"Going Out"

“I’m going out with the lads now,” Merry shouted as he ran through the kitchen of Brandy Hall.

“Merry, you stay near the smial and away from the river,” his mum instructed.

“I will, mum,” Merry assured her. “We’re just going to play hide ‘n’ seek and maybe a bit of ball or something. The eleven-year-old stood still while his mother checked over his clothes and gave him her orders. He was anxious to be outside with his mates, but he knew better than to push his mum on this.

Esmeralda Brandybuck smiled down at her son. He was getting so big. He’d had to have all new things this summer as all of his trousers were too short and a bit too snug in the waist. She ran her hand through his honey blond curls and smiled. “I’ll want you back in time for supper.”

“I’m always on time for supper,” Merry said and this was very true. Eleven-year-old hobbits did not enjoy missing meals. As Merry turned to leave with his mum’s blessing, he felt something holding onto his right leg. He looked down and there, with both arms holding onto his trousers, was his little cousin. “Let go, I’m going out now,” Merry instructed. “Where’s your sister?”

The small hobbit continued to hold on and grinned up at Merry. “Per gone.”

“Pearl is not gone,” Merry said, sternly. “Now let go.”

The small, three-year-old hobbit released his grip on his older cousin’s leg and sat down on the kitchen floor. The act of letting go had cost him his balance. “Ow, fall down.”

Merry bent down and looked the little hobbit in the eye. “Go find Pearl and be good. I’m going out now.”

“My go too?” the little one chirped hopefully.

“No, you have to stay here,” Merry announced.

The back door swung open and a hobbit lad poked his head in the opening. “You coming, Merry?”

“I’m coming,” Merry said, and he turned to leave.

Behind him he heard a faint sniffle and the sound of his small cousin getting to his feet. “Mer go now?”

“Come over here with me, little one,” Esmeralda said, calling the little child as Merry continued toward the door.

“Go wit Mer,” the little voice chirped and little feet pattered across the kitchen floor after Merry who was almost to the back door.

Merry stopped, turned and looked down at the small lad who was closing the gap between them. “Wait, Mer. I go too,” the child said, reaching small arms out toward his older cousin as he ran.

“Peregrin, no,” Esmeralda said, gently as she started over to get the child.

“Pergun go wit Mer,” the child answered and then proceeded to fall flat on the floor. He sniffled once and began to raise himself up.

Merry sighed and picked up the child who clung to him tightly and chattered, “Pergun go too Mer. Go play. Out!”

Merry looked at the little face and sighed. “You’re too little to go with me. You have to say here with Pearl and mum. Now, be good.”

The child held tighter and said, firmly, “I good. I go Mer. Pergun go.”

“You are not going, but I am, so now I am going to give you to mum,“ Merry said and began to try to peel his little cousin off of him. The child held fast but Merry managed to remove him and stretch him out to his mother. “Do something with him,” Merry said.

“Don’t worry, I have him,” Esmeralda smiled, holding the small, wriggling hobbit in her arms. The child struggled to get down. “Mer?” the child whimpered.

Merry sighed, “I might play with you when I get back.” He reached over and tickled the small lad. He then turned and charged out of the door.

“Mer play Pergun,” the child said, trying to get down. “Mer?”

Esmeralda sighed and walked over to the back door which Merry had left ajar. She held the child with one hand and closed the door with the other. “He’ll be back for supper, Peregrin. You can see him then.”

The lad sniffled. “Go Mer,” he said, stubbornly.

“Not until you’re older, little dear,” Esmeralda smiled and she sat the child down on his tiny feet. Before she could hardly react, the child ran to the door and began reaching for the door knob. She sighed and followed him. “You are very stubborn aren’t you?” She reached down and lifted the little lad into her arms again. She knew that he couldn’t reach the door knob but she didn’t want him to stand so close to the door. If someone came in, the little one would be knocked to the floor. Merry and his friends often ran in and out without warning.

“Where is that sister of yours?” Esmeralda asked.

“Per go,” Peregrin said. “Mer go too?’

“Yes, Merry went out to play, but where did Pearl go without telling me?’ Esmeralda asked.

Peregrin smiled. “Per go seep. Her seepy. Per nap.”

“Oh, well, that’s different. I thought she went out,” Esmeralda said, kissing the small lad’s forehead.

He giggled and made a kissing sound back at his aunt. “Mer go out?” The little frown had returned and he was squirming to look at the door.

“He’ll be back, Peregrin,” Esmeralda smiled.

“Supper,” Peregrin smiled. “Mer come back to supper. When?”

Esmeralda laughed gently and stroked the child’s curls. “This is going to be a problem isn’t it?”

Peregrin looked at her wide-eyed. “Mer?”

The End