Chapter Twenty One

Pimpernel knocked and opened Merry’s door. He seemed asleep, but she knew that while he had a bad headache he would not be able to do so. “Merry?” She poked her head inside of the doorway.

“Mmm?” Merry didn’t open his eyes.

“I’ve brought you a tray of tea and bread.” Pim carefully laid the tray on the night table and helped Merry into a sitting position, and she fluffed his pillows for him. “Feeling better?”

“A little.”

To Pim, Merry sounded like a little lost child. She smoothed his curls away from his face, “I am so sorry about today.”

“What do you have to be sorry about, Pim?” Merry put the sugar and milk into his tea, “He isn’t your father.”

He nibbled on a piece of bread and sipped his tea.

“I don’t know,” she sighed, “after all these years. How do you feel about all this?”

Merry paused from his nibbling. “I don’t know. Until this afternoon, I thought I knew exactly what my next step would be. With Uncle Paladin’s permission, I was going to stay at Whitwell until Yule. Then I would visit my mother, and then come back to Bag End for a short visit, then go back to Whitwell again in the spring. Uncle Paladin always needs help in the spring.” He looked at Pim, “Now, I’m not quite so sure about what I want.” Merry sipped his tea, lost in thought. “I know what he’s up to--I just don’t know if I want to play along is all.” Merry looked up at his cousin and dear friend, “He’s a complete stranger to me, Pim, yet a part of me wants desperately to know him.”

“And the other?”

Merry sighed, “To just leave me alone and never seek me out ever again. But for my mother, I would have left long ago.”

If Merry had left long ago, where would he be now, and how would he have fared?, Pim thought. She put her arm around her cousin. “I’m glad you didn’t leave. You bring joy into our home and I can’t imagine life without you, Merry. You’re like a brother to me.”

Merry never heard words like that from her, or anyone, before. He blushed and then gave her a kiss on her cheek.

“Well, whatever you decide,” Pim said to Merry, “I hope it makes you smile again.”