TWILIGHT YEARS
CHAPTER FOUR
Frodo tiptoed towards the kitchen door and gave a soft sigh when he smelt the apples once again. He peeked his head inside and smiled briefly. Upon the table was a covered bowl of fresh made apple-pudding. Who? He scratched his head and yawned. He was still very tired…but his stomach rumbled a little despite being in such pain earlier. This was the -first- time he'd actually felt hungry in days. He padded over to the bowl nervously, glancing around. No one seemed to be in the kitchen. The little hobbit then hopped up on a stool and leant over with his finger…about to dip it into the pudding when he heard a tsk.
"Frodo Baggins, what on earth do you think you're doing out of bed?" A tsking sound, and Frodo glanced to the door. "Its still too warm, you can have some later if you're feeling better. You really don't look that much better yet, though."
Frodo's eyes opened wide when he saw the figure in the kitchen doorway. "Uncle Bilbo!" tears of relief flowed and he practically launched himself into his Uncle's arms. "Where did you come from? How long have you been here? Why…"
Bilbo returned the hug and laughed, lifting Frodo back up and put him on the stool patting the lad's curls.
"I only got in two hours ago, my lad. You were sleeping and I didn't want to wake you just yet. I poked my head in to check on you, of course. Your Aunt Esmerelda said you hadn't been eating and claimed to have a stomachache. Well, I told her, that's because you're not making things he likes! Ridiculous, says she, a hobbit should eat what's put in front of him. I shook my head at her and said I'd fix something up right quick. What's the matter, lad? You look woozy. There now…" he tilted Frodo's chin up. "What in the Shire did they give you? You look like you're both hungry and want to throw up at the same time."
"A … A tonic of some kind. I don't know…its not making me feel any better, Bilbo…" Frodo whimpered a little, rubbing his stomach. "I smelt the apples…and it made me a little hungry…but now it just hurts again"
"There now lad, easy." Bilbo steadied Frodo as he swayed slightly, holding an arm around the younger Baggins. "Tonic eh? Can't abide that stuff that they pass out as medicine around here." he rubbed his chin thoughtfully, "Oh! I've just got back from one of my trips, you know and I was told in Hobbiton that you were looking like you needed a bit of a break. So lad, how would you like to stay with me in Bag End for a couple of months? We'll fix up some of your favorites and get your stomach all squared away. Would you like that?"
"To Bag End?" Frodo's eyes opened wide. Surely he must be dreaming. "I…I would love to stay with you, Uncle Bilbo." tears pooled in his eyes. "But…but…ooooh…" he groaned and held his stomach.
Bilbo immediately reached over for an empty Bowl…having a feeling that he knew what was about to happen…and he was correct. The young hobbit doubled over and gave a little whimper as he clutched his stomach…and its meager contents fell into the empty dish while Bilbo rubbed his back. When it was done, Bilbo stuck the dish onto a chair and drew the trembling lad into his arms. He took a wet cloth and cleaned off around Frodo's mouth.
While Frodo sat miserably on the stool, Bilbo went to work giving the dish a quick clean and prepared a couple of cold compresses as well as a pot of ginger tea with water that had already been boiling. Just when he felt as though he was going to slip off the stool, his Uncle came back and put his arm about the young hobbit's shoulders. Using the compress, he cooled down Frodo's neck, cheeks and forehead. "There there…no tears, lad. There's no shame in it." the older hobbit smiled warmly as Frodo sniffled wretchedly.
Frodo nodded wordlessly and clung to his uncle. "It hurts, Bilbo." The small hobbit sighed and looked down at the ginger tea. "It'll just come up again…"
"Not this Tea, Frodo. Its got something a little extra in it. Now then, have just a sip or two and it'll get that nasty taste out of your mouth. Open up. That's a good lad." Bilbo cajoled, tilting Frodo's chin up so that he would not refuse the tea.
Frodo complied. He was not quite happy about it, but he took a tentative sip at first. Then…as he felt the soft liquid trickle down his throat…and coat it and his stomach.. What was that? Honey! He licked his lips and smiled up at Bilbo. His uncle had doused the tea with honey to get rid of the tonic's effects. He eagerly sipped a bit more and breathed a satisfied sigh of relief.
He felt…well…better already. This was the kind of attention he needed. He needed someone to make special things for him and be there for him. Back in his mind he knew it was only going to be for two months and then everything would be the same again…but at least for those two months he wouldn't feel quite so wretched and maybe his stomach would stop hurting altogether!
He glanced over at the pudding. "Bilbo…please…please May I have a little bit of the pudding now?" he asked with a soft smile. His big, bright blue eyes blinked up at his uncle as his curls fell back. It was looks like that that generally melted Bible's heart and made him wonder why he didn't stop his wandering and just take his young nephew to live with him permanently. Perhaps… Perhaps someday. There was still so many things to do and to see and he wasn't quite ready to settle down yet.
"Alright then lad. A small bowl mind, we don't want you to eat too much right away after not eating for so long. And don't try to tell me you have because I've had a chat with Saradoc. I know all about it, my lad. But that's okay now. You'll rest for another day and then I'll hitch the buggy back up and we'll be off to Hobbiton."
"Oh Uncle Bilbo!" Frodo suddenly gave his Uncle a tight warm hug, as tight as his small, weak arms could manage and he gave a sob of happiness. "I missed you."
"I missed you too, m'boy. Missed you too."
