Chapter Thirty Nine: In the Eyes of Genevive Grubb

Notes: IMPORTANT - We have a change in perspective! We have moved from the perspective of Lydia to her youngest sister Genevive. I hope you all can notice the major differences between the two, Gen certainly acts younger than Lydia but I hope you grow to enjoy her and her story too as it intertwines with Lydia's.

The deafening silence of my husband's existence had started to get on my nerves. The way Oliver silently eats, reads, and breathes was grating the last of my patience and it felt like my head was going to explode off my shoulders.

I stared at him from across the dining room table as we ate our breakfast. He was reading one of his books while picking away at his eggs, putting the tiniest pieces onto his fork before silently sliding it into his mouth.

Oliver was so old, what little hair he had left was white and thin. I hated the way his wrinkly face folded as he did literally anything. I was first interested in Oliver because of his wisdom and the way he spoke was so eloquent. He at the time still had a full head of hair, though it was still white, he would have been considered handsome for an older gentleman but the last few years have taken all of that away from him, leaving me with this horribly quiet, old man.

"Oli, what did I tell you about reading during meals?" I sighed.

He turned his gray eyes over to me. "I'm almost done with my book, Genevive."

"You know how horrible it is for me to just sit here in silence. I made a meal, is it too much to ask to at least have a conversation with me?"

He sighed deeply and put his bookmark into his book. "What is it that we possibly have to talk about, Genevive? The cleanliness of the dishes, the smell of the laundry, perhaps even how unseasonably hot it is this year?"

"Do not speak down to me Oliver, we used to talk about all kinds of things."

He rolled his eyes and stood up from the table with a huff, his limbs creaking. "Maybe you used to have more interesting things to say, have you ever thought of that?"

"Maybe you used to be less of an insufferable old man, have you ever thought of that?" I sneered, also standing up from the table.

"Whatever you say dear, I'm going to go over to Mr. Stillwater down the street. We're both finishing the same book and would like to discuss it once we're finished. I will be home for dinner." He walked back into his bedroom to get dressed for the day.

He was totally unphased by me, when did that start to happen?

I grabbed both of our plates in a huff and tossed them into the sink. I grumbled to myself and started scrubbing the dirty dishes.

I grumbled, "Not interesting enough huh? Tell me, what's so interesting about you Oliver? The fact that you can't help releasing gas while you walk? Or the fact that you haven't been able to perform husbandly duties for years?" Not like I'd like for him to touch me at all, at this point. The thought alone made me feel ill.

I heard him scurry out of the house, avoiding me before I could nag him more. For an aged, portly hobbit, he certainly could still move quickly and quietly when he needed to. Like a fucking coward, he moved around the house like a rat to avoid me.

I wasn't cruel enough to wish for his death, but I did wish that I would outlive him while I was still young so I could move on with my life.

After finishing the dishes I wiped my hands dry on my apron. I looked around our hobbit hole and it was completely pristine since all I could do all day was maintain the household and nothing else. Oli always told me to go out and make friends with the other women but none that I've come across so far were interested in inviting someone from my background to share meals, knit, garden, or frankly do anything with. Not even my own sisters were interested in sharing their time with me. Elyssa was too busy pretending she was important because of that rich man she married and Rosalind just had her eighth baby so she had her hands full.

The only way I got out socially was when my dear husband was alone and during those days he seemed to hate the sound of my voice as much as I hated his, so there was little socializing at those events. Everyone was insufferable anyway with the way they whispered behind my back and talked of nothing but tea, tobacco, and second breakfast.

I rubbed my face and sighed, trying to shake the anger out of my skin. "When did I become so bitter and jaded? I sound like my mother…"

I tied back my black, curly hair and got to work cleaning the already perfectly clean home. I swept and mopped the floors, dusted every surface, and planned on what I was going to make for dinner. I didn't need to go into town to do any shopping so after cleaning the house from top to bottom I donned my sunhat and went to maintain the vegetable and flower gardens.

My lovely gardens were equally well-maintained, with no weeds or wilting to be seen anywhere. I pretty much just walked up and down the isles, inspecting the state of the plants so far for the season. It was still early, but they were looking healthy and lush. My green thumb was at work again and my gardens were probably what brought me the greatest happiness.

I've heard some of the other hobbit women say that because I don't have children that I put all my love and affection into my plants and I guess I would've been more upset about such a comment if they were wrong. Thank goodness we never had children, when the only thing in the household that brought me even the smallest amount of joy was those vegetables and flowers.

