At last the pub was emptied, and the lads and gaffers stumbled out the door. The two barmaids who remained for closing and Mr. Moro Goodbody (who owned The Dragon) began to wipe down the tables and stack all the chairs and stools. But as Rosie came to a corner concealed from the counter, she saw a mop of curly hair laid down upon the table. Giving out a sigh, she pressed her hand onto the slumped shoulder and shook it as gently as she could.
"Ah," she chided, finally sitting down when he would not rise "Gaffer Gamgee, are you all right?"
But the old hobbit turned his head and looked at her with sad eyes. Though drink often gave young lads too much energy, in the old gaffer it only stole away.
"Sbeen three months." He said, running his weathered finger along a crack in the table "Three months."
Rosie was silent, but she left her hand on his shoulder and stroked it with her thumb.
"…my youngest lad…the one to carry on my work…" he mumbled, his words broken by strange breath "Everyone says he's dead."
"I-is that what you're worried about?" Rosie asked, laughing as best as she could "Neh. He ain't dead. I know that for sure."
"I know you try to be cheerful, Rose." Said the Gaffer "But there's times you have to assume."
"I am assuming," Rosie assured "The way I see it, Sam wouldn't have left if he didn't know he was going to come back. He's not one to act like that."
"Well, if Mr Frodo was the one to be leaving, he'd go with him no matter what, I know. I taught him how to be loyal to a master but not to what point! Don't suppose they would've even made it up there to Crick-Hollow- probably led away by them queer-folk from the north-farthing!" and here he sighed "I always said to Sam- 'keep your mind on the potatoes and the cabbages, none of that other nonsense!' Ah, and I thought that he'd've listened to me! But he's gone and gotten mixed up in the business of his betters! Now look at the trouble he's in- and the trouble he's left me in! Ah and all because he looks after Mr Frodo- noble as he is!"
Rosie showed no sadness while he spoke his sorrowful piece. She had taught herself to receive such words and speculation as if they were far away- gliding by her and never really sinking in. It was when she was by herself that she would worry about her Sam. It wouldn't do any harm, then. But here with his gaffer and with the lads who hardly knew his name before he meant amiss, it would have been disastrous to be obvious.
"Yeh, he looks after Mr Baggins, but he looks after you too. He wouldn't leave you all alone like that to watch after The Row if he didn't know he'd come back for you. And besides, can you picture him of all hobbits getting into anything that might get him killed? He knows better than that! And if not, Mr. Baggins will make sure he does alright- he won't let him get into any nonsense! And even without, Sam's got a good head on his shoulders- he got that from you, Gaffer Gamgee."
"Bless you, Rose." He chuckled a little, though he could see the sadness behind her optimistic words. She was convincing herself as much as she was convincing him, for he noticed the words she had used-can you picture him of all hobbits getting into anything that might get him killed? He had never mentioned such things, though it was true the thought was there in his mind. "…tell me, how's your gaffer?"
"He's as good as ever."
"I should like to speak with him some time."
"Yeh, I'll tell him for you. Anything in particular?"
"Naw. Nothing to concern yourself with, Rose. Just leave it to the lads and gaffers to sort out. Don't worry."
"Aye." She smiled "…do you need a moment to rest? I can walk you home once I finish all this up, if you wish."
The Gaffer Gamgee nodded, resting his head back down "If your gaffer's still awake maybe I'll speak to him before I go home."
"Aren't you any tired?"
"Not too tired. It's very important."
Rosie nodded and stood up again, patting him on the back "Just give me a moment to finish cleaning."
In the months since Sam had taken off, Rosie had kept a careful eye on the Gaffer Gamgee while he was at the Dragon. She wasn't the only one, for with Gammer Gamgee being the late Gammer Gamgee, Hamson in Tighfield, Halfred in the north-farthing, and the three girls right off and married, even Farmer Cotton had had to look after the poor hobbit. In a way, the family had filled the gap that Sam had left, and Rosie (for one) was determined to fill it until he came back. Ah, what a talking to she'd give him then! Leaving for so long- imagine that nerve!
But it was no burden and not so hard for her to look after the older hobbit. The Gaffer Gamgee had been like a second father to her, for her Tom-Dad and him had been friends since they were lads just learning how to work the land. After the poor harvest of 2963 (Shire Reckoning), the two had traveled to the north farthing together in order to bring back some of the old reserves. They had been stopped by the snow halfway there and forced to live off on the roadside for two days before they could go on. The storm finally let, but their friendship did not.
When they were both married and up to their ears in children (Tom-Dad in sons and Ham Gamgee in daughters), they still made sure to see each other as often as possible, usually bringing their lads and lasses along with them. They'd smoke their pipes by the river banks, glad (but not too glad) to get away from home for a while.
Bywater Pool had always been a favourite spot, for it required no money to enjoy, and did not lack space for their younguns to run and swim. It had cradled their children in its warm waters, making them glad ("but none too soft" as Tom-Dad would put it) and so they had grown even greater in fondness for their homeland; it was true that it had raised them just as much as their gaffers and gammers.
How many days had they spent there with the sun shining down upon the shimmering waters, sitting in the green grasses and feeling the cool mud beneath their furry feet? The rocks by the shore were always warm as a hearth's cob, and the mud: sticky-soft and cool. Even as the Cotton and Gamgee children grew, they would still remove themselves to the pool to swim or to paddle with each other. For it was true they had all been close through their gaffers, so that even when they had begun to grow and plump up, they were still children with each other.
