Dinner was spaghetti and salad. Josh and James took turns demonstrating the necessary skills involved, and Bolco reveled in the novelty of it. He also tried each of the bottled salad dressings on a single forkful of salad before he settled on one, and much merriment was had over his attempts to drizzle one forkful's worth at a time. Janiece had to wait most of the way through the meal for the conversation to turn thoughtful, which it did rather suddenly.

"What does it mean," said Bolco slowly and deliberately, lingering over a second glass of milk, "to be filled with the Holy Spirit? And can I do it?" His eyes scanned the three brothers, and sparkled as he watched them react.

Wow, thought Jake, here it comes. Janiece, James, and Josh looked at Bolco and then at each other, and even as their eyes grew wide in surprise, smiles grew slowly, seemingly against their wills, and they began to laugh, a little. Their eyes sparkled with gladness. They seemed too joyful to speak. Jake watched, his own smile beginning, and turned to Bolco. "They'll be able to explain eventually, but it might take a while," he said. "Good question though."

Bolco waited, bemusedly watching them, and rather thoroughly enjoying their efforts to restrain the internal consternation he had caused.

Jake continued, fishing for words. "There's no set rule, but joy shows up pretty often..."

Josh took a deep breath and leaned forward. "All the fruits of the Spirit eventually get involved. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness, self-control. And the gifts get involved; the supernatural stuff. "

"But what it basically means," said James, stuttering a little, "is that God's Spirit fills you, to overflowing, and spills over into the lives of those around you."

All of this sounded very appealing, and Bolco savored what he had heard. He wanted that inward warmth deep inside him to blaze up, and be strong; he wanted his contact with the Creator to be fuller, louder, clearer. He wanted more of whatever the Creator was doing and would do. His eyes gleamed, and he chuckled. "So this can happen to me."

"Is that what you want?" Josh asked, softly, amazed and a little afraid.

"Yes," Bolco replied firmly, eyes sparkling.

"Are you sure?"

Bolco leaned forward. "How do I do it?"

Josh chuckled. "You belong to Jesus, and then you ask him to fill you. Simple as that."

"Belong to Jesus... How would I know if I did or not?" Bolco asked, gently challenging him.

"You choose to," said Josh.

James added, "It's like allegiance to a King. It's a serious choice, and a lifetime one."

Bolco wondered whether he hadn't already made up his mind. He knew the desire inside him for the Creator was strong and growing stronger. He reached inside again, and knew the Creator was working deep within him, and that there was a powerful desire burning there. He enjoyed the thought of that desire increasing yet more.

"Right now all that you know about Jesus is the Christmas story, isn't it?" asked James. His head was starting to spin, a little.

"That; and that he recognized Nathaniel under a tree, and that perhaps Jesus wrestled with Jacob before he came as a baby. "

"But you don't know what happened to him, or what he did, after the Christmas story?" said Josh.

Bolco shook his head, and said, "I hate to impose." Then he met Josh's eyes and firmly declared, "But I would very much like to learn the rest of his story. I would like to hear as much of it as I could." Years of stargazing and elf hunting added up to a ravenous hunger for the supernatural, and now he had found the Creator, or perhaps the other way around. And he wanted to learn all he could about the baby from Iluvatar that the elves-- or rather, angels-- sang over.

Josh looked into Bolco's eyes and saw the hunger there. He was nervous about the turn of events, and the implications with timelines and time change made him the most uneasy of all of it, but he decided not to get between God and somebody that hungry. He reminded himself who made the hobbit and who brought him here.

James was more uneasy than Josh had been, his mind again racing with theological implications for the Shire dwellers, over against his respect for and dedication to Bolco's free will. Free will and freedom of belief was a topic near and dear to James' heart. The hobbit wanted the story, and James couldn't justify withholding it from him without violating his own conscience. He took a deep breath and set his reticence aside, and said silently, "Okay, Lord, you're driving." Out loud he said, "Well, if you want to hear the story, we can read it to you."

Bolco nodded, delighted. "Yes, please. I would like that."

Jake spoke up. "How about we read the Gospel of John out loud tonight?"

"The whole thing." Josh liked the idea.

"Or most of it," agreed James. "We could probably skip a few chapters, and return to them later. The upper room discourse could be information overload at first. But the overall sweep of the story, yeah. Let's do most of it."

The room had a growing excitement and anticipation in it, Bolco realized something like the beginning of a race, or of a large birthday party. And he knew he was in the middle of it. He relished that this family loved him so much.

"How long is it?" asked Bolco.

"Probably take a couple of hours, to read it out loud," guessed James.

"Is that all right? Reading all that tonight?" asked Bolco, hoping that it would be, but not wanting to be burdensome.

They could see, and hear, his eagerness. The unanimous opinion was that it was fine, they would be glad to do it, and would take turns, and that if it was six o'clock already, they'd better get started, and that Jake would put the teakettle on. The table was cleared and the energy level in the room grew deeper as the atmosphere quieted.

With the kitchen in good order, Janiece fetched her bible, and turned to the Gospel of John, and waited for everybody to come and settle down.

Jake was getting the tea ready, so with Josh and James and Bolco seated around her, Janiece began. Before long, Bolco softly interrupted, and asked if John the Baptist was John the son of Elizabeth and Zachariah from the Christmas story, and so then he knew what John had grown up to do. Then he asked what baptizing was.

