Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to read and review this story. Pearl Took: About lads and naughty little ditties; I couldn't agree more! Oh, and about the hair-thing; I based this on a real situation. My mother left me (6 yrs) and my sister (8 yrs) alone with our father to go to some ladies' type function....we wanted to play Barber and I couldn't see the need to pretend; after all the barber shears weren't plugged in.... Yes, I was an odd one.

Chapter Seven - The Business of Family

Paladin's head was full of swirling thoughts as he pulled up the lane. He'd just returned from taking Esmeralda to town to send her off on the coach back to Buckland. He sat for a moment in reflection before unhitching the cart and shuffled into the smial he'd come to love. He thought about all the times of love from family and friends that filled up the inside of his little smial. His heart went out to his little nephew. He knew then what he would do.

After putting up the cart and pony, he stepped inside and found his young daughters busy at play, or doing chores. "Where's your mother?"

Pearl was stirring a pot boiling with something that smelled very good. She turned around to her father, "She's in Pervinca's room with Merry." Paladin did a double take as he glanced at Pimpernel tying yet another ribbon in her younger sister's hair. He looked at the head full of tiny ponytails, "Pimpernel, that's enough ribbons, don't you think?"

"She likes lots of ribbons! Right Pervinca?" The older girl laid down the hairbrush and grasped the scissors to snip another length of ribbon from the spool. Pervinca said nothing; she was occupied with grasping as many of the loose ribbons in her chubby little hand as she could.

He could sense something was waiting to happen. "Pearl, watch your sisters while I find your mother."

Paladin quickly made his way to the nursery to find his wife rocking a small boy in her arms. The child was softly keening as she held him close to her bosom. He sadly shook his head as he brought the other chair near to them and sat in it. "How is he?"

"About as well as can be expected for a small laddie who's had a very bad day." Eglantine paused from smoothing his hair with her fingers and shrugged, "He's almost asleep."

Just then Pimpernel came into the room leading her baby sister by the hand. "Look at Pervinca! Isn't she beautiful? I did it all myself!"

Eglantine and Paladin stared in horror as Pimpernel turned Pervinca about, showing all of her tiny ponytails. Some tails were cut almost to the ribbon while some were still long. Her hair in the front reminded Paladin of stair steps.

Paladin sank in his chair, "I told Pearl to watch them!"

Eglantine looked at him, "Pearl is only twelve, and she's starting supper for me! She's still a bit young to be cooking supper and watching two young children at the same time. Let's face it, love", she put her hand on his, "we brought this one on ourselves." She took the boy in her arms and put him in her husband's lap and got up. Taking the hands of both girls, she paraded them back out towards the kitchen, "Come now, ladies, we have cleaning up to do in the kitchen!"

Merry stirred in his uncle's lap as the others left and wiped his eyes. "Where's Mummy?"

Paladin sighed. "Your Mummy is safely on her way to Buckland." He squeezed him in a soft hug, "She'll be returning in five days." Paladin watched the child wipe his nose with his sleeve and looked as if he would burst into tears again.

"Merry, I have a gift for you--would you like to see it?" The boy nodded his head. "Then come with me!" Merry took Paladin's hand and followed him back to the study. Merry saw the wood shavings were still on the floor as they were earlier. Now, instead of a chunk of wood, a round-ish object lay on the tea table. It was thick at the top with a groove going round it where a string would be wound through, and then becoming slender to a point at the bottom.

"A spinning top!" Merry exclaimed. "Berilac has a spinning top, but he won't let me play with it. He lets Merimas play with it, but he says I'm too little."

"Well, this is your very own spinning top." Paladin handed the toy to Merry. "I just finished it today as I waited with your Mummy for the coach. Tomorrow we can paint it."

Merry was examining every inch of his new toy. "Can I paint it yellow? Yellow is my favorite color."

"You may paint it whatever color you want, Merry; it's yours!"

From this moment on, Merry no longer saw his uncle as big and somewhat scary; he looked up at the gracious hobbit that he would come to love more than his own father. "Thank you, Uncle Paldin."

Much later, after the children were all put to bed, Paladin and Eglantine lay next to each other in their own bed; the only place the two got any privacy together. As they often did, they talked about events of the day, or plans for the next--sometimes about their future. Eglantine snuggled up to him, "What are you going to do about the fields? Do you plan on staying at home all week?"

Paladin wrapped his arm around her, "Oh, I thought to let my newly hired assistant step up and do most of the counting and selling. He's ready for it--he should be; I taught him everything he knows!"

"That Woodcot fellow?"

"Hmm." Paladin muzzled her neck.

"Paladin!" She smiled, "Let's talk family business first!"

"This isn't family business?"

Eglantine chuckled, "You know what I mean!"

Paladin leaned back with his elbow atop his pillow. "Talk to me, dearest."

"I've been worried about Merry. What will happen if Sara doesn't change?"

Paladin became serious now. "I worry about that, too. It's rather disturbing to know that Merry has a father who... I don't know, Tina. I couldn't imagine not being close to my own father as I grew up, and if I ever did have a son, I would like to believe I would never treat him as Sara has treated his own."

Eglantine agreed, "He's such a sweet little lad. Its too bad Frodo got hold of him and taught him all those distasteful limericks. We should keep a close eye out for him."

"As always." Said Paladin.

"You know Paladin," Eglantine began, "If we were ever to have another child, lad or lass, you'd carry on being even a better father."

Paladin looked his bride in her lovely hazel eyes, "That is the second best compliment anyone has ever told me."

"What was the first?"

"That I had married the most beautiful and wonderful lass in the Shire." Then he kissed her.