Two days later, the fever broke completely and Merry was starting to be his cheerful self again. He was still coughing, but Amaryllis said that his infection was gone. She suggested that Merry not go outside for a while for fear of a relapse. Merry was still achy so he generally stayed in bed or sat on the sofa while Frodo played with him.

Frodo played all the games that Merry enjoyed. They made fun of weird words in the hobbit herbology book, played jacks, hide-and-seek, and farmers’ checkers. Frodo made sure that Merry didn’t overexert himself and encouraged him to take a nap in the afternoon. After Frodo told a story about one of Bilbo’s adventures, he observed that Merry had become very quiet.

“What are you thinking about, dear Merry?” asked Frodo.

Merry pouted, putting his lip forward and seemed like he was going to cry. “Are you leaving soon again, Frodo?”

Frodo drew the hobbit-lad towards him. “Yes I am, but tell you what. I am going to visit you every other week, and you will visit me as well you are as well. Your Mama and Bilbo have this arrangement that will enable us to see each other quite often.”

“So you are still going to leave?”

“Yes, but you can come along with me! It will be fine, Merry. Every time I visit with you, you will have such interesting stories to tell me, and I will have interesting things to tell you also. I’ve been writing to you every day just as I promised that I would.—don’t you want to read all my exciting adventures?”

“When can I visit you?”

“Anytime you wish—we can even meet halfway between Buckland and Hobbiton for an adventure. Bilbo says that we can go to the Woody End some time, and I know that the two of us will have lots of fun there as well. Maybe there will even be Elves.”

“Really? Will we meet Elves?” Merry’s eyes widened at the mention of Elves.

“We can see, hear and learn more than that, dearest Merry,” Frodo said, and he drew Merry in for a warm embrace. “I promise.”

Frodo ended up staying for two weeks at Buckland. He wanted to make certain that Merry was fully recovered before leaving. But more importantly, he stayed because he wanted Esmeralda to allow Merry to come with him to Hobbiton for Merry’s first visit.

“Well all right—I did promise you, didn’t I?” said Esmeralda.

“And you can’t go back on promises, dear,” said Saradoc. “I think we can let Frodo take care of Merry—You and I both know what a rascal he is and that Frodo is the only who can contain him.”

“I know we can trust you to look after Merry, Frodo. You always have and we know that you always will. The two of you are like brothers and I never worry about my little lad when he is with his cousin."

Frodo felt his cheeks flush with pride at Esmeralda’s words. “Thank you for trusting me, Esme. I promise to bring Merry back in five days.”

Merry was thrilled to go to Hobbiton with Bilbo and Frodo. “I guess you did keep your promise,” Merry said smiling at Frodo.

“I always do for favorite cousins,” replied Frodo with a grin, as he pulled Merry into a big hug.