Janiece delegated it to James. "It symbolizes the new beginning because of the new allegiance to God. Going under the water represents the death and burial of your old way of life, and coming up out of the water represents the beginning of the new life."

Bolco digested this, intrigued and afraid at the same time, and his eyes gleamed. "You go under the water?"

"Well, some churches pour the water over you. But in our church and others like it, you go all the way under the water."

"All the way under the water. How long do you stay under?"

James laughed. "Just a few seconds."

"Oh." They all did it, Bolco thought, scanning the faces around him, and none of them drowned. He was both fascinated and frightened. He listened, intrigued, to the story of Jesus himself being baptized, and suddenly wanted to follow him even into the water. Especially into the water. Perhaps Jesus liked wading too. He wanted to find out.

Janiece read on. When John the Baptist said, "Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world," James interrupted softly. "So-- how does a lamb take away sin?"

Bolco did not know.

"By dying," said James, "as a sacrifice."

Bolco sat back in silence, stunned by the thought, struggling. Jake carried over two mugs of tea and distributed them, returned for three more, and then sat down by Bolco.

Bolco searched Jake's eyes. "He dies as a sacrifice?"

Jake nodded, very quietly. "To take away the sin of the world."

Horrified, Bolco met each gaze in turn, struggling; but mingled with concern for him, he saw in their eyes both hope and peace. He felt little of either of those, thinking of the son of the Creator dying as a sacrifice, and his own eyes held consternation and disappointment and confusion. He returned to Jake, searching again.

"He comes back afterwards," Jake said reassuringly. "Listen. It will come clear as the story goes on."

Janiece waited and they prayed hard while Bolco struggled some more, wondering how a story that began by predicting the hero's death would proceed. When Bolco met Janiece's eyes and nodded, she went on.

As several disciples met Jesus, Bolco's interest grew: here was a man who invited, who challenged, and who gave new names. Philip challenged Nathaniel, Jesus recognized Nathaniel under the fig tree-- Bolco wondered what a fig tree looked like, and why Nathaniel was sitting under one-- Nathaniel proclaimed Jesus as the Son of God and the King of Israel, and Jesus spoke further-- about angels. Jake had left out several parts of the story in the car. "Janiece."

"Yes?"

"Could you read that part again, that last part, about Nathaniel."

She smiled, and reread it: Jesus said that Nathaniel was without deceit, Nathaniel asked him how he knew him, and Jesus said he'd seen him under the tree. Nathaniel said, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel!" And then Jesus said that Nathaniel would see angels-- ascending and descending on the Son of God. What did that mean? His head swam, but his heart opened still further. Jesus and angels, again; and trees, the fig tree. Would Nathaniel hear the angels sing, like the Christmas shepherds had? he wondered. He wished he could hear them.

Gabriel's words resurfaced in Bolco's mind: "He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end."

His kingdom will never end. In time Bolco would own that; and he was glad Jake had named him after Nathaniel.

Jake held his peace, and made a mental note to read to Bolco the story of Jacob's ladder at another time.

They had planned on reading several chapters each, but chapter one had drained Janiece; she passed the book to James. James continued. Water was turned to wine; the temple was cleared of moneychangers. The Jews asked for a sign, and Jesus replied, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." James read the next two verses, emphasizing, "He was speaking of the temple of his body." James paused, looking up.

Bolco waited, not comprehending.

Josh explained softly. "Destroy this temple-- his body, the body of Jesus-- and in three days, he will raise it up. Kill him, bury him, and he will come back from the dead, alive and healthy and whole, in three days."

Janiece could stand it no longer, and folded her hands, and retreated into private worship where she sat. Bolco saw that she was weeping and smiling. He glanced around, located the box of paper kerchiefs, quietly brought it to her, and then sat down again, reviewing. The Lamb, who would somehow take away the sin of the world, who called men to follow him and named them as they came, who was the Son of God and the King of Israel, who turned water to wine, who cleared out moneychangers from the temple-- he would die, and rise again healthy and whole in three days. And this was just the beginning of the story. It was baffling.

He turned to James, and nodded, and James continued.

Nicodemus visited by night, and was told about birth by water and the Spirit; about the wind; about the love of God; and about light. Bolco's mind was not following it all, but his heart was. Water and wind and light... He knew he wanted this. "The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into His hand." All things. Then that includes me, in addition to the water and the wind and the light, he thought, and liked the idea.

Josh took the next turn and read about the Samaritan woman at the well, the healing of the nobleman's son, the healing at the pool of Bethesda. Bolco smiled. Water again. Jesus' offer of living water did not escape Bolco, and he silently asked the Creator for it on the spot.

Jake read about the feeding of the five thousand, walking on the water-- as opposed to wading? Bolco wondered-- and Jesus giving himself as the bread of life.

Bolco thought that over and wondered if that was what his odd internal hunger was about, when the brothers prayed for him at night, when Jake had prayed for him before that; the hunger that could keep him awake when he was exhausted and sleepy, or make him lose his appetite at dinnertime.

James continued, as Jesus taught in the temple amid growing controversy; as he dealt with the woman caught in adultery, and the controversy concerning the children of Abraham, culminating in the attempt to stone Jesus.