While doing some trimming of my dill and basil plants, I heard someone walking up our road. I assumed it was Oli returning early from his reading date to take a nap, so I didn't even bother looking up and kept working. I broke off portions of the herbs, their fragrance wafting in the air before I placed them into my basket.

Not the voice of my husband, but a female voice piped up from beside me on the road. "Wow Gen, never would have thought you'd become so domesticated."

I looked up from where I was kneeled and squinted with the sun in my eyes. An outline of a wild haired hobbit woman smoking from a long pipe took form, and soon enough I recognized her as my sister I hadn't seen in the longest time.

"Lydia? What are you doing here in Hobbiton?" I questioned, grabbing my basket and standing up.

"That's quite a welcome after all this time, dear sister. I wasn't going to ask for a warm embrace, but a simple 'hello' certainly would have been appreciated," she chucked, though I'm sure she was not joking.

Memories of the last time we saw each other floated to the front of my mind. We had such a horrendous fight. She was trying to haul me off to Bree to be a spinster against my wishes when I wanted to follow our other sisters out to Hobbiton. I assumed she hadn't changed much, so I was not interested in amusing her.

"What are you doing here?" I repeated.

She blew smoke away from me and didn't seem too fazed. "I've got something serious to ask of you. May we speak inside?"

If I wasn't so damn thirsty and hot from the sun, I would have turned her away in that instant. Since I was heading inside, I decided to let my curiosity get the better of me. I shrugged my shoulders and nodded towards the house.

She followed close behind me and it felt super surreal to see someone from my family after…damn had it really been so many years? After Eerin inherited our parents' home he kicked us all out to fend for ourselves and that was the last time I saw most of my siblings, besides my two sisters in Hobbiton of course. I really was dreadfully curious what caused her to come all the way out here from Bree.

We both went inside and I grabbed a few cups, the least I could do was provide her something to drink on such a dreadfully hot day.

"Wow, your home is beautiful, Gen," Lydia commented. She looked around as she stood in the kitchen, waiting for me.

"Thanks." I instantly thought she was there to steal from me, though Lydia was really the only one in the family to not settle down or turn to a life of crime. Unless that has changed, I suppose there was no worry that she would do that.

"Your garden looks beautiful as well, reminds me of Mom's when she was alive. Do you ever make her strawberry wine?"

I handed the glass of water over to her and removed my sun hat. "Is that what you wanted to speak to me about?"

"Well no, but I'm not allowed to catch up with my sister a little bit after not seeing her for ages?" she scoffed.

"I don't see why you suddenly care."

She sighed and rubbed her dark brown eyes, she looked so tired. "I guess if you don't want to beat around the bush I won't make you. I have been taking care of Eerin the last few months and he's hoping to get all the siblings together next week at the old house."

I furrowed my eyebrows, those words together not making sense when they were strung together like that. I tried to have it make sense but I just had to shake my head and ask, "What? You've seen Eerin?"

"I came back from a journey and Eerin allowed me to stay in the house again. I've been there the last couple months."

"A journey? I thought you were working in Bree?"

"I was up until…a year ago. Damn, I can't believe it's been about a year since…" Her gaze went distant for a few moments before she pulled herself back together. "As soon as I was back in the area I went to visit Eerin because I wanted to be around family again. He agrees and wants to see everyone again if possible."

I kept the same dumbfounded look on my face.

"Elyssa and Rosalind had the same looks on their faces, there's not doubt we're all related." She took a long drink of the water and continued to look around my home. "It's obviously totally up to you if you'd like to show up, but I wouldn't count on anyone else wanting to put in the effort to get everyone together again if you don't show up."

"Gods Lydia, you haven't changed at all have you? You never ask, you just tell everyone what they should do and get your way."

She didn't seem phased by my sharp comment. "I'm not coming into your home to fight with you Gen, we're far too grown up to argue like we used to. This is an invite from Eerin, not me. I'm just the messenger."

"It's not much of an invite when you're telling me to go. Why does he need a messenger anyway? And did you say you've been taking care of him?"

She pressed her lips together in a straight line. "As I said Gen, come or don't come, this might just be the last chance we have."

My heart sank much deeper than I expected it to. Of course I had expected one day to hear similar news of some sort, though I had expected it to be that Percy or Beren were dead. We had been apart for so long, I knew I would of course be affected by such news, but didn't think it would hit so deeply inside my soul. My oldest brother may be dying…

"I…I can read between the lines," I said, my stomach still in the soles of my feet. "Does it sound like Elyssa and Rosalind will be there too?"

