Like Brothers
Chapter 13
Responsibility
Though there were plenty of beds available for Merry, he and Pippin insisted of sharing a room. That night before they went to bed, they washed their faces a dozen times. "Three times, Merry!" Pippin exclaimed, "She kissed me three times!" he spoke in a manner that perhaps any minute now he would drop dead.
Merry handed his cousin a towel to dry his face, "Yes, but I got this funny jump in my stomach when she did it to me... I think I'm allergic to her or something..."
Pippin gasped, "Maybe we should have my mother and father fetch the healer!"
Merry shook his head, "It's alright. I feel fine now."
"Don't die on me, Merry Brandybuck!" Pippin shook a finger at him.
The two went to Pippin's room and laid in bed. Each secretly praying that they would wake up in the morning. When they did, they checked each others' faces for any rashes or infections. After they were sure a speck on Merry's face was just a freckle, they headed to the Thain's office to collect some supplies for their writing. As they walked down the hall, they passed by Pippin's parents' bedroom. They stopped and pressed their ears against the closed door, "Do you hear crying, Merry?" whispered Pippin.
Merry nodded, "....It's your mother.... why is she crying, Pip?"
"... I ... I don't know..."
Pippin turned the door knob, a carefully swung the door open, "Mother?"
Eglantine sat on her bed; she looked up and wiped a tear from her eye, "O, good morning, boys."
Merry and Pippin approached her, "Why were you crying, Auntie?" Merry asked in a worried tone.
She shook her head, "Nothing, Dears."
Merry and Pippin stared at her, and she knew that they were not satisfied.
She sighed, "Well if you must know..." she paused and turned to her son, "Pippin, sweetie, what if I told you that you were going to have a little brother or sister?"
Pippin gaped at her.
"You're going to have a baby? But... isn't that a good thing, Auntie? Why were you crying?"
Eglantine laughed, "O, it wasn't that I was sad! I was crying out of joy!"
Pippin grinned; he finally understood, "I... I'm going to have a little brother! Or, or a little sister! O, but I hope it's a lad! Merry! Did you hear? I'm going to be a big brother! Merry! That makes you... like... a grandpa?"
Merry and Eglantine laughed.
Pippin tugged on Merry's arm, "Merry!" he gasped, "We have to be sure and keep my little brother away from that Estella!"
Merry nodded and agreement, and the two dashed out of the room to go and boast to Pearl that they knew something she didn't know.
Everyone was in a happy mood. Merry and Pippin even found it hard to study with all the excitement. And when Merry's parents came to take him home, Merry didn't want to leave, "But, Mama, Auntie's going to have another child! I can't miss it!"
Esmeralda explained to her son that babies took a long time to come, but Merry still didn't want to leave for fear he would miss the big event.
Back at Brandy Hall, Merry felt helpless. He couldn't go see Pippin on his own, and Pippin obviously couldn't either. And Merry was sure that the Took's last thoughts were to visit his family, not with a babe coming. No, Merry was going to have to wait for some family event. But the next one was Frodo and Bilbo's birthday, and that wasn't for another four months! What was he going to do until then? He couldn't possibly wait that long.
Eventually, Merry got used to his old life as an only child. He spent most of his time reading, or just exploring outside the yard. Several weeks later, after Merry had given up on begging to see his cousin Pippin again, his papa brought up the idea of a fishing trip with Paladin and Pippin. Merry would do anything to see Pippin again, and of course he agreed.
Paladin and Pippin took arrived at Brandy hall about a week later. When they showed up at Brandy Hall's front door, Merry saw that Pippin looked somehow different. He studied him for a long time, but he just couldn't figure it out.
"Growth spurt," said Paladin, rustling Pippin's chestnut hair playfully.
Merry stared at his cousin; he was at least two or three inches taller. This was a very big deal, for the hobbit had always been on the short side.
"I'm almost as tall as you, Merry!" Pippin said proudly.