Bolco thought that stoning would be a terrible way to die, and wondered if that would be Jesus' final fate. The growing tension was getting to him. It upset him that so many people could react so aggressively to the son of Iluvatar.

Josh continued with the story of the man born blind, and the resulting fury because Jesus healed on the Sabbath; following this was the Good Shepherd, promising to give his life for the sheep, saying that he had power to lay down his life, and power to take it again. "I and my Father are one." And then the people picked up the stones again. Bolco could stand it no longer, and the question burst out of him.

"Is that how he will die? By stoning?"

James shook his head, and said nothing.

Josh finished the chapter, and then passed the book to Jake, who read the Lazarus story, and then passed the book to Janiece. "Mom, you read chapter twelve." He knew that she loved Mary's perfume bottle.

Janiece read, and wept as Mary anointed the feet of Jesus. She wept further as he entered Jerusalem riding the colt, and as he predicted his own death twice again, and then she could read no more. She passed the book in the middle of the chapter, and James finished it and stopped.

"Let's take a break, shall we? How about another round of tea? Maybe some fresh air."

It was needed. Jake set the teakettle on again. James gave Janiece a hug, and Josh echoed it, and Bolco sat with her for a while as the three brothers stepped out onto the deck.

"This could be tough on Mom," said Josh. "I think she's done reading for the night."

"Okay."

Janiece and Bolco now joined them on the deck, and they all stood and let the cold air do its work, clearing mind and heart, and waited for the teakettle. It took a while. They watched the stars together in silence. Josh thought about swimming in the Milky Way. The more he thought about that idea, the more he liked it.

Bolco gazed up at the stars and said nothing. His mind was way too full, but his heart was set. He knew his decision already. He considered asking them to stop reading, but he wanted the details of Jesus' death and his return.

The kettle finally went off, and they filed inside, and made their tea, and slowly re-gathered in the living room. Josh wanted to start reading, and he read about the foot washing, and Jesus identifying Judas to John who was leaning against Jesus, and Judas' departure.

"He told him to go?" said Bolco. "He sent Judas out, knowing that he would betray Him?" This man was baffling.

James nodded, and Josh continued. Peter declared his loyalty, Jesus predicted his betrayal, and then Jesus began a lengthy discourse and Bolco was getting quite lost in it all. Josh decided to skip fifteen at least. "Bolco, you look glassy-eyed," he said. "We can stop here, if you'd like."

"I am getting a bit lost. But I want to know," said Bolco, "how he died. And how he came back to life. Can we do just that part?"

James and Josh narrowed the story to chapters nineteen and twenty, and James took over. Josh came and sat by Bolco; James would pause at intervals, letting Josh clarify the details of the torture and the execution. At the end of chapter nineteen, once Jesus had been buried, James paused again.

"How long did it take for him to die?" asked Bolco.

James answered, "Mark says that he was crucified at the third hour, I think counting from sunrise; the darkness fell at the sixth hour, and then Jesus died at the ninth hour."

"So," said Bolco quietly. "It took six hours for him to die. It would have been much easier for him if they had stoned him."

They were each alone in their thoughts for a while. Some sat and some wandered. Jake got up and put the kettle back on again, and Bolco went out onto the deck and watched the stars; James and Josh stretched and wandered about, and Janiece joined Bolco outside.

After a while Bolco spoke. "Josh said that Jesus died partly because his lungs filled with fluid."

She nodded.

"He drowned, then?"

She nodded again.

"High and dry, and hanging in midair, he drowned."

"Yes. He drowned, under the sin of the world."

"The Lamb that takes away the sin of the world. But when you kill a lamb, you just slit its throat." Bolco was restless. "This was so different. This was awful." He did not want to think too hard about it. There was one more chapter yet to go. But the lamb with the slit throat stuck in his mind, and he pictured a wooly, wide-eyed lamb, beaten, tormented, with its back cut to ribbons, bleeding profusely, and then hung, spread-eagled, left to suffer for six hours. The cruelty of it overwhelmed him; he paced.

Janiece waited, thinking and listening, and finally said, "It shows us how destructive our sin is. All our anger, and resentment, and bitterness, and everything wrong that we do and feel and think, all of it cost the Lamb a terrible price."

Memories stirred in Bolco as he thought about her words; anger, resentment, bitterness. He thought about the times that, stung by criticism, he had in anger turned and withdrawn from his family, from his cousins, from his friends, and gone off to be alone in that anger and resentment and bitterness, and how it still stung and haunted him whenever he was criticized. And he thought about the Lamb, who had suffered and died under such horrifying cruelty. He struggled to put it together.

"Janiece, what does it all mean? Why did he have to die?"

"To take away the sins of the world," she answered. "Yours and mine." She studied him. He was so overwhelmed by this whole evening. She wondered whether or not he would grasp it.

He tried. He did not know whether he understood why, or not. But he already knew that his decision was made. He would follow this man who caused such a stir wherever he went, who made wine from water and healed children and blind men and gave new names, and talked about the wind and the water and about giving himself as food and drink. This Lamb, this Son of God, this King, was now his own. He looked back up at the stars, and thought that they belonged to the same king that he did now, and smiled. He ran his hands through his hair, stretched wearily, gave the stars one last lingering glance, and then nodded at Janiece, and they went inside.

He spoke with an effort. "I know it's late," he said, "and we're all tired. But would somebody mind reading how Jesus comes back to life? I really do want to know."

