Moon Daisies
By Lossenrhos (aka Wind Singer)
"Miss Cotton?"
"Sam, how lovely to see you. Do sit down." Sam was blushing furiously.
" I-I just came to bring these mushrooms for your mother; I thought you might like them, that is, the whole family I meant not just you. Not that-" Sam stammered miserably. Rosie turned away to hide a smile.
"That's very kind of you Sam, truly. And what lovely flowers"
"Yes, I just happened to see some on the way here and I thought- I thought you might like them." Sam said shyly.
Rosie was torn between the urge to hug him and the urge to shake him. They had been following the same routine for the past year: Sam would turn up at half past five on a Thursday with a basket of garden produce for Mrs Cotton and a bunch of flowers which he had "just happened to pick up" for Rosie. Everyone knew he was in love with her, Rosie thought impatiently, why couldn't he just hurry up and admit it? Even her lunk- headed brothers would grin and josh her at the mention of his name referring to him as "Rosie's swain".
Yet in her heart she was glad he wasn't like those other swaggering lads who came to court her. Men who seemed to think she ought to be grateful to have them leering at her. Compared to them Sam was a refreshing change.
"They're beautiful, Sam. I think moon daisies must be my favourite flowers."
Sam beamed happily. Sam had a smile to make your heart ache, Rosie thought. He was such an innocent, almost childlike at times in his eagerness to please. Rosie knew she had a sharp tongue but she was always tried to curb it when speaking to her Sam, as she always thought of him.
She picked up the mushrooms and took them into the kitchen. Sam followed nervously twisting his cap in his hands
"Rosie, there's something I wanted to tell you" Sam was looking at the floor, not meeting her eyes, Rosie waited with baited breath. Could it be, the long awaited proposal?
"Sam, is that you?" Rosie glared at her idiot brother, seething. How dare he interrupt them at such a crucial moment? She bit her lip angrily.
"Well this is a surprise" Tom Cotton laughed, winking at Rosie. Rosie scowled back at him.
"Hey, look at this- mushrooms! Delicious. I know what, Rosie, why don't you fry us some up now and we could have a nice little feast between the three of us." He smiled winningly at her. "No." She answered shortly.
"Pleease."
"Oh fry some yourself you stupid great lump!" She snapped, testily . Tom and Sam looked at her in surprise.
" Aww, Miss Cotton, that's not-" began Sam.
"I wish you'd stop calling me that. Even you ought to have worked out by now, my name is Rosie," she said harshly.
There was a long silence.
"Well." said Tom cheerily. "I'll make the mushrooms, shall I?"
"Oh, you can keep your stupid mushrooms, both of you, if that's all you care about." Rosie shouted. She turned and ran out of the house, slamming the door shut behind her.
Tom let out a long, low whistle.
"What's got into her?"
"I don't know," said Sam, staring at his feet miserably.
"Well, I think you'd better go after her, mate."
"Why me?" said Sam aghast. Tom raised his eyebrows
"Well" he said slowly, as though speaking to some one deaf or stupid
"She's fond of you. She'd bite my head off. But she's always had a soft spot for you." Tom winked suggestively.
"Has she really?" said Sam, going pink with pleasure
"Of course, she's always been much nicer to you than any other lad who came calling, if you take my meaning"
To Tom's surprise, Sam's face fell.
"That'll make it harder" he muttered "But you're right, Tom. I ought to talk to her"
***
Rosie leaned against the garden gate, the tears starting in her eyes. How could she have been so horrible? She remembered the hurt look on Sam's face. Poor, dear Sam who had probably never spoken an unkind word to anyone in his life.
She looked out. The sun was sinking behind the gently curving hills and the soft tinted green fields seemed to be emitting a subtle radiance of their own. Rosie loved this time of day, after the harsh glare of noon all seemed soft, mellow and gentle. She could hear a cow lowing in the distance and a bee buzzing in the patch of clover just the other side of the gate. Slowly her tears ceased and she felt calm. She knew Sam would find it in his heart to forgive her
"Rosie?"
Rosie turned sharply. Sam was standing behind her his awkwardness dissolving into concern as he saw her face
"Have you been crying? You mustn't cry Rosie. I'm sorry if I offended you, truly."
The distress on Sam's face made the tears start in Rosie's eyes anew.
"Oh Sam., I'm so sorry. I was so rude to you, and you've always been so sweet to me. I- can you forgive me?"
"There's nothing to forgive. I didn't mind really- it's nothing to be getting yourself into a state over."
Rosie gave him a watery smile and turned away, leaning against the gate to gaze out again at the sun- soaked fields. Tentatively, as if expecting a reproof, Sam came to join her.
"What did you want to say, before? "She spoke gently.
Sam swallowed. This was going to be harder than he had thought.
