It's funny how writing works... I go for weeks trying to start a new chapter without success, and then one day I just sit down and write the whole thing in an hour or so. It probably has something to do with the fact that I've just eaten my own weight in suckers, and sugar makes me want to write, lol. Anyway, that's my explanation of why this chapter has taken so long.
-Chapter Five-
A Visit From Lily
A light mist dusted the Shire the next morning, and with the rain came gloom. Not to most hobbits, that is -- but certainly to Estella.
She was tired and bored out of her mind. She had been awakened early this morning, and on top of that, she had not gotten much sleep the previous night. She had been brooding over what Fatty had brought to her attention -- the possibility that their mother was again pregnant. As a result, sleep had not come for many hours after she had been sent to bed.
Estella tried to concentrate on her current task: mending. She was working on a tear in one of Fatty's shirts, but found it difficult. Her vision swam before her eyes, and she found the only way to keep her eyes in focus was to blink on a regular basis. Blinking seemed to make her head throb; however, she assumed it was merely from her lack of sleep.
"It's about time for a break," she muttered to herself, setting the shirt aside and taking her head into her hands, attempting to rub the headache from her head, unfortunately, to no avail. She was toying with the idea of making an early tea, when through the door and into the room came none other than her friend, Lily, a wide grin plastered across her face and a bounce in her step.
"Stella!" she said delightedly. She pulled a chair up and dropped daintily into it. How she accomplished this, Estella would never know. She could barely sit down without looking clumsy, let alone drop and manage to look graceful.
"I'm supposed to be working," Estella said uncertainly. "I don't know if Mother would like me to have --"
"Your mother is the one who invited me in, silly," Lily exclaimed. "I came by to see if you wanted to come over for a little while, and your mother insisted I come in out of the rain and talk to you."
"Oh," was Estella's only response. She bit her lip, gaze lingering on Fatty's shirt. Lily followed it.
"Oh, doing mending are you? I personally hate mending, though I do it often enough. I decided it would be a good task to learn how to do for when I'm older."
"Yes," Estella said halfheartedly. She sighed. As much as she did like Lily (though she could be a pain for the most part) she simply wanted to be alone so she could get her mending done and over with. She needed to think without any distractions. Her whole world had seemed to change in an instant when Fatty brought up the crazy notion that their mother was pregnant. Suppose she really was?
Lily began to ramble on about something her brother had done the previous day, and Estella, muttering a few response here and there but not really listening, picked up Fatty's shirt once more and began to jab at it in a futile attempt to make the hole in the sleeve shrink slowly until it disappeared for good. She was so wrapped up in this that it took her a few moments to realize that Lily had stopped talking and was staring at Estella with a look of mingled disbelief and humor.
"What?" Estella snapped at her, looking up from her work when she finally comprehended the fact that silence had fell.
"Let me see it," Lily instructed, reaching out for the shirt. Estelle coincided, leaning back in her chair with another sigh. Lily sighed and muttered to herself as she observed Estella's work so far.
"You really haven't had much practice, have you?" she asked idly. Estella didn't answer, but instead narrowed her eyes at her friend.
"My mind is anywhere but here today," she said. "So perhaps I haven't been doing the best job."
"Yes, I noticed," Lily commented. "You didn't seem to be listening to me at all."
"I was so," Estella said automatically.
"What was I talking about then?"
Estella said nothing, and a grin broke out on Lily's face. "Do you see? I knew it. It's okay, however, I can understand." She lowered the shirt from her face for a moment to survey Estella. "What has got you so preoccupied?"
Estella glanced out the window at the rain that was now coming down in steady sheets, running messily down the roads and flooding the grass. She seriously debated telling Lily about Fatty's suspicions. It would be someone to confide in, and perhaps that would ease Estella's mind. However... what if... what if what? What if Lily ran about the Shire telling all that would listen that Fredegar and Estella Bolger suspected their mother of being pregnant? Estella had to laugh at the absurd idea.
"Just an idea Fatty had," she said at last, turning back to her friend.
"Oh?" Lily said, and the intent way that she stared at Estella, eyebrows raised, eyes flickering about Estella's face questioningly, Fatty's shirt suspended midair, that made Estella suddenly desperately want to divulge the idea to Lily. And that she did.
Voice low, leaning closer to her friend, Estella said, "Fatty thinks that Mother is pregnant." Lily let out a delighted gasp and her eyes widened in glee, so Estella went on. "She's been having morning sickness like Rose did last year when she was pregnant. That is all we have to go by, though, so we could easily be wrong."
"Wouldn't it be wonderful if she was?" Lily exclaimed at once, grinning uncontrollably.
"Yes, I suppose so," Estella said, pulling back. She had never really thought about it -- though now that she did, added with Lily's evident excitement, she found that enthusiasm suddenly rose in her, so sudden and so thick that she felt like choking -- either that or shouting with joy. If their mother was pregnant, she could have a younger sibling to look out for, to dote over... Headache forgotten, mending put aside, Estella suddenly no longer felt confused on the matter; now she felt as though she couldn't be happier at the prospect.
"Would you want a younger sister or brother?" Lily demanded at once.
"Sister," Estella said without hesitation, then paused, and said slowly, "Lily, that's assuming she is pregnant."
"Ask her," Lily urged instantly. "Ask her if she's pregnant!"
Estella opened her mouth to respond, but wasn't quick enough. Into the room walked her mother, carrying tea and scones for the both of them.
"Who is pregnant?" Mrs. Bolger asked as she set the refreshments down. Estella, heart suddenly beating at an irregular pace, glanced at Lily automatically for instructions on how to respond, and was suddenly struck with horror at the look on Lily's face; a look as though sudden brilliance had struck, complete with a fanatical grin.
"Thank you Mrs. Bolger," Lily jumped in, accepting a tea cup. She took a short sip from it as Estella quickly tried to think of something to say. She was too slow, however. "Estella and I were just talking about someone who we think may be pregnant," Lily went on, setting her cup down. "And Estella was just saying that if it was you that was pregnant, she would want it to be a girl, isn't that right, Estella?"
Estella gaped at her friend in shock. Lily smiled in return. Estella was only furthered shocked to see her mother smiling as well.
"Estella would be fine if she was to get a younger sibling?"
"Fine?" Lily asked, eyes wide in a sense of astonishment, which Estella knew was fake. "Why, she would be overjoyed!" Estella felt her headache coming back full-fledged. She wished Lily had never come over. She wished she had never said anything. "Do you know what's interesting about this whole thing, Mrs. Bolger?" Lily went on. She paused here, then exclaimed, "We were talking about you!"
Estella wasn't sure if Lily was just flat-out unintelligent or if she went fishing for trouble. Either way, she wanted her friend out of the house and now. She refused to look at either Lily or her mother as a period of silence swept the three.
"Well," Mrs. Bolger said at last. "Perhaps Estella will get her wish, and it will be a girl." With that, she was gone, leaving Estella speechless and Lily clasping her hands and bouncing up and down with joy.