Jake and Josh didn't move, but James picked up the book. The other three listened as Mary Magdalene, Peter, and John wondered where the missing body was, and then as Mary Magdalene spoke with the supposed gardener. Bolco laughed aloud with relief when Mary realized it was Jesus. James continued, with Jesus appearing to the ten and breathing on them and telling them to receive the Holy Spirit; and then appearing to the eleven, including Thomas. He finished the chapter and sat back. Janiece had returned, and she went to the kitchen, but aside from the tea mugs, it was all set for the night. She returned, and sat down.

"So it doesn't really say how he comes back to life," Bolco said. "It just says what happens when he does."

"Elsewhere in the scriptures," James said, "it talks about the power that resurrected Jesus. Ephesians, for one. But I'm not going to hunt for it tonight."

"No," said Bolco. "No need. I don't even think I want to climb the tree. I can't remember when I was this tired. I can hardly move."

"Well, gentlemen, if you all fall asleep here, you won't be rested when the morning comes," said Janiece. "Try to make it to your respective rooms if you can, okay?"

James checked his watch. "It's only nine-thirty. But I'm toast."

"I wish we had the energy to sing," Janiece said. "It seems appropriate. But I'm so exhausted."

"Tomorrow, Mom," said Jake, still not moving. "I couldn't do it tonight."

Josh got up with an effort, selected his mother's favorite CD, powered up the sound system, and turned the sound down to whisper level. Bolco opened his eyes and watched, wondering what Josh was doing, and what the little lights were, and the runes he saw moving as Josh's fingers pressed different parts of whatever it was.

Jake sat up and raised a hand toward Bolco. "That's recorded music he's putting into the drive. It's a really peaceful CD, but don't be surprised, okay?"

"Be surprised by what?" said Bolco, several thoughts behind Jake, and then he started violently as he heard soft, sweet music. His eyes got wild; he had thought that they were alone in the house, but apparently they were not. Despite his overwhelming exhaustion, he was wide-awake again, and struggled to his feet.

"Oh, poor Bolco," said James and Janiece. Josh turned to see, and immediately felt bad. "I'm sorry!" He turned it off. Bolco looked around wildly, up the stairs, down the stairs.

"Where are they?" Bolco said. "Who are they?"

"No, no," said Josh, "the music came from these." He pointed to the two speakers. "And it's controlled over here." He pointed to the flickering panel he had been touching.

"There's nobody else in the house?"

"No."

Bolco rubbed his eyes and waited for his heart to stop pounding. Eventually he walked over towards Josh to inspect the whatever-it-was.

Josh got out another CD, and opened up the case, and showed it to him, but then hesitated. "Do you want me to try and explain how it works?"

Bolco gave him a completely blank look, and shook his head.

"He's fried," said James. "Bolco, will it startle you if Josh puts the music back on again? Now that you know what to expect?"

"I suppose not," said Bolco.

"Then just listen," James said. "Forget how it works." He put a calming hand on Bolco's shoulder, and Josh hit start again.

"Thank you, Josh," said Janiece, defending him. "I haven't heard this one in a while."

It was pretty soothing stuff, and once Bolco accepted its existence he could enjoy it. He rubbed his eyes again, and then his face, and then he ran his fingers through his hair again, and realized he was falling asleep on his feet.

Jake gathered up the tea mugs and put them in the dishwasher, and set it to run later. Bolco took a deep breath, and reflected back over the past four hours.

"I'd like to thank each of you, for all that you've done for me this evening," he said gently.

Janiece met his eyes and spoke for them all. "You are very welcome, Bolco,” she said.

Jake came over and said, "I'm ready to crash for the night. How about you?"

"I'm very tired," Bolco agreed. James and Josh came over and very gently slapped Bolco on the back, and tousled his hair just a little, and said good night, and headed off to their own rooms. Bolco returned to Janiece. "I never thanked you for dinner," he said, and gave her the traditional bow. "Thank you, Janiece."

"You're welcome," she said, with another wonderful smile. "Good night."

"Good night," he returned. Jake gave her a kiss, and Bolco and Jake headed downstairs, leaving Janiece quietly immersed in her music.

Bolco took the cutoff sweats, and one of Jake's tee shirts, to change into, and while he was gone Jake decided on a pair of baggy shorts and an oversized tee shirt for sleeping in. No sense in making Bolco embarrassed any more often than he had to be. Being at the pool tomorrow was going to be tough enough on him. He wondered if all hobbits were this seriously modest; he didn't think that Pippin, Merry, Sam, and Frodo had been. But that didn't matter now. Bolco was, and Jake was going to adapt to that; done deal. He got his bible, and climbed into bed. He was too tired to read now, but he thought he'd want it in the morning.

Bolco returned, and climbed into his quilts on the couch. "Jake."

"Yeah."

"I don't understand it all,” Bolco said.

"You will," Jake said. "There'll be time to talk about it another day. Good night, Bolco Nathaniel."

"Good night, Jake." Once again, it took him longer to fall asleep than he thought it would. But not that much longer.

He woke in the dark hours after midnight, and lay awake for a few moments staring at the ceiling. Jake was softly snoring across the room, and he knew that James and Josh and Janiece were not far away either.