"It seems like Rosalind will be there for sure, I had to do some convincing to not have her bring her husband or any of her children, you know how she is. As for Elyssa, she made it sound like she was very busy making social calls with her family but, tell me if I'm wrong, it's difficult to be busy in a place like Hobbiton."

I couldn't help but laugh a little. "I believe your assumption is pretty close to the truth. Her marrying Bartholomew Brownlock has only made her ego worse and worse from what I've heard through the grapevine."

"The one who used to only steal jewelry so she could go around the house, dressed up, claiming she would marry the king of the hobbits? Can't say I'm the least bit surprised."

I burst out laughing. "Oh my gosh I completely forgot about that! We should have seen this coming for years." I wiped the corner of my eye. "How many kids does Rose have now anyway? Last I heard it was eight."

"I think I counted that when I was there? And let me tell you it was so weird, they were all doppelgangers of all of us when we were younger. I could point at each of them and tell you which one of the siblings they resemble. It was the same with Rosalind's two kids, one looked just like her and the other was identical to Percy. The Barclay genes are impenetrable." She turned back to me. "Do I have any nieces or nephews in this household?"

"No, Oliver Grubb may be an intelligent man in many respects but he didn't seem to ever figure that out. Thank goodness." The corner of her mouth twitched up in an amused look. "What? You'd like for me to admit that you were right about not following you out to Bree?"

She looked at me surprised and shook her head. "Oh Gen, my life in Bree was no walk in the park. I would have hated to see you go through what I did there, especially knowing I dragged you there. So, I take no joy in whatever hardships you've experienced here either. I only smile because the incompetence of hobbit men does not surprise me."

Her voice seemed so genuine…which was never something I got much from Lydia. I guess some growth did happen.

I leaned back and swirled the water in my cup. "Does that incompetence have anything to do with that journey you went on? Or perhaps the reason you came back?"

"Not quite. My master at the Prancing Pony was an amazing motivation to get the hell out of there, but I would say that there were other influences for me to take to the road with thirteen dwarves and a wizard."

"Excuse me? Lydia, what the hell compelled you to do such a thing?!"

"I love seeing peoples' reactions to that. If you show up to the family home next week maybe I'll tell you more. I should be off though, finding Percy and Beren is going to be quite an ordeal, especially Percy."

Even after a short conversation, I felt so…healed. I had spent so long being so angry at Lydia and now all of that felt so stupid. I…I didn't want her to leave. I wanted to keep talking to catch up, I could talk more about Oli and his maddening behavior and she could tell me about this journey of hers. It was like when you don't realize how hungry you are until after you start to eat and your stomach jumps to life. It was the same seeing her again, I didn't realize how much I missed her until I saw her again. I didn't want her to leave me alone in that dead house.

"Are you sure you can't stay for dinner?" I asked. "I'm sure Oli wouldn't mind the company if you wanted a hot meal."

"I really appreciate the invite, I really do. I hope we can share many meals together in the future but I have to finish this little adventure for Eerin. No rest for the wicked, I suppose. I can trust that I'll see you next Monday?"

"Of course, I'll be there," I nodded.

"That's a relief. I'm glad that at least a couple of people will show up for sure," she smiled weakly. "...To be honest Genevive you were the one I was the most nervous to see. The last time we saw each other we fought so terribly, I thought I would be fighting for my life once I got here. So…thank you for accepting me into your home and giving me a chance."

I was caught completely off guard and my emotions rose up in my throat and made my eyes burn. What's the matter with me?

"I-I can't say I expected it either. I think we've both grown a lot since then." I moved towards her and took one of her hands into mine. "I hope Eerin does well until we can all get there. If I run into any of the others I'll make them go, one way or another."

"Thank you Genevive." She pulled me forward and brought me in for a tight hug. No one in the family was a hugger so it was a bizarre feeling. I eased into it a little bit, squeezing her back. The sweet moment ended when she leaned away. "Be well and we will see each other soon."

Once Lydia left, the quiet that was left behind felt like the silence after an explosion. Just that morning I might as well have been an only child. I could feel my life changing and my world seemed a little bigger than just the house and my garden. I knew in my bones that the gathering was going to make a change to everything.

And I had to just go back to my regular life for a little while and start making dinner before Oli came home, who was totally unaware of everything that had transpired.