Hey you all! Another chapter, another memory, and one step closer to the end of the story! It is nearly in sight now, not that many chapters left. But an introduction of an only previously mentioned before character to look forward to this chapter!
Replies to Reviews:
Bookworm2000- I agree, Elanor might just be one of the sweetest hobbits around! And did you remember what the box reminded you of? You said it was going to bug you, I just wondered if you had remembered yet, or is it still annoying you? I, personally, have no idea what you are talking about!
My Very Own Sam- Oh I am so glad you noticed the `turnip` remark! I was wondering what Frodo could call Sam, then I thought about what I call you sometimes, and it fitted just perfectly! You were beginning to sound a bit like Monica from Friends, about categorising all your thoughts etc. though I agree, you'll probably need more then a box just for your thoughts about Sam! But, if you read more carefully, the box didn't hold all thoughts, just those about the person that you give it too. See how that works? Maybe you could give Sam a box!!
GamgeeFest- Glad you continue to enjoy! And yes, I agree that it would have been just like Sam to think up something like a little thought box. As Frodo was responsible for the `Memory Box` that the story is based upon (and we are going to be returning to that this chapter!) I thought Sam should be responsible for this one!
Lady Freesia- Have no fear, I am not going to end this story yet! I have had the ending written out since the first chapter was posted, I know exactly where I am heading. The ending is not far off, but you have several more chapters to enjoy yet, and I hope you refrain from going crazy!
Gina- aww thanks for such a nice heart warming list! I'm glad you liked my little expansion on the appendices, I always thought that it was a shame Tolkien didn't write about the meeting, so I thought I'd do it myself! I tried not to put too many of my own ideas into it, thinking that everyone who has read the appendices will have a different idea of how that meeting would have worked out. And like I said to you in an email, I write to thank you all for such nice reviews, without reviews, I doubt there would be very much of a story!
Shirebound- The part which you mentioned in your review was actually the sentence which took me the longest to write. I am unsure even now if I am completely happy with it, but praise from you is praise indeed my friend!
Laurajslr- You read the whole of my story in a single evening? Wow, a very dedicated fan I have there! Thank you so much for dropping me a review, it means so much to me. And here is another chapter, with another memory in it, just for your enjoyment!
Celebrindel- I hope you managed to reform yourself again, having previously `Melted into a puddle`. And you seem to do a lot of crying where my story is concerned don't you? I'm so glad you seem to be enjoying it!
No 1 Fan- I am so glad that my story continues to have the `aww` effect on you, it makes me so happy to hear about it! Without people like you, who review each and everything I have ever written, I would probably have given up on writing a long time ago, were it not for you support. Thank you very much!
Samwise the Brave- Several people have commented that they felt the need to cry after the last chapter, so you are not on your own! And I'm so glad that you thought of the box as the loveliest memory, it has been one of my favourites for a long time. And I did not mean that you sounded like a `bimbo`, or that you don't have to think to write what you do in your reviews. Far from it. I simply felt that I had to mention how much love comes through in your reviews that it always appears that you write from the heart, and that always gladdens me!
Cosmo-queen- Of course I know the warm and fuzzy feeling, and it was exactly what I was trying to capture. My vision of friendship, and how much two people can mean to each other, I should really give most credit for that to a very god friend of mine, who you probably know all about by now. Without her, I doubt very much that half of this story would have seemed as believable, because a lot of it is drawn indirectly from my own experiences with said person. I also spent a lot of time in preparing for the story in developing the relationships between the characters. As most of the chapters have very little action in them, it is important that I get the relationships spot on, otherwise there would be very little point in the whole story. Thanks for your reviews, even if they were slightly later then normal *shakes own fist at your school for you, even though it is so very far away*
Anarane- Hello new reviewer! I was so pleased to hear from you. You say you have been reading for a while, and that's great, and don't worry about not having reviewed before, I know some people have trouble expressing their feelings in that way. You're here now though, and better late then never! Please continue to enjoy the story, even if you don't ever review again!