Bolco rested for a while in the presence of the family that he now seemed to be a part of, in a way he did not yet fully understand. That reminded him again of his own blood family, and the pain that lay hidden there. Bolco reviewed what Janiece had said out on the deck. And he was haunted, again, by the image of the tortured, wrecked and bloody lamb.

He rose, picked up his chamois shirt, and in complete silence stole out of the room, closing the door behind him. He went like a shadow up the stairs, and unlocked the door onto the deck, and slipped outside, closing the door behind him. He looked up at the stars, and reviewed Janiece's words again.

He looked back at his own anger, bitterness, and resentment against his family and friends, and felt the restless ache surge upwards in him. He did not fight it now that he was alone. But he also felt, or saw, the Lamb bloody and hanging and dead, and realized something was different. It took him several moments to figure out what it was, and then he realized he wasn't angry with his own family anymore; he wasn't even angry at his father for disowning him. In the midst of the surprise and relief, a torrent of weeping burst from him. He tried to cry quietly and almost succeeded.

The storm raged, ebbed, and passed, and he paced on the deck, slightly embarrassed, wondering if anyone had heard his outburst, but the neighborhood was silent. Suddenly exhausted, quite numb, and deeply peaceful, he wondered what had happened. But the restless ache was gone. He thought about his father, his three brothers; he still somewhat feared all of them but Songo, but the anger was gone.

He paced for a while, and then took the plastic chair down to the pine tree, and climbed quite high, but the stars were hard to see through the pine branches. He climbed back down after only a half-hour had passed, and returned the chair to the deck, and then went inside, locked the door, went downstairs, and back to sleep.

Sunday morning

To Jake it seemed like seconds later when a light brush came at the door. He was rested, however, and he rose immediately, donning his robe as he did so, and answered the door.

"Church in one hour," whispered James. "How is he?"

"How are you, Bolco?" said Jake, turning and speaking clearly.

"Dreaming," said the muffled, quilted voice. "Do I have time for a bath?"

"I can shower upstairs. Yeah. But you'd best get to it, or you'll go without breakfast. And we'll be in church through second breakfast, so that would be a very bad thing."

"Mercy," said Bolco, and sat up slowly. "Good morning, James."

Josh appeared. "Hey, Bolco, how'd you sleep?"

"Well, thank you. And you?"

"Good. Mom says breakfast in ten minutes."

Bolco's eyes flew open wide; he clambered hurriedly out of bed, and frantically gathered a stack of clothing. Jake checked him. "Not the homespuns, unless you want every girl in church asking you about your clothes!" Bolco traded the homespuns for the cream oxford and brown khakis, added a pair of shorts and dove into the bathroom.

Jake laughed, gathered his own stack of clothes, and headed upstairs, glad that the house had ample hot water. Dad had always thought of stuff like that. The water heater was huge.

Ten minutes later, Bolco scrambled out of the bathroom, ran his fingers through his dripping hair, returned to Jake's room long enough to seize a pair of his socks and his new docksiders, and then ran upstairs to the breakfast table. He tucked the shoes and socks in a corner. "Am I late?"

Janiece laughed, and put a bagel in front of him, with a side of eggs and bacon. "There's coffee or tea, which would you prefer?"

"Tea, thank you." James was toasting bagels, Josh was watching the eggs, and Jake was still upstairs. "James," Bolco said, "when you pray over your meal, what do you say?"

Josh laughed. "First, you intercede for the nation, and then for kings and all in authority, and then...”

"Josh," scolded Janiece.

James gave Josh a playful shove. "Hey, at least the intercession gets done that way," he said.

Josh shoved back, carefully, since Mom was still in the kitchen. "Bolco, just tell Him thank you for the food. And then eat."

Jake came in barefoot and damp. "What's the question?"

"Bolco asked James how to pray before a meal."

"Good food, good meat, Good God, let's eat," quipped Jake.

"Jake!" Janiece exclaimed.

Jake leaned over Bolco, and whispered loudly, "Just make sure you're done praying before everybody's food gets cold."

"If you want me to toast you a bagel, be nice," said James.

"Bless it before you put it into the toaster, not afterwards," Jake said.

Bolco considered thanking the Creator for his breakfast; after a moment's consideration, he closed his eyes, silently stood before his host, placed his hand on his chest, and bowed. Then he sat and started eating. The boys were bantering and missed it, but Janiece smiled.

Jake accepted a plate of eggs and bacon from Josh. "Hey, James, Where's my bagel?"

"I'll be blessing it for another twenty minutes before I put it into the toaster," James said.

"Whoa, you're using a liturgy now?" said Josh.

James was indignant. Janiece laughed despite herself.

"What's a liturgy?" asked Bolco, between forkfuls.

"Long, long, LONG drawn out prayers, usually in a book."

"There are books of prayers?"

"Some better than others. Some excellent, some a waste of time," said Josh.

"I'd like to know what you think are excellent," said Jake.

"Some of the mystics. But you have to pick and choose."

"I think the best book of prayers," said Janiece, "is the book of Psalms."

"Well, yeah," said Josh. "There you go."

"Can't disagree with that, can we?" said James.

Bolco turned to Jake. "Do you have that book?"

"Sure do. It's in the same book as the other stories."

"I have a lot to copy," said Bolco.

Janiece and James caught each other's gaze, and wondered if there was a better way. "Josh," James said, "Have you seen any fonts online that might work for Bolco's runes?"

