It had been about five minutes since we started our walk. Still quite swift with my walking, I checked back frequently to see if he was still there. After all that I wasn't about to loose him when I just got him safe, certainly not with him thinking I hated him! Poor little Pip. No. he's old enough to know what he isn't supposed to do. Don't go coddling him.
When we hit the feild the grass was giving little Pippin quite a protest about getting through. I had to slow to a near stop several times before I saw the grass moving. He didn't quite reach it to the top of the grass... but if he hopped you could see the top of his head.
After about two minutes tops, I heard a small thud and no more footsteps.
"Pippin." I said it sternly but my heart didn't reflect my tone. He didn't respond so I back tracked until I came upon my little hobbit bundle, sat down with his usual pout. Little tears spilled out of his big green eyes he looked so sad I nearly cried myself.
"Oh Pippin." I sighed sitting next to him with a great thump. I went to take him into my arms.
"No Merry." He pushed away, and I looked at him stunned. "I'm a big boy."
Oh. I smiled. "Yes you are Pip. You're a very big boy. One day I reckon you'll be the biggest hobbit in the Shire!"
He looked up to my hopefully. I wiped his tears with my thumb.
"Merry... You still don't wanna play with me anymore?" He asked starting to sob all over again.
"No Pip. I was just angry. I always wanna play with you. You're my best friend."
"I'm to little." He sobbed stubbornly
I sighed. You've done some damage here Mr. Brandybuck. "Pippers. You're my favorite hobbit in the Shire..."
"What about Frodo?" He interrupted peering at me with a pout.
I smiled. "He's... my favorite older hobbit in the whole Shire... anyways. Sometimes when you get angry you say things you don't mean Pip. And when you get scared you have to yell at little hobbits, so they wont do the scary thing again..."
He looked at me confused and I laughed at his expression. He climbed into my lap. I was still damp and cool from my swim, and quickly soaked his clothes. I smiled, Dottie entering my mind again. Best kisser in the whole Shire... wait did she say that or me? It could have been her. Dottie sure is pretty...Yep...
My thoughts were brought back by the strumming on my tummy of little fingers. I looked down to my little attachment and smiled at his still worried face.
"Are you gonna marry her then Merry?"
"Who? Dottie!?" I exclaimed
He nodded.
I chuckled. "No Pip I don't think so. If I did it would not be fore a very long time."
He looked uneasy still. "Pip. Tell me what you're thinking." I yawned pushing curls off his sweaty face.
He sighed a deep sigh, usually only reserved for mammas and daddies with big worries.
"Merry when are you gunna stop being my Merry?"
I chuckled "What do you mean Pip?"
"Ya know Mer..." He faded off. Six year old minds weren't made for such deep thoughts.
"I don't really Pippers."
"Like... Like PEARL!" He exclaimed like a light went off, and he knew how to say it.
"Pearl?" I asked. "I'm never gonna be like Pearl, Pip."
"Never merry. You don't think so?"
"Not really."
"I don't mean all girlie, but... You and me, we're kinda like Pearl and Pervinca. Pearl's kinda Vinca's Merry..." He sighed sadly "She used to be. But now all Pearl does all day is talk with boys. She just giggles and flirts, and doesn't pay no attention to poor Vinca..."
"Oh..." I said realizing what it was about. "Well Pip. I'm not like Pearl. I'll never leave my Pippin. Know why?"
He shook his head.
"Cause I had a Merry once too. Infact Pip, I still have a Merry." I chuckled thinking about this.
"You do Merry!" He exclaimed his face appearing in mine. "Who is it!? Please tell me!"
I chuckled. "Well he lives in hobbiton now Pip, but he used to live right with me, here in Buckland."
"Uh huh."
I had to laugh. The kid could come up with all those questions, but he couldn't put those two together and get the person.
"He lives at Bag End."
"He lives with Frodo!?"
I laughed. "Oh Pip you fool it is Frodo!"