***TBC***
CHAPTER FOUR
Frodo tiptoed towards the kitchen door and gave a soft sigh when he smelt the apples once again. He peeked his head inside and smiled briefly. Upon the table was a covered bowl of fresh made apple-pudding. Who? He scratched his head and yawned. He was still very tired…but his stomach rumbled a little despite being in such pain earlier. This was the -first- time he'd actually felt hungry in days. He padded over to the bowl nervously, glancing around. No one seemed to be in the kitchen. The little hobbit then hopped up on a stool and leant over with his finger…about to dip it into the pudding when he heard a tsk.
"Frodo Baggins, what on earth do you think you're doing out of bed?" A tsking sound, and Frodo glanced to the door. "Its still too warm, you can have some later if you're feeling better. You really don't look that much better yet, though."
Frodo's eyes opened wide when he saw the figure in the kitchen doorway. "Uncle Bilbo!" tears of relief flowed and he practically launched himself into his Uncle's arms. "Where did you come from? How long have you been here? Why…"
Bilbo returned the hug and laughed, lifting Frodo back up and put him on the stool patting the lad's curls.
"I only got in two hours ago, my lad. You were sleeping and I didn't want to wake you just yet. I poked my head in to check on you, of course. Your Aunt Esmerelda said you hadn't been eating and claimed to have a stomachache. Well, I told her, that's because you're not making things he likes! Ridiculous, says she, a hobbit should eat what's put in front of him. I shook my head at her and said I'd fix something up right quick. What's the matter, lad? You look woozy. There now…" he tilted Frodo's chin up. "What in the Shire did they give you? You look like you're both hungry and want to throw up at the same time."
"A … A tonic of some kind. I don't know…its not making me feel any better, Bilbo…" Frodo whimpered a little, rubbing his stomach. "I smelt the apples…and it made me a little hungry…but now it just hurts again"
"There now lad, easy." Bilbo steadied Frodo as he swayed slightly, holding an arm around the younger Baggins. "Tonic eh? Can't abide that stuff that they pass out as medicine around here." he rubbed his chin thoughtfully, "Oh! I've just got back from one of my trips, you know and I was told in Hobbiton that you were looking like you needed a bit of a break. So lad, how would you like to stay with me in Bag End for a couple of months? We'll fix up some of your favorites and get your stomach all squared away. Would you like that?"
"To Bag End?" Frodo's eyes opened wide. Surely he must be dreaming. "I…I would love to stay with you, Uncle Bilbo." tears pooled in his eyes. "But…but…ooooh…" he groaned and held his stomach.
Bilbo immediately reached over for an empty Bowl…having a feeling that he knew what was about to happen…and he was correct. The young hobbit doubled over and gave a little whimper as he clutched his stomach…and its meager contents fell into the empty dish while Bilbo rubbed his back. When it was done, Bilbo stuck the dish onto a chair and drew the trembling lad into his arms. He took a wet cloth and cleaned off around Frodo's mouth.
While Frodo sat miserably on the stool, Bilbo went to work giving the dish a quick clean and prepared a couple of cold compresses as well as a pot of ginger tea with water that had already been boiling. Just when he felt as though he was going to slip off the stool, his Uncle came back and put his arm about the young hobbit's shoulders. Using the compress, he cooled down Frodo's neck, cheeks and forehead. "There there…no tears, lad. There's no shame in it." the older hobbit smiled warmly as Frodo sniffled wretchedly.
Frodo nodded wordlessly and clung to his uncle. "It hurts, Bilbo." The small hobbit sighed and looked down at the ginger tea. "It'll just come up again…"
"Not this Tea, Frodo. Its got something a little extra in it. Now then, have just a sip or two and it'll get that nasty taste out of your mouth. Open up. That's a good lad." Bilbo cajoled, tilting Frodo's chin up so that he would not refuse the tea.
Frodo complied. He was not quite happy about it, but he took a tentative sip at first. Then…as he felt the soft liquid trickle down his throat…and coat it and his stomach.. What was that? Honey! He licked his lips and smiled up at Bilbo. His uncle had doused the tea with honey to get rid of the tonic's effects. He eagerly sipped a bit more and breathed a satisfied sigh of relief.
He felt…well…better already. This was the kind of attention he needed. He needed someone to make special things for him and be there for him. Back in his mind he knew it was only going to be for two months and then everything would be the same again…but at least for those two months he wouldn't feel quite so wretched and maybe his stomach would stop hurting altogether!
He glanced over at the pudding. "Bilbo…please…please May I have a little bit of the pudding now?" he asked with a soft smile. His big, bright blue eyes blinked up at his uncle as his curls fell back. It was looks like that that generally melted Bible's heart and made him wonder why he didn't stop his wandering and just take his young nephew to live with him permanently. Perhaps… Perhaps someday. There was still so many things to do and to see and he wasn't quite ready to settle down yet.
"Alright then lad. A small bowl mind, we don't want you to eat too much right away after not eating for so long. And don't try to tell me you have because I've had a chat with Saradoc. I know all about it, my lad. But that's okay now. You'll rest for another day and then I'll hitch the buggy back up and we'll be off to Hobbiton."
"Oh Uncle Bilbo!" Frodo suddenly gave his Uncle a tight warm hug, as tight as his small, weak arms could manage and he gave a sob of happiness. "I missed you."
"I missed you too, m'boy. Missed you too."
***TBC***