"When I get back to school, I'll spend some time looking. Bolco, I'll need some information from you before I leave. Actually, you can do it now. James, reach me a piece of paper."

James did so, and Josh handed it to Bolco.

"Write the following,” Josh said. "'The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.' And then on the next line, write qwerty."

"Kouerti?"

"Qwerty. Never mind. Just 'the quick brown fox' will do, I can figure it out from there." Josh repeated the sentence until Bolco had spelled it out and then he folded the paper and pocketed it. "I'll see what I can do."

Bolco went to work on his bagel, which he still thought of as ring-bread, and reviewed the previous evening. "The music that we were listening to, where did it come from?"

"California," said Josh. "What do you mean? Do you mean what is it used for?"

"Just tell me about it, I guess."

"It's called worship music. That was a pretty mellow set. Some of it is not so peaceful. It could get pretty rowdy, at church, and then again it might not," said Jake. "You never know. But don't be surprised if it gets kind of loud, okay?"

"All right," said Bolco, not knowing what to think.

"You'll hear more in church," said Jake. "But with real people. Live, I mean."

"The idea is that the songs are for the Creator," said James. "Whether it's loud or quiet, the point is, the Creator is listening."

"Are you going to put your shoes on in the car or now?" asked Jake, as the others gathered their things and got ready.

"In the car," Bolco said.

"All right. You'll have time enough." They filed out. "Are we all taking one car?"

"Yeah," said James, "Mom, why don't you let me drive?"

"All right," she said, pleased. She had been left out of so much yesterday, but didn't want to be pushy. James opened the passenger door for her, and closed it behind her. Nathaniel liked that.

The back seat was much more crowded than yesterday. Nathaniel was in the middle, not because he was short, but because neither Josh nor Jake wanted to be separated from him. The middle seat belt took some finding, down behind the seat.

"Mom, why don't you and James go and get five seats, and when the first song starts, we'll join you?" Jake wanted to avoid conversations and questions.

"Jake's got a point," said Josh.

Janiece laughed. "All right."

Nathaniel looked out the window. They were heading out of town, not into it, which pleased him. There were trees and woods and fields. "I like this area." He hadn't realized how much he missed the fields. He suddenly thought of his six fellow field hands, and wondered how they were.

"Do you miss the fields, Bolco?" James asked.

"Nathaniel!" he said. "And yes, I do."

"Glad you reminded us," said Janiece, "I forgot."

"Now that I know rest of the story," he said to Jake, "I like the name even better."

Jake nodded happily, and then sobered. "We'll be there before much longer."

"I suppose you mean it's time to put on the shoes." Nathaniel tried to put the socks on so that the long thick hair on his feet was not pulled the wrong way. Jake watched, realizing it was like wearing a hat with your hair all backwards, or when you part your hair on the wrong side. I hope it doesn't drive him crazy, Jake thought. The socks were clearly the hardest part. The docksiders went on quickly, and the laces were tied on the second try. He sat back with a sigh. "I'm glad I won't have to wear these at the pool." He curled and uncurled his toes, trying to settle the hair comfortably.

They pulled into the parking lot, and James selected a spot he thought could give them a convenient getaway if they needed it. He dreaded questions. They hadn't settled on any pat answer to give to curious inquirers, and he was waiting for somebody to ask, "So where'd you find the hobbit?" He couldn't imagine anybody mistaking him for anything else, shoes or no shoes. Thank the Lord that his hair was long and full enough to cover those ears. Jake was nervous too. Josh was convinced that if Nathaniel just looked down and blushed often enough, everyone would assume he was a small shy child with big feet.

He leaned over to Nathaniel and said, "When in doubt, just look down and be shy, and everyone will think you're eight or ten years old. We'll just say you're Nathaniel, visiting. Sound reasonable?"

"All right," said Nathaniel, not worried. He felt safe enough around Jake alone, never mind the three of them and Janiece.

Janiece and James went in, and found a row with five seats, and James sat on the end. Sure enough, a lovely young lady swept into view, modestly dressed and smiling sweetly. "James! It's good to see you? How have you been?"

James embraced her quickly and lightly. "Elizabeth! Hello. It's good to see you. We're fine. And how are your parents doing?" He turned, scanning this way and that.

She pointed. "Over there."

"Oh, it's good to see them." He surged towards them, drawing her along.

"How is school going?" she asked him.

"Fine, just fine. Thesis is going well," he said. "Hello, Mrs. Reed. Hello, Mr. Reed. So good to see you." He gave Mrs. Reed a handshake and a kiss on the cheek, and Mr. Reed got a firm handshake, and then he heard the characteristic pop of a microphone being powered on. "Oops, time to start, better go," he excused himself with a winning smile, and made his escape. "Such a fine young man,” Mrs. Reed said to Mr. Reed, as James fled.

Elizabeth looked slightly disappointed, he thought. He filed that under "interesting observations." Just not today, please, God. He wondered over and over if this whole church idea had been a huge mistake.

The usual welcoming words were spoken, and the band was in place, and the first song started. Normally James would have closed his eyes and launched into worship, forgetting what was around him and pouring out his heart to God. But today he sang nervously with his eyes open. Janiece met his gaze, nervous too. Where were they?

