"The poor dear, both parents lost in that terrible boating accident."
All of Buckland was alive with the news that Drogo and Primula Baggins had died in an unfortunate boating accident.
"If you ask me it was mighty odd that Drogo and Primula should have been out on that boat to begin with." Holman Greenhands said sticking his pipe back into his mouth.
Outside the window Frodo Baggins, Primula and Drogo's twelve-year-old son, sat listening to what the older Hobbits had to say. His eyes were bloodshot and swollen from the amount of crying he had done in the last few hours. What did he do that made his parents want to leave?
"That whole Baggins clan is a little crazy don't ya know?" Mirabella Tunnelly commented, unaware that Frodo could hear every word she said. "They say Bilbo Baggins is a very odd Hobbit indeed. Robbed the Sackville- Bagginses out of Bag End. He left Hobbiton and returned months later as though nothing had happened."
"Old Lobelia still hasn't forgiven Bilbo for coming back from his adventure alive." Mrytle Greenhand said.
"It was all that wizard," Holman retorted, "Gandalf. He forced Bilbo into leaving the Shire to begin with."
Frodo didn't want to hear anymore. He took flight. He ran for what seemed like forever. He ran from the past, he ran from the truth. Frodo couldn't stand one more minute of the gossip about his relatives. Finally he could run no more and he slumped down next to a large tree. A warm tear streamed down his face. Followed by another and another, until the flow was quite uncontrollable.
What ever he had done to make his parents leave, he wished he could take it back so that they would return. Everyone said that his parents had been crazy. But that couldn't have been the case. Frodo felt it was his fault. Maybe they hadn't wanted him and they just wanted to get away from him. Now he was alone and no one in the world would take care of him.
He could always run away. He could be like his cousin Bilbo and just leave on an adventure. No one would miss him. Life would be just fine on the road. "Frodo?" Frodo looked over his shoulder at Esmeralda Took who was carrying her son Meriadoc. "Frodo, are you alright?"
Frodo's cousin sat down next to him. "Go away."
"Frodo, I know you must be hurt."
Frodo let a few quiet sobs escape before trying to hold them in. "My parents didn't love me, that's why they left."
"Oh no, no. Your parents loved you very much. That's not why they left." "Why else would they have left?"
"They left because it was time for them to go."
"What will happen to me?"
"You are always welcome to stay with us. You're not alone Frodo. Many, many people love you." Esmeralda held out her hand to help Frodo up. "Come home, Frodo."
Merry whimpered a little and began to cry. "Come on Frodo. " She smiled and rocked Merry in her arms.
"Will I ever see them again?" Frodo asked as he followed his cousin back to her home.
"Of course, in your dreams and one day you'll reunite."
"You promise?"
"I promise." Frodo smiled up to Esmeralda and took her hand as she led him home. One part of his life had just ended and another was just beginning.