"Hurry up, Samwise Gamgee!"
"I would if I could!" called Sam, trying his best to pull his feet out of the mud that insisted on holding him back "But all this mud it won't let me go- evil stuff as it is! See, I can't hurry! You'll have to wait!"
"I would make my steps slow, but then you'd never learn!" Rosie laughed, running back onto the shore in a fit of laughter. As a tween, she had always found it funny luring Sam into the pool and then leaving him there. Somehow he always got stuck. Perhaps had she been wiser she'd have known the lengths a lad would go to in order to make a lass laugh. But then, perhaps that was the point at which one knew more than would let them be happy.
"Come on, Sam! You can do it!"
And he tried his best to look silly as he waded through the water.
Rosie sat with her legs stretched out and leaned back on her hands "I would've thought you'd be a better swimmer by now, love!"
"Hm? What did you call me?"
"Nothing! Hurry up! Think of what your gaffer'll say when he comes around to find you can't swim even after all this time!"
And Samwise grinned, leaning forward, at first seeming to swim and then to drown "Aha! Help!"
Rosie sat up and for a moment and was startled but then she shook her head. Sam'd never go anywhere where he couldn't stand up! Or at least she thought so.
"Come on, Sam! You'll have to pull yourself up! I can't carry you!
…Sam?
Sam!"
And she bolted down back to the pool as fast as she could, wading through the water where last she saw him. But it was noon and the sun glistened so bright off the water so she could not make out where he was.
"Ack!" she screamed, as suddenly there was a great splash and the verily soaked hobbit appeared out of the pool "Curse you, Samwise Gamgee! Why'd you have to startle me like that!? I thought better of you!"
Sam re-appeared over the water, shook his head and shrugged. In truth he had not really intended to scare her, but after taking a moment to try and swim had been unable to. He laughed a bit, and coughed, trying his best to look as if he had done it on purpose.
"Better?" he asked, rubbing his face off on his sleeve so hide the redness of his cheeks.
"Yeh, less brave and more clever." she grinned "But maybe I was mistaken about you. I should call you Samwise the Brave."
"Doesn't seem right." he laughed "No, plain old Sam is good enough for me. It's good for every day wear and tear you know."
"Every day is fine. But this should be a special name. Samwise the Brave!"
"I'd feel better about Samwise the None-too-Clever-But-Maybe-Just-A-Little-Brave."
"Too long." smiled Rosie, wondering why Sam was always trying to humble himself. She did not yet realize that his humility and love for simple pleasures was one of the things she loved most about him (and believed in herself) "Come on then, Samwise the Brave, let's get out of this pool."
And she began to walk (somewhat gruffly for the mud pulled at her feet, too), and she held the folds of her skirt tightly at her side so that the water would not blow them up.
"Where do you want to go?" He asked, not one to readily make the first suggestion.
"Don't know. Where do you want to go?"
But Sam looked a bit uncomfortable and shook his head "You pick anywhere and I'll be happy to go."
The exchange went on for some time when finally the two (both unwilling to make any choice in the matter) sat down by the grassy banks and dried off.
"It's almost yer birthday, isn't it, Sam?"
"Hm? What's today?"
"April 4th."
"Suppose it is."
"Are you going to have a party?"
"Just with my sisters- and my gaffer and gammer."
"You'll leave me out of it, then?"
"I didn't think…" he began but trailed off.
"It's alright." She grinned, she had never had a party outside of her family either, for it was true that money for presents was hard to come by "Is Tom coming?"
"Only if Mari has her way about it. She's very fond of him."
"Yeh. Tom's the same."
"…a-are you fond of anyone, Rose?"
"A'course."
"Who?"
Rosie blushed and shook her head "Ah, since when are you so curious? Don't tell me you're losing that good Gamgee sense of yours!"
Sam laughed and looked away. Sometimes he did feel as if he were losing his good sense.
"How about you, Sam? Are you fond of anyone?" She could not look at him, but stared instead at the ground where the water dripped off of her golden locks (which were less-than-curly for they were soaked)
"I suppose I am. But if you won't tell me, I won't tell you either. It's only fair."
Rosie laughed "Alright, alright!"
And the two smiled, suddenly falling silent.
"…so S-Sam, are you making any wish for your birthday?"
"Neh.
I think I'd probably waste it on something that'd never happen. Or else be too cautious and waste it on something daft." He swallowed "…why don't you make the wish for me, Rose?"
"Alright," said she, with a bit of a sneaky grin "I wish you'll spend at least a little bit of your birthday with me."
"Really?" He looked at her with a smile "I mean- is that all?"
"Yeh. But I don't just mean this year."
"Oh?"
"Every April 6th, it'll be your job to pay your lass a visit!"
"My lass?"
"…I mean…I only… that's only what everyone says." she trailed off and felt like hitting herself "Some folk have the wrong idea.
And…erm…
What do you say? Every April 6th?"
"A-alright, Rose." He grinned "Every April 6th I'll pay you a visit. But you shouldn't say your wish out loud- otherwise it won't be coming true!"
"Ah, I'm counting on you, then, Samwise Gamgee, not the Wishing Tree! If I don't see you 'round I'll come by and give you a great good thrashing!"
But even Sam could not believe that. He only laughed and nodded "Don't worry." and he smiled in that way that he always did "I promise."
That's right, you promised...no matter how long ago, doesn't matter! You come back in the springtime, Samwise Gamgee! You come back in the spring!