"Sure are!" exclaimed Merry with a chuckle. Pippin of course had quite a ways to grow before being as tall as Merry, but it was a start.
"My mother grew bigger too, Merry. Because of my little brother."
Merry asked Pippin how he was so sure it was going to be a lad, and Pippin responded, "I just know these things, Mer."
To Merry and Pippin's relief, Pippin and his father stayed at Brandy Hall for two days after their fishing trip. And after a lot of 'please, please, please, please, PLEASE's, Merry was allowed to travel back to the Great Smials with his uncle and cousin. And there he stayed for an entire week and a half, until Frodo and Bilbo's birthday dinner. The dinner was only open to Bilbo's closest relations and friends, including the Thain and Master's family.
For the days Merry stayed with Pippin, the two mainly reviewed things they had done before. Merry tried to show him new things, but Pippin seemed to have figured it all out, "Pearl showed me a few things while you were away."
"O..." Merry felt slightly hurt. He thought HE was Pippin's tutor. Why did Pearl have to steal his job?
"She's not very good at teaching," added Pippin, "She's not like you. She talks all weird, and then she yelled at me because I didn't know how to spell her name... it's an odd name! Do you know how it's spelled? P-E-A-R-L."
"How did you spell it before that?"
"P-U-R-L."
"Well, that's a simple mistake... It is an odd spelling..."
"Pearl was just mad that it was HER name I didn't know how to spell."
**
The dinner at Bag End was very good. To Merry and Pippin's horror they found that Estella Bolger was invited. And the two spent most of their evening in Bilbo's study room They tried to save Pippin's little brother by keeping Eglantine in the room too, but she stayed for but three minutes to listen to Pippin recite the alphabet backwards. Pippin's mother must have told Estella where the two were, because the door later swung open, and there she was.
"I've been looking all over for you, Peregrin Took!" she said, "Come on, me and some of the girls are having a tea party! You can come too!"
Pippin shook his head, "It's OK... I'll stay here..."
She giggled, "Come on!" and she grabbed Pippin by the hand and began to drag him away.
Merry grabbed Pippin's other hand, "Estella! He doesn't want to go!" he pulled, trying to get Estella to let go.
"Merry, what do you think you are doing?! Of course he does!" she pulled too.
Soon it became a game of tug-o-war, with poor Pippin in the middle.
"Let go, Meriadoc!"
"No! You let go!"
Eventually, Estella released her grip, and sent Merry and Pippin tumbling over. They stared angrily at the lass, who stood still, tears began to flood her eyes, "You're horrible, Meriadoc! I'm telling your mother what you've done!"
"What did I do?!" Merry shouted after her, but she had already ran away crying.
Merry sighed, and helped his little cousin up from the ground, "Are you alright, Pip?"
Pippin nodded, "I'm OK, are you?"
Merry nodded. He looked up and saw his mama standing at the doorway, glaring at him. She walked over to her son and grabbed him by the ear, "We're going home," she said leading him out of the room by the ear.
Pippin ran after them, "But Aunt Esmeralda! It wasn't Merry's fault! Aunt--" Pippin stopped as he felt something pinch his ear painfully. He looked up and saw his mother, "Mother, I--"
"Pippin, I don't want to hear any of your excuses! You need to grow up, Boy! Making poor Estella cry! Why, sometimes I wonder about you! And to think you're going to be an older brother! O, what a role model you'll make! Nothing but a bad influence!"
"But, Mother I will be a good 'fluence, whatever that is, on my little brother! I will!"
"Well, just be sure you are, you're not to take a single step outside your room for the next week!"
"A week! But--"
"A week! And that's final!"
----
OooooOooo! Pip's in trouble! Anyway, my apologies for getting this chapter out kind of late... Also, I'd thought I'd warn you that I plan to make THE NEXT CHAPTER THE LAST ONE!!! *gasp* How will it end?!