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Memories of a Gardener
By Michelle Frodo
Chapter 12 – An Unexpected Sleep Over
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"Dad, I'm bored" Little Goldilocks complained.
"What's the matter sweetheart?" Sam asked, sitting on the end of his daughter's bed.
"I want to go outside." She said, looking out of the window with a sigh, where the rest of her brothers and sisters were playing a game in the garden.
"Goldie, you know I'd let you in a heartbeat, but you've been very ill. An' you said yesterday that you couldn't even possibly walk, your legs were feelin' like marmalade." Sam said, putting a comforting arm round Goldilocks' shoulder, as he too watched his other children running across the lawn.
"Well, that was yesterday, it was rainin' then. It's sunny now, I want to go outside."
"Tell you what. If you can stand up for more then a minute without fallin' over, I'll take you outside." Sam decided. He helped his daughter to her feet. The second Sam let go of her arm, and Goldilocks put all of her weight on her feet, she turned pale, and try as she might, she couldn't stand herself up. She fell backwards onto the mattress with a flop. Annoyed, she stared up at her father with frustrated eyes.
"Don't you go a lookin' at me like that." Sam said, shaking his head. "It ain't my fault."
"Well it ain't my fault either." Goldilocks answered with a pout.
"I know, but it's only to be expected. You been ill for the best part of a week, an' you hardly left the bed. You shouldn't go expectin' to be able to walk again just like that." He said, clicking his fingers to emphasise his point.
"But I'm bored!" Goldilocks said again, admitting defeat, and climbing back into bed. Sam sighed, exasperated. If any one of his children was going to be ill, he had hoped it was not going to be Goldilocks. She was the one of his children who he always had to call more then twice to come in for dinner. It was Goldilocks who was out of the house first in the morning and back last at night. He had more arguments with her then with his other children put together. Not that she was a bad child, far from it, but she differed greatly from her father, and she was a bit of a fidget.
"I could get your mother to read you a story if you'd like."
"She already read me half the books in the house. Besides, I'd rather be outside havin' my own adventures rather then listenin' to everyone else's." She argued.
"Look, sweetheart I know how you feel, but.."
"No you don't." Goldilocks interrupted. "You never get ill. You never had to stay in bed for the whole of forever while the sun was shinin' an' there was places to go."
"As a matter of fact, yes I did." Sam said.
"No you didn't." Goldilocks said, but with not much force to her voice. Sam could tell she was interested. She thought for a moment. "If I promise to be good, an' stay in bed, at least for today, will you tell me?"
~*~
"He ain't travellin ' and that's that."
"But what are we goin' to do with him?"
"Maybe your brother could take him?"
"No can do, his little 'un ain't been so well, he wont want to risk it."
"But Sam can't come with us, he still ain't recovered, an' he's in no fit state to travel."
"Well, he ain't old enough to stay on his own an' that's a fact."
Bell Gamgee sighed. It wasn't often that the family were given the chance of a holiday, and next week her uncle down in the south farthing had lent them his cottage for a few days. The whole family had been looking forward to the trip.
But Sam had caught a nasty rash last week. Even doctor Towfoot didn't know what had caused it.
The red itchy spots had first appeared on Sam's arms, and had spread to his back, chest and legs. It was painful for the child to walk, and it had been painful for his family at having to put up with him being kept indoors. He really didn't mean to moan, but he just wasn't the indoor type.
The rash was at last beginning to fade and the doctor had said that although there was no longer any fear of it being contagious, under no circumstances was Sam to travel very far. So now Hamfast and Bell were faced with a difficult choice. To forget their holiday and stay at home, or find someone who wouldn't mind looking after Sam, if he would consent to stay at home while his family went away without him.
The Gaffer was stumped, no two ways about it. Bell had brought his lunch up to Bag End, and the two of them were talking over the fence.
"T'looks as though we ain't goin' anywhere then." The Gaffer said, and Bell sighed and nodded her head in agreement.
But neither of them had noticed that Frodo had been sitting at the bottom of the garden with his book, and he had heard everything. In his opinion, there was no other family in Middle Earth who deserved a holiday as much as the Gamgee's did, and he wasn't about to sit around and do nothing while the only time they had off was about to be cancelled.