He smiled. "He used to do all this kind stuff with you Merry, really?"
"He did Pip."
"All of it?"
"He taught me how to steal..."
"Borrow merry it's borrow."
"Right... he thought me how to borrow from Farmer Maggot."
The awe was restored to his eyes. "And the cupboards?"
"Yep taught me to swim too."
"But, Merry you haven't taught me to swim!" He protested.
"See Pip that's because we have such a long time left together. I'm saving it."
He grinned his face still just inches from mine. Then my six year old cousin pouted... again.
He can't possibly have much left! I thought with a laugh.
"More Pip?" I asked. "We better make camp with all the questions you're asking. We wont be home till tomorrow."
"Just one more Mer..."
I nodded w/ a smile.
"If Frodo is still your Merry... why'd he leave you?"
I smiled remembering all those years ago.
~~~~~*~~~~~
"Oh but Frodo!" I sobbed watching my cousin pack his packs. He was clearing out his whole side of the room! "Frodo you can't leave me! You can't just leave me!"
My heart hurt so bad. I'd never known the pain before. I couldn't even eat. I hadn't eaten right in three whole days. In Frodo's defense he hadn't eaten properly since he knew, and that was longer still. Nevertheless.
He sighed and sat on the bed. "I knew this would be hard, but not this hard C'mere Merry-lad."
I walked over shaking with sobs, finally collapsing into Frodo. I wailed deeply into his shirt as he held me.
"Merry Merry Merry, is it really all that?!" Frodo chuckled, but his voice quivered with the words.
In response, I cried. I sat for a long time. Frodo let me cry, and just rocked back and forth, wispering happy little nothings to me until I had calmed a bit. Finally, I stopped, not for a lack of tears, but more for a lack of breath.
"Ok, there there, we better now?"
I nodded a little and he smiled. "Ok... we can talk? Like grown up hobbits? Can you do that for me Merry?"
I sniffled. "Ok Frodo..."
"Good cause I godda make sure we know some things before I move to Bag End. OK?"
I nodded.
"Ok. So you're crying cause I'm leaving... and because you think maybe you wont see me anymore?" He asked looking into my eyes.
I nodded again. It seemed to be the only thing I could do.
He sighed. "Well, Merry, I know we've lived right in the same room since you've been in a bed, and when I leave it's going to be so different, but, would you feel a little better if I gave you some promises?"
I nodded. "Yes."
"OK then! Name them."
"You gonna come visit me... a lot."
He smiled and nodded "Whenever Bilbo will let me, and don't you worry it will be often."
"I'm gonna visit you... a lot."
He laughed his merry laugh. "Certainly."
I leaned against him. "Anymore Mer?" He asked softly.
I nodded.
"OK"
I looked up. "Will you always be my Frodo?"
He smiled, and I saw something I'd never seen. Big tears spilling from Frodo's giant blue eyes.
"Always Merry. And You'll always be my little Merry. No matter where I live. OK?"
A little shocked I went back to nodding. "Ok Frodo."
Taking my lead he nodded back and laughed just a bit. "Ok Mer."
~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~
Pip stared at me. "Wow... Merry! Is he still your Frodo!?" He aske urgently.
"Of coarse he is Pip, he promised,"
"And does he visit you?"
"Pippen he was here last week."
He grinned. "And you go there!?
I sighed holding back my smile. "Now you're just being silly."
"Merry."
"Yes Pip. I go there. If you recall so did you... a month ago."
He seemed satisfied for a while. We just laid in the sun of the Shire resting and listening to birds sing the wind blow and...
"Merry?"
"Yea Pip?"
"Does Frodo still steal food out of the cupboards?"
"No Pip he doesn't." I said with a chuckle.
Pippin took this very serious.
"Merry."
"Yea Pip." "Promise me we'll always steal food out of the cupboards."
"It's not stealing Pip it's borrowing." I teased, running my hands through his hair.
"Merry!"
"Yes Pip, I promise."