Chapter 13
Responsibility
Though there were plenty of beds available for Merry, he and Pippin insisted of sharing a room. That night before they went to bed, they washed their faces a dozen times. "Three times, Merry!" Pippin exclaimed, "She kissed me three times!" he spoke in a manner that perhaps any minute now he would drop dead.
Merry handed his cousin a towel to dry his face, "Yes, but I got this funny jump in my stomach when she did it to me... I think I'm allergic to her or something..."
Pippin gasped, "Maybe we should have my mother and father fetch the healer!"
Merry shook his head, "It's alright. I feel fine now."
"Don't die on me, Merry Brandybuck!" Pippin shook a finger at him.
The two went to Pippin's room and laid in bed. Each secretly praying that they would wake up in the morning. When they did, they checked each others' faces for any rashes or infections. After they were sure a speck on Merry's face was just a freckle, they headed to the Thain's office to collect some supplies for their writing. As they walked down the hall, they passed by Pippin's parents' bedroom. They stopped and pressed their ears against the closed door, "Do you hear crying, Merry?" whispered Pippin.
Merry nodded, "....It's your mother.... why is she crying, Pip?"
"... I ... I don't know..."
Pippin turned the door knob, a carefully swung the door open, "Mother?"
Eglantine sat on her bed; she looked up and wiped a tear from her eye, "O, good morning, boys."
Merry and Pippin approached her, "Why were you crying, Auntie?" Merry asked in a worried tone.
She shook her head, "Nothing, Dears."
Merry and Pippin stared at her, and she knew that they were not satisfied.
She sighed, "Well if you must know..." she paused and turned to her son, "Pippin, sweetie, what if I told you that you were going to have a little brother or sister?"
Pippin gaped at her.
"You're going to have a baby? But... isn't that a good thing, Auntie? Why were you crying?"
Eglantine laughed, "O, it wasn't that I was sad! I was crying out of joy!"
Pippin grinned; he finally understood, "I... I'm going to have a little brother! Or, or a little sister! O, but I hope it's a lad! Merry! Did you hear? I'm going to be a big brother! Merry! That makes you... like... a grandpa?"
Merry and Eglantine laughed.
Pippin tugged on Merry's arm, "Merry!" he gasped, "We have to be sure and keep my little brother away from that Estella!"
Merry nodded and agreement, and the two dashed out of the room to go and boast to Pearl that they knew something she didn't know.
Everyone was in a happy mood. Merry and Pippin even found it hard to study with all the excitement. And when Merry's parents came to take him home, Merry didn't want to leave, "But, Mama, Auntie's going to have another child! I can't miss it!"
Esmeralda explained to her son that babies took a long time to come, but Merry still didn't want to leave for fear he would miss the big event.
Back at Brandy Hall, Merry felt helpless. He couldn't go see Pippin on his own, and Pippin obviously couldn't either. And Merry was sure that the Took's last thoughts were to visit his family, not with a babe coming. No, Merry was going to have to wait for some family event. But the next one was Frodo and Bilbo's birthday, and that wasn't for another four months! What was he going to do until then? He couldn't possibly wait that long.
Eventually, Merry got used to his old life as an only child. He spent most of his time reading, or just exploring outside the yard. Several weeks later, after Merry had given up on begging to see his cousin Pippin again, his papa brought up the idea of a fishing trip with Paladin and Pippin. Merry would do anything to see Pippin again, and of course he agreed.
Paladin and Pippin took arrived at Brandy hall about a week later. When they showed up at Brandy Hall's front door, Merry saw that Pippin looked somehow different. He studied him for a long time, but he just couldn't figure it out.
"Growth spurt," said Paladin, rustling Pippin's chestnut hair playfully.
Merry stared at his cousin; he was at least two or three inches taller. This was a very big deal, for the hobbit had always been on the short side.
"I'm almost as tall as you, Merry!" Pippin said proudly.