"I wouldn't mind looking after Sam," he said, standing up. The Gaffer jumped and fell over backwards in his fright, landing on the floor with a bump.
"Mr Frodo! Didn't see you Sir, hidin' in the bushes there. Fare near gave me a heart attack you did, an' no mistake."
"Oh I am sorry Gaffer, I didn't mean to frighten you. I couldn't help over hearing your conversation, and I really wouldn't mind looking after Sam for you next week."
"That's very kind of you dear, but we really couldn't ask you to do that." Bell smiled down at him. At that moment, Bilbo came out of the back door into the garden.
"Frodo, your dinner's almost ready lad." He caught site of the Gaffer, still on the ground where he had fallen over. "Lying down on the job are we Hamfast?" he said with a chuckle.
The Gaffer jumped to his feet. "Certainly not Mr Bilbo!"
"I was just saying Bilbo, I could look after Sam next week couldn't I?"
"I thought you were away next week?" Bilbo asked Gaffer and Bell.
"We were Sir, but on account a' Sam catchin' his nasty rash, it looks as though we be stayin' at home. It really don't matter Sir, don't want to be burdenin' you with my family troubles I'm sure." Gaffer said blushing.
"Nonsense Gaffer! You're my friend, and your family troubles are my family troubles. I'm here to help. Now, I'm away for a few days next week, so Frodo really is in need of some company. I didn't want to go while you were away, but it is unavoidable. If Sam would like, he could keep Frodo company for me while I'm away. "
Frodo was about to protest that he could look after himself and he didn't need anyone to keep him company, but Bilbo silenced him with a look. The Gaffer and Bell were looking at each other, trying to decide what to do.
"Well…" Gaffer said, uncertainly "I don't suppose it would do Sam any harm to stay behind an' look after Mr Frodo while you're away Sir, since as how that is supposed to be his job an' all."
"Splendid Gaffer. You're leaving early on Sunday I believe? If you want to send Sam up for his supper on Saturday? I'm not setting off till Tuesday. Now, come on Frodo, your dinner is going cold."
Frodo smiled at Bell and the Gaffer then quickly ran after Bilbo up the garden. He followed him into the kitchen, shut the door, and then rounded on his uncle in anger.
"What did you mean I need looking after while you're away? You don't trust me to look after myself? Is that it?"
"Calm yourself my boy!" Bilbo said, holding Frodo by the shoulders. "I know you can look after yourself, but the Gamgee's are proud people, they would never have agreed to let us look after Sam while they went away without good cause. The way it is, they think they are doing us a favour, so it's quite acceptable to them. It was the only way I could think of to let us help them."
*
Saturday night dawned, and Sam called at Bag End at about 7 o'clock, just good supper time, as the Gaffer would have said. He carried with him quite a large bag, containing all the things that he felt he might need. He struggled his way up the steps, and knocked at the door. Frodo opened it, and smiled at Sam.
"Good evening! Why don't you come in? Make yourself at home." Frodo said with a flourish of his hands, as though inviting someone important inside for a cup of tea. Sam giggled uncertainly, and shuffled over the threshold. "Sam, what by Bree have you got in that bag?" Frodo asked, wide eyed as he caught sight of the enormous bag on Sam's back.
"Just essentials Mr Frodo, no harm in bein' prepared."
"Sam, you are aware that you're only staying for a week or so? You look as though you've brought several months worth of food and clothing for two people!"
"As my Gaffer would say, better havin' too much as too little."
Frodo laughed, shaking his head. "Very well, I suppose you only had to carry it half way up the row. Good job we were not planning on going very far, I expect your back would have broken under the weight!"
Sam went and dumped his bag in Frodo's room, and then walked into the kitchen to join Frodo and Bilbo for supper of chicken soup and blueberry muffins.
Later on that night, Sam was laying on a mattress on the floor in Frodo's room. However comfy he was, he just couldn't get to sleep. He thought maybe Frodo was awake too, the older hobbit seemed to have been tossing and turning for a while. But Sam was afraid to speak, least he was asleep and Sam woke him up. Suddenly, Frodo sneezed.