"Mr Frodo, my master- he's leaving Bag End. Going to- to Buckland. Master Meriadoc has found him a house up that way. And I'll be going with him."
"Oh." Rosie looked out at the hills rolling away into the distance and realised how empty her life was going to be without him. "Still, at least you'll be able to come and visit sometimes."
Sam didn't respond. Rosie turned and saw him looking down at the ground, stirring the dirt miserably with one toe. Glancing up he saw her watching him and attempted a smile
"Yes" His voice, sounded strangely dull and flat
"Yes, visit, of course"
He had always been a bad liar. Suddenly, looking at him, Rosie understood. Frodo wasn't moving to Buckland and neither was Sam. They would be going away on some damn fool adventure like Frodo's uncle Bilbo. What if she never saw him again?
"Sam." Rosie gripped his arm and stared at him hard, forcing him to meet her eyes.
"Promise me you'll come back."
Sam didn't answer. So, it was going to be dangerous, Rosie thought. Inwardly she cursed Frodo. How could he leave? He must know Sam would follow him to the ends of the earth. How could he take Sam away from her?
"Of course you must go with darling Mr Frodo." She said sarcastically. Sam met her gaze unflinchingly.
"Yes, I must. He needs me."
He spoke simply but in those words Rosie felt a depth of character Rosie had never before suspected of Sam. It was if, before her very eyes, Sam had been transformed from a bashful lad into a man, strong and true. It was her turn to look away.
"I know," She said quietly. "I'm sorry."
There was a long silence.
"Well then, I suppose this is goodbye." Rosie said bravely. Sam's lip trembled.
"I'll miss you, Rosie" He blushed "I'll miss all of you"
"And I'll miss you, Sam.," she said in a low voice.
There was another pause. Rosie's throat burned hot with the tears longing to spill down her face.
"Well. I'd better be going then. Goodbye."
He held out a hand. She took it.
"Goodbye Sam, and good luck!" His hand felt strong and firm around hers. On an impulse she leant up and kissed him on the cheek. He started, his eyes wide. His face flooded poppy red and suddenly he looked like a bashful boy again. She couldn't resist giggling at him.
"Oh go on and go." She half pushed him out of the gate, beaming.
He stumbled a couple of steps and turned, grinning at her sheepishly. He raised one hand in a wave and then turned and ran away across the slowly darkening fields. Rosie smiled after him as the tears rolled down her cheeks.
"I love you, Samwise Gamgee," She whispered.
.
"Miss Cotton?"
"Sam, how lovely to see you. Do sit down." Sam was blushing furiously.
" I-I just came to bring these mushrooms for your mother; I thought you might like them, that is, the whole family I meant not just you. Not that-" Sam stammered miserably. Rosie turned away to hide a smile.
"That's very kind of you Sam, truly. And what lovely flowers"
"Yes, I just happened to see some on the way here and I thought- I thought you might like them." Sam said shyly.
Rosie was torn between the urge to hug him and the urge to shake him. They had been following the same routine for the past year: Sam would turn up at half past five on a Thursday with a basket of garden produce for Mrs Cotton and a bunch of flowers which he had "just happened to pick up" for Rosie. Everyone knew he was in love with her, Rosie thought impatiently, why couldn't he just hurry up and admit it? Even her lunk- headed brothers would grin and josh her at the mention of his name referring to him as "Rosie's swain".
Yet in her heart she was glad he wasn't like those other swaggering lads who came to court her. Men who seemed to think she ought to be grateful to have them leering at her. Compared to them Sam was a refreshing change.
"They're beautiful, Sam. I think moon daisies must be my favourite flowers."
Sam beamed happily. Sam had a smile to make your heart ache, Rosie thought. He was such an innocent, almost childlike at times in his eagerness to please. Rosie knew she had a sharp tongue but she was always tried to curb it when speaking to her Sam, as she always thought of him.
She picked up the mushrooms and took them into the kitchen. Sam followed nervously twisting his cap in his hands
"Rosie, there's something I wanted to tell you" Sam was looking at the floor, not meeting her eyes, Rosie waited with baited breath. Could it be, the long awaited proposal?
"Sam, is that you?" Rosie glared at her idiot brother, seething. How dare he interrupt them at such a crucial moment? She bit her lip angrily.
"Well this is a surprise" Tom Cotton laughed, winking at Rosie. Rosie scowled back at him.
"Hey, look at this- mushrooms! Delicious. I know what, Rosie, why don't you fry us some up now and we could have a nice little feast between the three of us." He smiled winningly at her. "No." She answered shortly.
"Pleease."
"Oh fry some yourself you stupid great lump!" She snapped, testily . Tom and Sam looked at her in surprise.
" Aww, Miss Cotton, that's not-" began Sam.
"I wish you'd stop calling me that. Even you ought to have worked out by now, my name is Rosie," she said harshly.
