Chapter 7: A New Promise
A few minutes after Saradoc had stormed out, Emse fetched for Brandyhall's messenger to get the doctor, and Bilbo Baggins. She gently opened the door to where Frodo was asleep and found the Hobbit wide awake, but simply resting in bed. At least he wasn't out and about so soon, Esme thought to herself. She walked over to Frodo. "How are you feeling, my dear child?"
"I have a sore throat, and my nose is clogged up, and my feet are cold, but other than that I feel okay." Frodo said, yawning.
"Well, I have ordered for the doctor to come as soon as possible." Esme announced. "And, I have also sent out a message for your Uncle Bilbo to come and visit for a few days."
Frodo's eyes lit up completely at the news of Bilbo coming. He really loved His Cousin/Uncle. That's probably why Bilbo is Frodo's favourite relative, Esme thought to herself. Whenever Bilbo came, the two were very nearly inseparable. Sometimes, that was a good thing, because it would mean that Esme and Saradoc would get a break from Frodo for a few days, but it could also be a bad thing, especially on Bilbo's part. He was getting on in years, though he still looked like he was no older than 20, this discussion always ended in a heated debate ever since Bilbo had come back from his adventure. "When will he be here?" Frodo asked excitedly.
"Well, Frodo," Esme began, "I have already sent for him so he may be here within the next few days.
The next morning, Frodo was up early. He didn't have to be up for another half an hour, or at least what he could tell by the light outside. He stretched and yawned, and waited patiently for Esme to come and wake him up when the doctor arrived.
Within a few minutes, Frodo could hear a small patter of feet moving around the halls, and he recognized that the small sound of feet were that of Esme. Frodo decided to get up anyway, being that there was only ten more minutes that he was supposed to be asleep. He didn't think that Esme would mind.
"Oh!" Esme said with a gasp. "You scared me Frodo. Why are you awake so early?"
"I apologise, Aunt Esme. And I couldn't sleep, and I worked out that there were only a few more minutes of sleep until you were going to wake me, and I wasn't tired anymore." Frodo said quietly. Esme's fright had frightened himself. "Do you know what time the doctor will be—. " Frodo coughed, he couldn't hold it in anymore. "Sorry, do you know what time the doctor will arrive?"
"I imagine soon," Esme said. "And you had better get back to bed and warm up before they arrive." And with that, she ushered Frodo into his bed and tucked him in as they both waited patiently for a small knock at the door.
That knock didn't seem to come for ages Frodo though. But when it did, his heart began to race. He couldn't explain this sudden terror that had filled his mind. He waited in his bed with Saradoc waiting by his side. "It's all right, Frodo. Doctor Brunswick will be more than kind to you. I doubt that you have anything more than a slight fever." Saradoc said quietly, almost as if to reassure himself.
Esme and a Hobbit lass Frodo had never seen before then walked in. "Frodo," Esme said, "this is Doctor Bromfry. She has come to look you over." Doctor Bromfry walked to the foot of and stared into Frodo's eyes intently. Frodo looked away, embarrassed.
"I desire some alone time with him now." Doctor Bromfry said quietly. Esme and Saradoc quietly left the room and closed the door.
Doctor Bromfry sat down on the chair that Saradoc had once occupied.
"Frodo, not only am I a Doctor, but I am also a Counsellor. I counsel the younger Hobbits, around your age, in case something may be troubling or worrying them. Now, I was told that your parents had recently... died." She hesitated on the last word because she saw Frodo's expression change drastically. She touched Frodo's hand lovingly. "It's all right, Frodo, you can trust me, and if there are things you do not want to tell me, I won't push the matter. It is up to you."
Frodo coughed and cleared his throat. This woman was a doctor as well as a counsellor, and Frodo knew vaguely of patient-doctor confidentiality. "Um, what would you like to know?" Frodo said a little hesitantly.
"Frodo," Doctor Bromfry said, "I want you to tell me more about your family, what life was like... before..."
"Before the accident?" Frodo asked bluntly. His bluntness startled the Doctor a little and she just stared at him. He sighed. "It's all right, I can talk about it and them sometimes, just not all the time it seems..." Frodo seemed distant.
"Frodo?" Doctor Bromfry was worried about him now. Maybe Frodo was still to raw to talk about it openly despite what he said?
"I'm all right." He said quietly. He sighed and began to recall a few things. "I remember living with them like it was yesterday. A normal day would begin with Mother quietly waking me up for breakfast, while father would have already gone into town to see if there was any important news that needed to be reported from during the night. I did once have a little sister called Bluebell, but she died when I was very young. I don't have any memories of her unfortunately; though I would like to. I found out what little information there was about her from my parents at various times. We were a very loving, happy family; we never really fought or bickered. My father would occasionally give me a stern talking to if I had acted in a bad way with one of my cousins. We never really did fight." Tears had begun to fall from Frodo's eyes, but he didn't wipe them or try to hide them. This was really the first time that he had really cried properly since the night of the accident. Doctor Bromfry felt rather uncomfortable. She wasn't used to her patients crying... Well, maybe the odd tear, but Frodo was really crying. Before she knew what she was doing, Doctor Bromfry was holding Frodo tight, letting him cry on her shoulder. This was, as far as she remembered, the very first time she had done this. None of her other patients were as young as Frodo was. In fact, Frodo was the youngest patient she had ever had. All of her other patients, past and present, had been much, much older. They either needed help in dealing with the death of a loved one, amongst other things. But Frodo was different; he was barely beyond the age of twelve, and he already carried the maturity of someone much older than he. Doctor Bromfry couldn't believe it.
"Miss Bromfry?" Saradoc and Esme had walked into the room when they realized that no one was talking anymore and got a little worried. They were rather startled to find that the doctor had a blank expression on her face and that Frodo had fallen asleep.
"Oh! I am sorry, I got thinking..." Doctor Bromfry said quietly, and then she saw that Frodo had fallen asleep. "I think we better step outside.
The three Hobbits stepped outside.
"Well? How is he?" Esme said a little coldly. She hadn't done it on purpose, but, once the doctor standing before her had closed the door quietly, her heart began to race. She thought of the worst, she always did.
"He is still very shaken up by the whole ordeal." Doctor Bromfry began. "With some counselling, he should be back to his old self. Now, I haven't known Frodo for long, but from what I can gather, I think he would benefit more from talking to a close relative. Do you know of anyone who could fill that position?"
"He seems to be fairly close to his Uncle Bilbo, though he hasn't seen Bilbo in a while. None of us have." Saradoc said. "He's probably off on some nutty adventure again." He added under his breath.
Doctor Bromfry thought for a moment. "Do you have any idea when you shall see Bilbo Baggins again?"
"You've heard of him?" Saradoc sounded surprised.
"Of course!" Doctor Bromfry said happily. "Everyone has heard of the infamous Bilbo Baggins and his adventure with the Dwarves a few years ago."
"Anyway," Esme said with a side glance at Saradoc, "I called for Bilbo to be sent to come as soon as he could this morning, so he should be here in a few days hopefully."
Doctor Bromfry smiled. "I highly recommend that you get Frodo to talk about his feelings and such to Bilbo. I strongly recommend that. If Bilbo and Frodo are as close as you say they are, rather if Frodo is as close to Bilbo as you think, then Bilbo may be able to get some things out of him, important things. Send for me in a few weeks time and tell me of Frodo's progress. For now, I must be off. Good luck to the both of you." And with that, Doctor Bromfry was out the door and walking along the lane.