For some reason that even he couldn't explain, this made Sam giggle. Frodo heard him, and also started to laugh quietly into his pillow. This made Sam laugh even harder, which in turn set Frodo off. It wasn't long before the two of them were hysterical with laughter, but the worst part was that they were trying to keep quiet.
"Shhh..Sam" Frodo gasped between breaths. "We'll wake Bilbo up!" Sam tried to stop himself from laughing quite as hard by holding his breath, but he looked so funny, turning redder and redder, that Frodo's laughs exploded again. Sam felt as though his ribs would surely burst with the strain of trying not to laugh. It was some time before either of them were able to control themselves.
"It's no good." Frodo eventually said. "I simply can't sleep."
"Me either." Sam agreed. Frodo crawled to the bottom end of his bed, so he could talk to Sam.
"Are you comfortable enough down their Sam?" he asked.
"Oh yes thank you Mr Frodo. More comfortable then I would've been if I'd 'av gone with my family I dare say."
"What do you think they are up to at this moment?" Frodo asked, rearranging his pillow to make himself a comfy spot where he could see Sam.
"What do you mean what're they up to?" Sam asked, not quite understanding the game.
"Well," Frodo explained. "As we lie here talking about them, what do you think they are talking about?"
Sam thought carefully for a moment. "I reckon my Daisy's in a state of panic, 'cause I know for a fact that she forgot her hair brush"
Frodo laughed. "And your brothers?"
"I'll wager Hal an' Ham'll be arguing about who'll be sleepin' in the biggest bed." And they both laughed. "This is fun." Sam said, sitting up, wrapping his arms around his knees. "Lets do someone we don't like."
"The Shakville Baggins'!" Frodo laughed. "I bet Lobelia is counting her silver spoons!"
Sam laughed. "Maybe, at this very moment, Lotho is picking his nose!"
The game continued, until nearly everyone the pair of them knew was up to something mischievous, or stupid, or just plain silly. Eventually they ran out of people. They sat in contented silence for a while, listening to the rain beginning to fall heavily outside. Suddenly, Sam's stomach rumbled.
"You can't possibly be hungry?" Frodo asked.
"Not so much hungry, I don't think. But I could just eat some sausages."
"Sausages?! At this time?" Frodo doubled up laughing.
"Or maybe some bacon. Or mushrooms."
"Sam! How can you even be thinking of food this late at night? It must be past eleven"
"Just in time for second elevenses then!" Sam answered. "I bet you yourself wouldn't say no to some lovely buttery mash potatoes?" Sam asked inquisitively. Frodo raised his eye brows, completely at a loss for what to say. But his stomach answered for him, and rumbled in appreciation. Sam smiled. "See, told you so."
"Well, sorry to disappoint you, but I don't have any sausages, or bacon, or mash potatoes handy at this present moment." Frodo said. "But I know what we can do to take you mind off it. Did you ever tell scary stories with your brothers?" Frodo asked.
"Not as that I can remember." Sam answered, looking curious. If Frodo had some interesting game up his sleeve, it was usually a good one.
"Come sit up here Sam, I can't see you properly down there." So Sam got up off the floor, and sat on Frodo's bed. They wrapped a blanket round themselves to keep warm, as the rain was falling quite heavily now, and it was becoming chilly in the room.
"Right." Frodo began. "This is what you have to do. I'm going to start telling a scary story, but I'm not going to finish, I'm just going to stop half way, and I want you to tell me how the story ends."
Sam looked a bit hesitant. "All right." He said, a bit uncertainly, but excited, this sounded as though it could be quite fun.
"You'll pick it up fast enough." Frodo reassured him. And the game began. First, Frodo and Sam were playing riddles in the dark with Gollum, and then they were chased down dark tunnels by Goblins.
Sam told of a mad dwarf who went round chopping heads off unsuspecting hobbits when they weren't looking. He was quickly followed by the ghost of a long dead king who walked round kitchens at night seeking revenge upon people who laughed at him. After that came what was called the `dark shadow`, which sucked your breath away with its presence in a room.
