Sorry for the delay. I just . . . well . . . I needed a while to write
this chapter.
MLynnBloom: You just keep hugging Sam. I'm sure you'll both need it.
Fireblade K'Chona: *cries also*
Loveofthering: *hands loveofthering a box of kleenex* This was my extra box. I used the first one while writing this. :0(
Michelle Frodo: Yes, the rain is really coming down. *Grabs umbrella* Aw shoot. Umbrellas don't work against symbolic rain! *Sobs*
Lemondrop: Thanks for the encouragement, and I'm sure Michelle Frodo likes the welcome too. You know, you're reviews have been the cause for much of my motivation in this story. I remembered you advice about staying strong when I wrote this chapter. *hugs*
As far as I can see right now, there will be one more chapter after this one, and then an epilogue. After that, I think I will be able to devote the bulk of my time in my new hobbit romance story, which, thankfully, is much more cheerful than this one.
All right, I'm done with my author's note. Time at last, for this chapter. :0(
*************************************************
Whispers . . .
That was what Sam heard in the chill breeze as he ran, following his brother Hamson down to Bagshot Row. The rain had not let up, and Sam wrapped the jacket more tightly around himself. He was still wearing Frodo's. However, even the jacket of his best friend could not keep out the wind; the icy breath was still felt. But that was not what bothered Sam.
It was the whispers.
Sam imagined that with every gust, he could hear whispers muttering faintly in his ears. And he couldn't get it out of his head that they were whispering about death.
Death . . .
No! Hamson had said that their mother was still alive! But he had also passed on what the doctor had told. She was still breathing . . . but wouldn't be for very much longer.
That was why Hamson had gone to get Samwise.
**************************************************
The room was very dim, lit by two candles that cast eerie shadows on the walls as the doctor bustled about. At first glance it would appear that the doctor was the only one in the room. But there were two others. The Gaffer sat stone still beside the bed, and the only movement he made, was the gentle caressing of the pale hand he held.
The moment Sam rushed into room, only one thought pierced his mind.
That wasn't his mother.
It couldn't be.
Freshly fallen snow could not have been as white as the face of Bell Gamgee now. The thick brown hair that framed this now frail-seeming face was not tied up in the bun that it should have been, but instead was streaming out in matted tangles upon her pillow. Her exhaustion was clearly seen in the dark smudges beneath her closed eyes.
It had been with terrible haste that Sam came here, but now he stepped forward hesitantly. With each dragged step of his feet, a single phrase repeated like a mantra inside his head. 'This isn't real, this isn't real . . .'
But it was.
And as he sat down beside the bed and looked across to the other side, he could see it in his Gaffer's grieved gaze. Neither said a word - none were needed. Timidly, he reached out and closed his tiny hand around his mother's. He could feel the fever burning under her skin.
Bell's lips parted, and she let out a weary sigh. In a painfully slow motion, she turned her head to the side, but she still did not open her eyes. It seemed that just by the gentle touch on her hand, she knew that her youngest son had come.
"Sam . . .?"
His head snapped up at this quivering whisper. Hurriedly, he brought her limp hand up and kissed it. "I'm here Momma."
As if reassured of his presence, she quieted for a moment. So quiet, that the doctor came over to check her pulse. When he was satisfied, the doctor nodded and then went back over to the table where he was preparing medicines.
Sam was almost certain that his mother had fallen asleep, but her voice brought back his attention from the darkness to where it had fled.
"So . . . brave . . ."
The words were so quiet, the Sam wondered if he had imagined them. It turned out the Gaffer had heard them as well, and he patted his wife's arm, softly hushing her.
But Bell ever so slightly shook her head, and her brow furrowed in concentration as she tried to speak again. "My little son . . . so brave . . ."
Tears began to stream out of Sam's eyes. "It's all right, Momma," He tried to talk bravely, but his voice came out as a whimper, "I'm here."
"Don't . . . give up . . ." She was breathing in feeble gasps now, and she was trembling with fatigue. "Keep . . . going . . ."
Behind him, Sam heard the doctor muttering something about delirium, but Sam had eyes and ears only for his mother, and the faint whisper of her failing breath. Suddenly, her eyes opened, and she looked right at Sam.
Her eyes were clear, and Sam felt, as he looked into those brown depths the memories of every warm and loving moment he had shared with his mother. Sitting beside a warm fireplace together with a mug of hot tea in their hands after a fun day in the snow, her loving warmth as she pulled him into a hug when he was upset, the soft touch of her kiss on his forehead as she tucked him in and said goodnight . . .
For only a fraction of a second did these thoughts race through his head. For it was not long before Bell's eyes fluttered shut, and she was thrown back in the realm of sleep.
The flood could be held back no longer now.
Sam lay his head down on the bed, and wept.
*********************************************
A couple hours later, Bell was still sleeping, her chest rising and falling erratically with her struggle to bring air into her lungs.
Still no one had stirred, except for the fact that now the entire Gamgee family were standing or sitting around the bed. The children's faces were nearly expressionless, but for the tears on their cheeks.
Suddenly, the doctor seemed to sense something that the family could not. He came over to the bed, and took hold of Bell's wrist. For a moment Sam wondered what was wrong, until he noticed with dismay that his mother's chest was no longer moving.
A long and silent minute passed. The doctor shook his head sadly, laying Bell's arm down beside her on the bed. He gathered up his supplies, and left the Gamgees alone with their tears.
