither of them knew it, but it was the beginning of a great friendship that would last beyond both their lifetimes.