Jake would not let Josh move until partway thought the first verse. Josh went along, reminding himself of how many other things Jake had been right about over the past two days. They came in during the middle of the chorus. Jake knew that the ushers hated that, but he was hoping that everybody would have their eyes closed and be worshipping by then. And he was mostly right. So they slipped in almost unnoticed. James stepped out, Jake, Nathaniel, and Josh filed in, and James joined them again. The brothers joined in the singing, as did Janiece.

Nathaniel caught Jake's hand, and Jake leaned over. "You were right," he whispered. "It's really loud."

Not yet, Jake thought, but he nodded. Josh leaned over too. "Can you understand the words?"

Nathaniel concentrated hard for a verse, and then shook his head No.

And he can't read the overhead projection, either, thought Josh. If we don't do something he'll be lost and bored all through worship.

Josh caught his eye. "Let me pick you up and hold you as if you were a child."

Nathaniel, indignant, struggled with that. I'm twenty-six, he thought, I'm not a child. I know I can trust Josh. But this makes no sense. Something checked him, though, and he turned inward. He asked the Creator, and surprised by the answer, he nodded; all right, I'll do it, humiliating or not. It took him a moment or two, and then he reluctantly lifted his arms.

Josh picked him up, held him with one arm, raised the other, and sang loud and clear. Nathaniel listened, now comprehending, and realized it was a love-song to the Creator. What had he been missing? He closed his eyes. His heart kindled and flamed. The music was loud, but the song was simple and passionate. He forgot whatever it was that he had been worried about, and when the chorus came again, he tried softly to sing it.

The second song started, and now Nathaniel was really hungry; still with his eyes closed, he followed Josh and sang as best he could. Between the second and third song, Jake tapped Josh on the shoulder. "My turn." Nathaniel laughed softly, and letting go of Josh, reached for Jake, and followed Jake while he sang. Two songs later, James had switched place with Josh, and was reaching for Nathaniel. By then Nathaniel expected it. He was also deep into worship, steadily falling more in love with the Creator, who had so many names, and so much kindness to show.

During the last song, for some reason he opened his eyes and looked back, at the sea of faces behind him. And when he did, he was surprised to meet the eyes of two different young women. One was looking at James, and when Nathaniel caught her eye she quickly looked down. But another was looking at Nathaniel, and held his gaze for several moments. She looked at Jake, and then back at Nathaniel, and held his gaze again. He liked her. She had a gentleness that set him at ease. The last song ended, and James gently put him down. They sat down, but not before Nathaniel took one more look back, and saw her still gazing. Her long blond hair and gentle smile lodged in his mind. He smiled at her, just a little, and then turned to face front and wondered whom she was.

There were some announcements, which Nathaniel daydreamed through, letting his eyes wander around the people in front of him. A small blond girl turned her head, tossing ringlets, and caught his eye. She measured him, puzzled, and turned back.

"Time for children's church," and suddenly most of the children got up and began to troop out under the leadership of several adults. Nathaniel anchored himself mentally and physically, but there was no need. The Scotts uniformly ignored what was happening, including when some of the departing adults tried to catch their eye. He also noticed that a few children stayed. Several seats in front of him a lanky boy with large brown eyes and short brown hair turned to watch his siblings leave, and likewise he noticed Nathaniel was staying. Their glances met briefly, but Nathaniel couldn't read the boy, so he dropped his eyes.

"Turn with me," the man intoned, and after rattling off some references, the man proceeded to read about children, and Jesus blessing them, and rebuking the disciples for trying to turn them away. And then he read, "Whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it."

Thunderstruck, and suddenly grateful, Nathaniel turned to Josh. "You knew," he whispered. His heart burned within him again.

"Well, I knew it says that, but I didn't know he would talk about that today. God did, though." Josh chuckled. "Sometimes the Holy Spirit just does that."

As a little child, Nathaniel reviewed. I wonder what Jesus meant by that in other situations; about receiving the Kingdom of God in the rest of life.

He would have never imagined allowing someone to hold him like the three brothers just had, but he also knew that when the Creator agreed with Josh, and he submitted to the Creator, then worship opened up to him, or perhaps he opened up to worship. How would he explain that to Lilac? How many other things would happen to him over the next couple of weeks that he would find hard to explain to Lilac? He decided to worry about that when it was time to do it, and not before. But it was sweet to think of Lilac, and he let himself, for several minutes.

When he returned to the present, the man up in front was talking about the Kingdom of God. Nathaniel thought, I suppose when you give him your allegiance, that's what it is called. While he listened to the speech on trust and innocence and purity of heart, and absence of expectations, Lilac wove in and out of his thoughts. He wondered what she was doing, and how she had been.

The man up front concluded his speech, and suggested that people pray if they wanted to, and some people walked forward to do that. Josh nudged Nathaniel. "When people start to move, you hurry out, and I'll be right behind you. Okay?"

Nathaniel nodded. When people began to stir, he was one of the first ones out, and Josh was close behind. They headed for the car. The lanky boy came out the door moments later. "Hey, Josh."

"Mike. How you doing?"

"Good. You still playing bass?"

"Once in a while."

Mike turned to Nathaniel. "Hi."

"Hello."

"Mike, this is Nathaniel."

Mike measured him. "You learning any instruments? I play guitar and bass."

Nathaniel shook his head.

"You could," said Josh, "if you wanted to."