"Sure are!" exclaimed Merry with a chuckle. Pippin of course had quite a ways to grow before being as tall as Merry, but it was a start.
"My mother grew bigger too, Merry. Because of my little brother."
Merry asked Pippin how he was so sure it was going to be a lad, and Pippin responded, "I just know these things, Mer."
To Merry and Pippin's relief, Pippin and his father stayed at Brandy Hall for two days after their fishing trip. And after a lot of 'please, please, please, please, PLEASE's, Merry was allowed to travel back to the Great Smials with his uncle and cousin. And there he stayed for an entire week and a half, until Frodo and Bilbo's birthday dinner. The dinner was only open to Bilbo's closest relations and friends, including the Thain and Master's family.
For the days Merry stayed with Pippin, the two mainly reviewed things they had done before. Merry tried to show him new things, but Pippin seemed to have figured it all out, "Pearl showed me a few things while you were away."
"O..." Merry felt slightly hurt. He thought HE was Pippin's tutor. Why did Pearl have to steal his job?
"She's not very good at teaching," added Pippin, "She's not like you. She talks all weird, and then she yelled at me because I didn't know how to spell her name... it's an odd name! Do you know how it's spelled? P-E-A-R-L."
"How did you spell it before that?"
"P-U-R-L."
"Well, that's a simple mistake... It is an odd spelling..."
"Pearl was just mad that it was HER name I didn't know how to spell."
**
The dinner at Bag End was very good. To Merry and Pippin's horror they found that Estella Bolger was invited. And the two spent most of their evening in Bilbo's study room They tried to save Pippin's little brother by keeping Eglantine in the room too, but she stayed for but three minutes to listen to Pippin recite the alphabet backwards. Pippin's mother must have told Estella where the two were, because the door later swung open, and there she was.
"I've been looking all over for you, Peregrin Took!" she said, "Come on, me and some of the girls are having a tea party! You can come too!"
Pippin shook his head, "It's OK... I'll stay here..."
She giggled, "Come on!" and she grabbed Pippin by the hand and began to drag him away.
Merry grabbed Pippin's other hand, "Estella! He doesn't want to go!" he pulled, trying to get Estella to let go.
"Merry, what do you think you are doing?! Of course he does!" she pulled too.
Soon it became a game of tug-o-war, with poor Pippin in the middle.
"Let go, Meriadoc!"
"No! You let go!"
Eventually, Estella released her grip, and sent Merry and Pippin tumbling over. They stared angrily at the lass, who stood still, tears began to flood her eyes, "You're horrible, Meriadoc! I'm telling your mother what you've done!"
"What did I do?!" Merry shouted after her, but she had already ran away crying.
Merry sighed, and helped his little cousin up from the ground, "Are you alright, Pip?"
Pippin nodded, "I'm OK, are you?"
Merry nodded. He looked up and saw his mama standing at the doorway, glaring at him. She walked over to her son and grabbed him by the ear, "We're going home," she said leading him out of the room by the ear.
Pippin ran after them, "But Aunt Esmeralda! It wasn't Merry's fault! Aunt--" Pippin stopped as he felt something pinch his ear painfully. He looked up and saw his mother, "Mother, I--"
"Pippin, I don't want to hear any of your excuses! You need to grow up, Boy! Making poor Estella cry! Why, sometimes I wonder about you! And to think you're going to be an older brother! O, what a role model you'll make! Nothing but a bad influence!"
"But, Mother I will be a good 'fluence, whatever that is, on my little brother! I will!"
"Well, just be sure you are, you're not to take a single step outside your room for the next week!"
"A week! But--"
"A week! And that's final!"
----
OooooOooo! Pip's in trouble! Anyway, my apologies for getting this chapter out kind of late... Also, I'd thought I'd warn you that I plan to make THE NEXT CHAPTER THE LAST ONE!!! *gasp* How will it end?!