There was a long silence.
"Well." said Tom cheerily. "I'll make the mushrooms, shall I?"
"Oh, you can keep your stupid mushrooms, both of you, if that's all you care about." Rosie shouted. She turned and ran out of the house, slamming the door shut behind her.
Tom let out a long, low whistle.
"What's got into her?"
"I don't know," said Sam, staring at his feet miserably.
"Well, I think you'd better go after her, mate."
"Why me?" said Sam aghast. Tom raised his eyebrows
"Well" he said slowly, as though speaking to some one deaf or stupid
"She's fond of you. She'd bite my head off. But she's always had a soft spot for you." Tom winked suggestively.
"Has she really?" said Sam, going pink with pleasure
"Of course, she's always been much nicer to you than any other lad who came calling, if you take my meaning"
To Tom's surprise, Sam's face fell.
"That'll make it harder" he muttered "But you're right, Tom. I ought to talk to her"
***
Rosie leaned against the garden gate, the tears starting in her eyes. How could she have been so horrible? She remembered the hurt look on Sam's face. Poor, dear Sam who had probably never spoken an unkind word to anyone in his life.
She looked out. The sun was sinking behind the gently curving hills and the soft tinted green fields seemed to be emitting a subtle radiance of their own. Rosie loved this time of day, after the harsh glare of noon all seemed soft, mellow and gentle. She could hear a cow lowing in the distance and a bee buzzing in the patch of clover just the other side of the gate. Slowly her tears ceased and she felt calm. She knew Sam would find it in his heart to forgive her
"Rosie?"
Rosie turned sharply. Sam was standing behind her his awkwardness dissolving into concern as he saw her face
"Have you been crying? You mustn't cry Rosie. I'm sorry if I offended you, truly."
The distress on Sam's face made the tears start in Rosie's eyes anew.
"Oh Sam., I'm so sorry. I was so rude to you, and you've always been so sweet to me. I- can you forgive me?"
"There's nothing to forgive. I didn't mind really- it's nothing to be getting yourself into a state over."
Rosie gave him a watery smile and turned away, leaning against the gate to gaze out again at the sun- soaked fields. Tentatively, as if expecting a reproof, Sam came to join her.
"What did you want to say, before? "She spoke gently.
Sam swallowed. This was going to be harder than he had thought.
"Mr Frodo, my master- he's leaving Bag End. Going to- to Buckland. Master Meriadoc has found him a house up that way. And I'll be going with him."
"Oh." Rosie looked out at the hills rolling away into the distance and realised how empty her life was going to be without him. "Still, at least you'll be able to come and visit sometimes."
Sam didn't respond. Rosie turned and saw him looking down at the ground, stirring the dirt miserably with one toe. Glancing up he saw her watching him and attempted a smile
"Yes" His voice, sounded strangely dull and flat
"Yes, visit, of course"
He had always been a bad liar. Suddenly, looking at him, Rosie understood. Frodo wasn't moving to Buckland and neither was Sam. They would be going away on some damn fool adventure like Frodo's uncle Bilbo. What if she never saw him again?
"Sam." Rosie gripped his arm and stared at him hard, forcing him to meet her eyes.
"Promise me you'll come back."
Sam didn't answer. So, it was going to be dangerous, Rosie thought. Inwardly she cursed Frodo. How could he leave? He must know Sam would follow him to the ends of the earth. How could he take Sam away from her?
"Of course you must go with darling Mr Frodo." She said sarcastically. Sam met her gaze unflinchingly.
"Yes, I must. He needs me."
He spoke simply but in those words Rosie felt a depth of character Rosie had never before suspected of Sam. It was if, before her very eyes, Sam had been transformed from a bashful lad into a man, strong and true. It was her turn to look away.
"I know," She said quietly. "I'm sorry."
There was a long silence.
"Well then, I suppose this is goodbye." Rosie said bravely. Sam's lip trembled.
"I'll miss you, Rosie" He blushed "I'll miss all of you"
"And I'll miss you, Sam.," she said in a low voice.
There was another pause. Rosie's throat burned hot with the tears longing to spill down her face.
"Well. I'd better be going then. Goodbye."
He held out a hand. She took it.
"Goodbye Sam, and good luck!" His hand felt strong and firm around hers. On an impulse she leant up and kissed him on the cheek. He started, his eyes wide. His face flooded poppy red and suddenly he looked like a bashful boy again. She couldn't resist giggling at him.
"Oh go on and go." She half pushed him out of the gate, beaming.
He stumbled a couple of steps and turned, grinning at her sheepishly. He raised one hand in a wave and then turned and ran away across the slowly darkening fields. Rosie smiled after him as the tears rolled down her cheeks.
"I love you, Samwise Gamgee," She whispered.
.