The longer the story went on, the scarier and scarier it became. By the time the story ended with `and they were never seen again` both Frodo and Sam were hidden under the blanket it fright. They sat in silence for a while, each wondering what horrors could be waiting outside the door to come and get them.
"I could do with a drink" Said Frodo. "I'm a bit thirsty." Sam nodded in agreement. The older hobbit disentangled himself from the blankets, and was about to swing his feet out of the bed, when Sam caught his arm.
"What if Gollum is hiding under the bed?" he asked with a shiver. Frodo was about to start laughing, before he realised that it was quite possible that Gollum could be under his bed. It was, after all, very dark down there. And come to think of it, when was the last time he had actually checked underneath his bed? He turned his eyes on Sam, who looked back at him.
Ever being the practical one, Sam had an idea. He lay on his stomach, with his head hanging over the edge of the bed. Frodo did likewise.
There was no Gollum under the bed.
The wind whistled outside as Frodo got off the bed carefully. He walked over to the door, and was just about to put his hand on the door handle, when he turned round. Sam was still sat on the bed, watching him with wide eyes.
"You know," said Frodo, slightly embarrassed. "It's very dark out in the hall at this time of night." Sam jumped off the bed and ran to his friend's side.
"Oh good." He said. "I didn't want to be stayin' in here by myself."
Together they edged into the hallway. It was extremely dark, and hard to see a few feet in front of you, let alone in all the dark corners where Goblins might be hiding, Sam thought.
Tiptoeing down the hall, Frodo was just thinking that maybe it was empty of axe wielding dwarfs after all, when a great snort cut through the noise of the rain. Sam jumped off his feet, and ran towards the kitchen, grabbing Frodo's hand and pulling him along.
The door to the kitchen was shut, and the two of them nearly ran straight into it. They stood panting for a while, until Frodo laughed nervously.
"You know what the noise was?" he whispered with a half smile. Sam shook his head no. "It was Bilbo snoring." They both laughed quietly then turned their attention to the door leading to the kitchen.
"You don't really believe in ghosts do you?" Sam asked quietly, seeking Frodo's hand in the darkness.
"No" Frodo answered, but squeezed Sam's hand as he went to open the door. Together they whispered "1..2..3 " and pushed it open.
The kitchen was empty, and they both sighed in relief. Frodo got two glasses of water, and they stood in the kitchen in silence for a while. It wasn't as dark as in the hallway, as there were two windows that looked out over the garden.
They finished their drinks, as the wind howled outside and the rain pounded the windows.
`Knock knock knock` came a tap on the window above the noise of the rain.
"What was that?" Sam asked, twisting his head from side to side.
"Just..tree branches..on the window." Frodo said, trying to sound calm, though his hands were shaking.
`Don't be a ninny hammer Samwise Gamgee. ` the lad mentally scolded himself. Its only branches on the window……they were only stories..
But just at that moment, a bolt of lightening flashed across the sky, creating strange shadows in the kitchen. Thunder clapped straight afterwards.
Without hesitation, Frodo and Sam ran from the kitchen, skidded down the hall way, practically fell into Frodo's bedroom, slamming the door behind them, and collapsed on the bed, huddling under the sheets.
Sam was shaking like a leaf, and Frodo wasn't much better. They huddled together on the bed, gasping for breath.
And that was how Bilbo found them the next morning, clinging to each other, even in their sleep, as though one was afraid that they might disappear without the other to hold onto. Bilbo chuckled to himself, then began to whistle as he strolled down the hallway and into the kitchen to make some breakfast.
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May Elbereth bless my reviewers; Flames will be used in destroying the Ring.
This chapter was brought to you by `Swards R Us`
I must remember to thank a very good friend of mine for the ideas for this chapter. Everything mentioned in the sleep over has actually happened at some point. From wondering what everyone else was up to, to being scared by strange noises and having to dash back and hide in the blankets. Thank you for some great night-time memories my friend. xxx