14 ~ Of Conspiracies and Kittens

Merry and Pippin are leaving for Buckland today. Sam has moved back in with the Gaffer in his new hole on New Row, formerly Bagshot Row, since the holes were done a few days ago. He will be home only a few more days, then he’s going to Buckland to start on the planting there.

To my surprise, Wanderer didn’t wake me up this morning, Pippin woke me by shaking my shoulder gently and saying that he’d eat all my breakfast if I didn’t get up. Wanderer was nowhere to be seen.

I looked everywhere for him, and now I am standing in the doorway to Rosie’s room. Apparently Wanderer likes her as much as he likes me, because he’s sitting on her dresser watching her fix her hair.

“Did you want your cat back, Mr. Frodo?” she asks me, turning around to look at me. “He snuck in here all by hisself and started playin’ with my hair ribbons.”

I smile. “If you want me to take him, I can,” I reply.

“Please do! He’s shredded my blue ribbons already.” She grins, trying not to laugh at the kitten.

I lift him off the dresser and stroke his fur. “Are you going to the winter party with Sam this Friday?” I ask. There’s been a party in Hobbiton every winter but last. Sam and I usually went with Bilbo until he left. Then we started taking Pippin, Merry and Freddy.

She nods, smiling. “Are you coming, Mr. Frodo?”

“Not this year,” I reply. “I have a lot of paperwork to file, and I want an evening alone. But you and Sam will have a wonderful time.

The whole Cotton family will be gone, so I will have the house to myself. Sometimes I miss the days when I lived in Bag End alone. So many people around all the time is sometimes more than I can handle. They tend to make me claustrophobic, even though I love them dearly. I felt the same way at Brandy Hall, so many years ago. 

I step out of Rosie’s room, cat in hand, and head back to Sam’s room, where Merry, Pippin and Sam are all sitting on the bed talking.

When I enter, their conversation stops abruptly, and Merry says, “Hullo, Frodo. Found your cat?”

I nod. “Why do I get the feeling that another conspiracy is being started behind my back?” I ask, glancing at each of them.

“I don’t know,” Pippin replies, looking quite innocent. “We were just talking.”

Wanderer leaps out of my arms and curls up next to Sam.

“We’ve got all our things packed and need to be heading out soon,” Merry informs me.

I wish they could stay. They’ve been living here at the Cotton’s with us since we came home, and have only been gone a few weeks at a time to rid one place or another of Ruffians, or to help in the restoration going on across the Shire.

Now they’ve both moved back to Crickhollow, at the house I bought there, since Pippin started having trouble walking, and Merry started having trouble sleeping. They seem to do better looking after each other.

Not only that, but I think the reason they aren’t going back to their parent’s smials is that they feel stifled, and restrained. Their parents don’t realize exactly how much they have grown up in the past few years.

“You will visit often?” I ask.

“Of course, Frodo! We’re not deserting you entirely,” Merry replies. “Don’t look so sad!”

I smile a little.

“And we’ll try not to ruin any of your furniture while we’re there,” Pippin says with a grin. 

I ruffle his curls and grin at him. “You do and I’ll have your head,” I state jokingly.

The three of them rise, Wanderer following suit, and we head out to help them put their things in Merry’s wagon.

“Reminds me of when you left for Bag End, only in reverse,” Merry says, coming up to me.

I hug him tightly and say, “We’ll meet again soon?”

“Of course,” Pippin says, standing beside me. “We’ll be over here all the time!”

Merry releases me, and Pippin hugs me.

“Easy, Pip, you’ll crush me!” I say. Pippin doesn’t realize exactly how much bigger he’s gotten.

Then they both hug Sam, and are on their way.