What Empty Places are For

Chapter four

Pippin and Faro spoke little during the ride. They seemed comforted just to be doing something, anything that would shake the darkness from their lives. Boromir could feel the love they had for each other, father and son, as thick and palpable as a stout line. Yes, there was great hope for this relationship. All was not lost, for Pippin, unlike Denethor, was proud, but not stiff of neck. Pippin never feared humbling himself for the sake of love, and once more Boromir was learning just why he cared for these halflings so deeply. In matters of the heart, halflings had a wisdom far bigger than their small forms seemed able to hold.

They had arrived at Brandy Hall late and rested there for the remainder of the night. After breakfast, Merry and Pippin had taken a short walk together. They spoke little of Pippin's troubles, but there was a sense of great hope and love between them. Merry knew Pippin was doing the right thing, and Pippin knew Merry would be more than happy to help by looking after Faro. With Faro at Uncle Merry's house, Pippin could concentrate on fighting his way out of the blackness that was trying to swallow him piecemeal.

When Boromir's wagon pulled away from the front door to Brandy Hall, the two lads, Merry and Estella had stood outside waving. They seemed both happy and sad. Pippin wasn't exactly going to the Grey Havens, but then this was similar in some ways. Pippin wouldn't be parted from them for long, but when he came back, he would be changed. It was a needed change, but change nonetheless. Merry had the best grip on the situation. He had seen Pippin go through many changes, and he had faith that when he saw Pippin again, he would really be more like his old self than the sorrowing, fading hobbit he now was.

Boromir's children were delighted to see Uncle Pippin, they always were, but they knew Uncle Pippin well enough to tell he was not himself. They did not need to discuss among themselves the need to let him have peace and quiet. They sensed his need to heal himself, and having seen their father sorrowing as well, they knew that the two old friends would help each other muddle through somehow.

Little Diamond had always been Pippin's favorite, and she adored him. One evening she had sat under the oak and watched from a distance as Pippin went with Boromir to place a wreath on Saro's grave. All the wildflowers were long gone for the year, so Boromir had taken to making little garlands and wreaths to put on her grave instead. She watched as her father stooped by the grave and placed the wreath, then saw him bow his head. Uncle Pippin had put a hand on her father's shoulder, and she knew her father wept.

She went inside and checked the stew. Rabbit stew was a tradition with Boromir's family when the Tooks would come for a visit, and one Took or more, they always had it when the Tooks (or one Took) was visiting. She put on the kettle, for it was bitterly cold. They would want hot tea when they came in, and a hot meal. Ruby did the cooking, now. She was also teaching the other children their letters and numbers. Ruby was much like her father in disposition. She was protective and a guiding light for her little brothers and sisters. She assured her siblings that their Poppa would be fine now Uncle Pippin was here, and that their Poppa would help Uncle Pippin, too.

There wasn't much to do with the bees a-sleeping the winter away. Only the beeswax candles to market. The two old friends had much time on their hands and often took long walks in the woods around Boromir's little house. As the Yule holidays approached, the children asked their father if they could bake honey-cakes and make candy to give to the poor, as they had always done. This was a tradition Saro and Boromir had started while they were still courting, and they had done it every year.

Boromir had hesitated at first. The children pleaded with him without much result. Late one evening, after discussing yet again whether or not they would keep the tradition, Boromir took down a book. It was also a tradition to read to each other in his home. When Boromir took the book down Pippin noticed that there was an empty place where the book used to be. The image returned to him time and time again over the next two days, and on the third day when Boromir took the book down, Pippin made an observation.

"There is an empty place where the book was." He pointed out.

"Yes, Pippin, there usually is an empty place when something is taken away."

"Sometimes, you put the thing back. Sometimes, it isn't empty forever."

Boromir looked at him expectantly. A Pippin Moment, as he called them, was forthcoming, he could tell.

"Well, when you think of it, sometimes an empty place just tells you what should go there." Pippin said.

"You are beginning to speak in riddles, like Gandalf."

"I don't mean to, really. But look, if you put the book back where it was, it isn't an empty place anymore. You put something back where it belongs. I think I would very much like helping the children bake some honey-cakes and biscuits and candies and such. That way the empty place doesn't stay empty."

Boromir studied his friend for a moment, and his face was so sober Pippin gave him a pat on the shoulder. "We could fill up some empty places by doing the things they loved, you know." Pippin said.

"True. Very well, I think you are right. We'll keep the tradition."

The children leapt around with joy. They had learned to love doing this at Yule. They had learned the good in doing good for the sake of good, and they knew their mother would approve. Boromir took a little effort to calm them down again after the initial burst of good-nature and joy, and only got them quiet enough for their evening book time after he said they could start the next day on the baking.

The next evening, they settled in for their reading time a little more tired. They had all spent the day baking and cleaning up between batches. Boromir and Pippin sat beside each other on a long settee with the children curled up on the floor before the fire, listening to Boromir read.

As Boromir turned a page, he saw Diamond put her finger to her lips for silence, then point to Pippin. He had nodded off leaning against Boromir.

"He seems so weary, Poppa." Diamond said.

"He is weary, love. His heart has been very heavy."

Diamond got up, took the cushion she had been resting her elbow on, and placed it under Pippin's head. She kissed his cheek.

"My poor little Uncle Pippin. Sleep well; rest your dear sweet, weary heart. Sweet dreams, Uncle Pippin."

Boromir absentmindedly draped an arm around Pippin, as if he weren't aware of doing it at all.

"He is very dear to you, isn't he, Poppa?" Ruby asked.

"Outside of my own brother, he is my dearest friend in all the wide world. Uncle Merry and Uncle Pippin are like my family to me."

"He misses Aunt Diamond awfully, doesn't he?" said little Samwise.

"Yes, he does, as I miss your mother."

"That is what he means when he speaks of empty places, isn't it?" Ruby asked.

"Yes, it is."

"And that is why he is here? So you both can find things to put into the empty places?"

"Yes, sweetheart."

"But why do we have them, Poppa? What are the empty places for?"

"I do not know. Perhaps we shall find out together, he and I."

"You'll tell us when you figure it out?"

"Yes, Ruby, I will."

Ruby got up and kissed her father's cheek, then bent and kissed Pippin's cheek. "If we could fill up the empty places with love, we would." she said, "But I think it must be filled with more than just love, or at least feelings of love. It needs to be filled with something else."

"Uncle Pippin will find something to put in the empty places. Just give him time." Boromir said. He picked up the book and continued to read as Pippin lay dreaming, leaning against Boromir.

To Be Continued