42. Reunions

The valley looks strange and familiar at once. There’s the Hill, both Party Trees, a great river leading to the ocean nearby and a wide forest. There’s music in the wind and earth, a tune older than existence.

A pretty hobbit lass stands nearby, smiling. I’ve only seen her that young in portraits. I walk into my mother’s arms and she smells exactly as I expect: dough and camellias.

“I knew,” she says. “I knew you’d see the world and do great deeds.”

“You saw?”

She nods. “I did. Now come. They’re all waiting.”

I drape my arm over her shoulders and let her lead me. We don’t talk. We don’t need to. I can hear in the music everything she is thinking and feeling, as she does with me, almost like we’re one soul. 

We round the hill and there before me is everyone I’ve known and lost: Gaffer, my siblings, all my extended family. I greet them all one by one, and each greeting fills a small part of the loss within me. Then Bilbo steps out of the crowd and shakes my hand. Next to him are two hobbits I’ve never met but know instantly. 

Drogo shakes my hand proudly but Primula hugs me. “Thank you for looking after our son.” 

“It was my pleasure. And where-?”

Primula looks behind me. I turn. It’s Frodo and Rose. Both look as they did in their youths, happy and carefree. Rose has ribbons in her hair and Frodo stands with an ease he never had in life. They’re both smiling to beat the sun.

“Welcome home, Sam,” Rose says and kisses me.

Frodo kisses my brow. “Well met, brother.”

I pull them both into a hug. My Rose and my Frodo. I shall never be torn in two again.

GF 11/13/12

~FINIS~

Author's Note to follow...