TBC
MLynnBloom: You just keep hugging Sam. I'm sure you'll both need it.
Fireblade K'Chona: *cries also*
Loveofthering: *hands loveofthering a box of kleenex* This was my extra box. I used the first one while writing this. :0(
Michelle Frodo: Yes, the rain is really coming down. *Grabs umbrella* Aw shoot. Umbrellas don't work against symbolic rain! *Sobs*
Lemondrop: Thanks for the encouragement, and I'm sure Michelle Frodo likes the welcome too. You know, you're reviews have been the cause for much of my motivation in this story. I remembered you advice about staying strong when I wrote this chapter. *hugs*
As far as I can see right now, there will be one more chapter after this one, and then an epilogue. After that, I think I will be able to devote the bulk of my time in my new hobbit romance story, which, thankfully, is much more cheerful than this one.
All right, I'm done with my author's note. Time at last, for this chapter. :0(
*************************************************
Whispers . . .
That was what Sam heard in the chill breeze as he ran, following his brother Hamson down to Bagshot Row. The rain had not let up, and Sam wrapped the jacket more tightly around himself. He was still wearing Frodo's. However, even the jacket of his best friend could not keep out the wind; the icy breath was still felt. But that was not what bothered Sam.
It was the whispers.
Sam imagined that with every gust, he could hear whispers muttering faintly in his ears. And he couldn't get it out of his head that they were whispering about death.
Death . . .
No! Hamson had said that their mother was still alive! But he had also passed on what the doctor had told. She was still breathing . . . but wouldn't be for very much longer.
That was why Hamson had gone to get Samwise.
**************************************************
The room was very dim, lit by two candles that cast eerie shadows on the walls as the doctor bustled about. At first glance it would appear that the doctor was the only one in the room. But there were two others. The Gaffer sat stone still beside the bed, and the only movement he made, was the gentle caressing of the pale hand he held.
The moment Sam rushed into room, only one thought pierced his mind.
That wasn't his mother.
It couldn't be.
Freshly fallen snow could not have been as white as the face of Bell Gamgee now. The thick brown hair that framed this now frail-seeming face was not tied up in the bun that it should have been, but instead was streaming out in matted tangles upon her pillow. Her exhaustion was clearly seen in the dark smudges beneath her closed eyes.
It had been with terrible haste that Sam came here, but now he stepped forward hesitantly. With each dragged step of his feet, a single phrase repeated like a mantra inside his head. 'This isn't real, this isn't real . . .'
But it was.
And as he sat down beside the bed and looked across to the other side, he could see it in his Gaffer's grieved gaze. Neither said a word - none were needed. Timidly, he reached out and closed his tiny hand around his mother's. He could feel the fever burning under her skin.
Bell's lips parted, and she let out a weary sigh. In a painfully slow motion, she turned her head to the side, but she still did not open her eyes. It seemed that just by the gentle touch on her hand, she knew that her youngest son had come.
"Sam . . .?"
His head snapped up at this quivering whisper. Hurriedly, he brought her limp hand up and kissed it. "I'm here Momma."
As if reassured of his presence, she quieted for a moment. So quiet, that the doctor came over to check her pulse. When he was satisfied, the doctor nodded and then went back over to the table where he was preparing medicines.
Sam was almost certain that his mother had fallen asleep, but her voice brought back his attention from the darkness to where it had fled.
"So . . . brave . . ."
The words were so quiet, the Sam wondered if he had imagined them. It turned out the Gaffer had heard them as well, and he patted his wife's arm, softly hushing her.
But Bell ever so slightly shook her head, and her brow furrowed in concentration as she tried to speak again. "My little son . . . so brave . . ."
Tears began to stream out of Sam's eyes. "It's all right, Momma," He tried to talk bravely, but his voice came out as a whimper, "I'm here."
"Don't . . . give up . . ." She was breathing in feeble gasps now, and she was trembling with fatigue. "Keep . . . going . . ."
Behind him, Sam heard the doctor muttering something about delirium, but Sam had eyes and ears only for his mother, and the faint whisper of her failing breath. Suddenly, her eyes opened, and she looked right at Sam.
Her eyes were clear, and Sam felt, as he looked into those brown depths the memories of every warm and loving moment he had shared with his mother. Sitting beside a warm fireplace together with a mug of hot tea in their hands after a fun day in the snow, her loving warmth as she pulled him into a hug when he was upset, the soft touch of her kiss on his forehead as she tucked him in and said goodnight . . .
For only a fraction of a second did these thoughts race through his head. For it was not long before Bell's eyes fluttered shut, and she was thrown back in the realm of sleep.
The flood could be held back no longer now.
Sam lay his head down on the bed, and wept.
*********************************************
A couple hours later, Bell was still sleeping, her chest rising and falling erratically with her struggle to bring air into her lungs.
Still no one had stirred, except for the fact that now the entire Gamgee family were standing or sitting around the bed. The children's faces were nearly expressionless, but for the tears on their cheeks.
Suddenly, the doctor seemed to sense something that the family could not. He came over to the bed, and took hold of Bell's wrist. For a moment Sam wondered what was wrong, until he noticed with dismay that his mother's chest was no longer moving.
A long and silent minute passed. The doctor shook his head sadly, laying Bell's arm down beside her on the bed. He gathered up his supplies, and left the Gamgees alone with their tears.
TBC