Chasing a Dream Chapter 3
"Granpa Grey!" Frodo tackled Grey as soon as he was in the door. "You're late!"
"I am never late, nor am I ever early. I arrive precisely when I intend too." Frodo giggled as Grey picked him up. "Billa, could I have some tea, if it isn't too much trouble?"
"Sure, I was going to put on the kettle any way." She went into the kitchen turning on the kettle, before slipping into the bathroom to grab a towel for her hair.
When she returned to the living room Thorin was standing awkwardly in the middle of the room.
"Frodo wanted to show Grey something." He shifted on his feet a little.
"I'm sorry for keeping you so long at the door. I just got out of the shower a few minutes ago." She gestured to her wet hair.
"It's okay, we weren't waiting long."
"You're the man from the alley." It wasn't a question.
"Yes." Thorin gave her a friendly smile as he extended his hand. "Thorin Durinson at your service."
"I'm really sorry about that." She told him as she shook his hand. "Billa Baggins at yours. I didn't mean to attack you like that." Thorin raised an eyebrow. "Well, I guess you can't accidentally attack someone… sorry. I just thought you were coming at me and I went into auto-pilot. "
"I apologize for giving you that impression. I sometimes forget how intimidating I look." Billa smiled a bit. He seemed nice enough.
"I'm sorry again." She apologized.
"It's okay. I should have known better than to startle you. I was just very lost."
"You're from out of town?" she asked.
"No. I just have a very bad sense of direction." He smirked when Billa laughed a little.
"Then it's settled." Grey said when he entered the room with Frodo.
"What's settled?" Billa asked cautiously.
"It will be good for you and most amusing for Frodo and me. I will make the reservations. Thorin will pick you up at six thirty."
"Reservations? What reservations?" Thorin asked.
"For tomorrow night of course." Gray said as if it was the simplest thing in the world. "Frodo has informed me of your schedule."
"Mommy is busy on Sunnyday, but not Sat-here-day." Frodo said with a nod.
"And Thorin is free for the rest of the week. You will be going to an apology dinner, for you both have wronged each other, and it will be a most pleasant way to repay each other."
"I barely know him! For all I know he could be crazy!" Billa objected, then remembering her manners turned to Thorin. "No offense."
"None taken, I agree with you. We barely know each other. We only meet," He checked his watch, "seven minutes ago."
"Well that is the purpose of this dinner. It is so you can get to know each other." Grey chuckled.
"But Mommy saved you from huggers!" Thorin became very confused.
"Muggers." Billa corrected with a sigh.
"Yeah! Muggers! Jus' like Mommy saved Mister Bofur and Mister Nori!" Frodo ran up to Billa, attacking her legs. "New friends are good Mommy! Remember?" Billa sighed again. There was no way they were getting out of this.
"Very well, why not." She shrugged.
"I will make reservations at the Prancing Pony for seven." Grey said with a smirk. "Goodbye Frodo, Billa. Let us be off Thorin." Grey pulled Thorin out of the room before he could even say goodbye.
Billa was left standing in the middle of the room, Frodo hanging on her legs.
"I feel like I just got blindsided." She said out loud.
"what's 'bindsided'?"
"Blindsided." She corrected.
()
For diner Billa made chicken nuggets, carrots, and macs and cheese. Billa found herself lost in thought until something gooey hit her nose with a splat. She blinked. She heard Frodo gasp, when she looked at him he had his hands over his mouth. He looked as shocked as she was.
"Mommy I sorry! I didn' mean to! I' Just flyed off da plate! I sorry-" Frodo was cut off when something splatted on his nose. Billa giggled, putting down her fork and picking up her napkin. "Dat wasn't nice Mommy."
"Well you did it first." She cleaned both of their faces. Frodo looked terrified for a minute before he realized his mom was laughing.
"You're a meanie!"
()
"Mommy!" Billa groaned when a small weight landed on her stomach. Great way to wake up in the morning. "Time to get up! Time to get up Mommy!" little hands started shaking her shoulders.
"I'm up, I'm up." She pushed Frodo to the side of the bed. Frodo giggled when she threw the covers over him.
"What would you like for breakfast little bunny?"
"Yogur!" He exclaimed, emerging from the sheets. Billa picked the little boy up, tossing him over her shoulder. "Let's go Big bunny!" Frodo laughed.
()
Billa took Frodo to the Hotel's pool after breakfast. During the day not many people were there. Swimming with Frodo on her back around the pool was a great light exercise; and Frodo enjoyed it, so win-win.
"Mommy can we play whale?" Frodo was the only person who was allowed to call her a whale, and only under certain circumstances; the game being one. (The only one.)
"Okay sweetie, let me put are stuff down first." Finding a mostly dry bench, Billa put her bag down, then their towels on top of that. Taking off her cover-up, she joined Frodo in the shallow end of the pool.
She held her breath, dunking her head under the cool water of the pool to wet her hair. When she came up she found her arms full of Frodo.
"Ready Mommy?!" He asked excitedly.
"Yes little bunny." Frodo swam behind her, grabbing her shoulders.
"Let's go!" Billa did a few laps around the pool with Frodo on her back, going underwater every once and a while.
A woman entered the pool room, she had a full swim suit on. Billa recognized her as Tauriel, the woman she was fighting tomorrow. She stopped in the shallow end of the pool, letting Frodo crawl off.
"Hello." Billa greeted from the pool as Tauriel was putting her stuff down on a lounge chair.
"Hello." Tauriel greeted back.
"I'm Billa Baggins, this is my son Frodo." The little boy waved. "You're Tauriel right?" The ginger seemed shock that Billa knew who she was. "I also go by Bilbo, we're fighting tomorrow."
Then it clicked for the red-headed woman. She got into the pool with Billa and Frodo. "It is a pleasure to meet you before the fight." They shook hands.
"You as well." Billa smiled ignoring that she barely came up to Tauriel's chin. "How are you liking the city?"
"It is very lovely." She paused. "I'm sorry but I thought you were the local fighter, may I ask why you are in the hotel pool?"
"I live here." Was all Billa said.
"You're son is very cute." Tauriel said looking at Frodo who just splashing in the shallow end, fighting some imaginary foe.
"Thank you. How long are you going to stay after the fight?"
"I am looking for an apartment. I have been planning to move here for sometime. Do you have any suggestions for a good gym?"
"I go to my friend's gym, it's really great and he would love some more business. Maybe I could show it to you sometime." Billa suggested.
"That would be lovely."
"You're still a little new here; would you like to come to lunch with Frodo and I? We could also give you a tour of the city."
"Thank you. I am glad I have already made a friend."