Nathaniel stared at Josh; that wasn't the kind of rescue he had been hoping for. He had no idea what a bass, a guitar, or an instrument was.

James and Janiece strolled up to the car, smiling. Josh frowned. "Where's Jake?"

"Trapped," said James. "Hi, Mike."

"Hi," said Mike. "You still playing guitar?"

James shook his head. "Way too busy with school," he said. "How about you?"

"Taking lessons," Mike said. "Learning scales."

"Cool," said James. "Electric or bass?"

"Bass," Mike said. "Mom says I have an acoustic and a bass, and two guitars is enough."

James and Josh laughed. "For now," Josh said. Janiece smiled, remembering.

Mike returned to Nathaniel, seemingly convinced that if Nathaniel was hanging around this family, he must be musical. "So what are you going to learn to play?"

"I don't know," Nathaniel said, looking to James for help this time.

"Give him time, Mike," said James. "Maybe he'll come around in a while."

"How about drums?" Mike pushed.

Josh laughed. "You're just looking to start your own band."

"Well, yeah."

Nathaniel's eyes were suddenly glued to the church door, where Jake was emerging with the young woman Nathaniel had noticed during the last song. The sweet smile was in full operation, and Jake was clearly torn between enjoying that and making their escape, but excuse himself he did, and she walked away with one last smile. She waved at Nathaniel as she headed to her car.

Jake joined them at the car. "Hey, Mike."

"Hi, Jake. Been playing guitar lately?"

James laughed. "He's doing schoolwork too, or he should be. We're off, Mike; practice hard." James clapped Mike on the back, and Mike wandered off.

James opened the door for his mother again, and closed it after her, and the rest jumped in.

"Golly, Jake," said Josh, "Anne used to be cute, but she's drop-dead gorgeous now."

Jake nodded, trying to be nonchalant, and failing. He turned to Nathaniel. "Yeah, but guess what she wanted."

Nathaniel's eyes bugged; "What?"

"To take YOU out for ice cream! At least she said I could come."

James and Josh roared with laughter.

Nathaniel panicked. "What did you say to her?"

"I said of course. Tomorrow night."

"What's ice cream?!?"

"You'll like it. You can taste as many flavors as you want until you find something you like." Josh wasn't letting him out of this.

"You mean, it's something to eat?"

"Of course. "

"Oh. Oh. Well, if you'll do all the talking..."

"How well-read is she?" James asked.

"How should I know?" replied Jake.

James worried a little, and then asked God to cover Nathaniel and keep him safe, and shrugged his worries off. Church had really gone off without a hitch.

"So what did you think about your first morning in church? Too bad it was so rushed."

"The main thing was the singing," Nathaniel began. "I didn't want to let you pick me up, Josh."

"I figured that," said Josh. "But the alternative was to bend over you and sing down at you the whole time, or have you stand on the seat, either of which would have either looked funny or been bad manners."

"I was about to tell you, no, I didn't want to be picked up," said Nathaniel, "but I suddenly felt bad inside. Like something was wrong with my stomach, or like I'd just gotten bad news or something. And so I asked the Creator if I should let you pick me up, and I knew his answer was yes. I didn't like the idea any more though."

"But you did it," said Josh.

"It was hard at first, until the song started to sink in," Nathaniel continued. "But the song meant so much, it was worth it, and after a while, I forgot about it. By the time Jake took a turn I just wanted to keep singing, and didn't care what it took. I loved each one of those songs. I should like to learn them all, every one. James, who was the other young woman who was staring at you?"

James' eyebrows went up. "Sitting where?"

"Back behind us, several rows. Further back than-- what did you say her name was?"

"Who?"

"The ice cream lady with the smile and long blond hair."

"Anne."

"Further back than Anne."

"Might have been Elizabeth."

"Oh?" said Josh.

"She came over to say hi before you got there." James shrugged.

Josh's eyebrows went up. "You know she's a nice girl."

"So's my thesis," said James, "and right now that's the only girlfriend I can afford."

Josh and Janiece exchanged glances, and Janiece kept her gaze smilingly neutral. She was determined not to meddle with God's business, and this was definitely God's business.

Nathaniel wondered who Thesis was, and thought it was a pretty name for a girl. This family was full of surprises, he thought. The musical thing, for one. He'd ask about the bass and the guitar and the instrument later. "Jake, why do you think Anne wants to take us both out for ice cream?"

"She's not buying," said Jake, "I am."

"That's not what I mean," said Nathaniel.

"Because," said Josh, "all kids like ice cream, and she thinks you're a kid, and she likes you. Good thing you and milk get along."

"I looked back during the end of the last song. She was staring at me. I thought she seemed nice. "

"Well, that settles it," said Jake, "I'm just the driver."

"What? No, I was just trying to say she seems nice."

"Who else were you flirting with during worship?" laughed Josh.

"Well, Elizabeth, I suppose," said Nathaniel.

"What?" said James.

"But she looked down right away," Nathaniel defended himself, "and Anne didn't."

Janiece was laughing now. "You heartbreaker." Nathaniel didn't laugh at that but everyone else did.

They pulled into the neighborhood, and realizing that they were on their way home, Nathaniel took off his shoes and socks and rubbed the top of each foot with the sole of the other. Two whole hours of wearing shoes, and he had survived it. He would have to wear them again when they went out with Anne, he thought. Maybe he could back out at the last minute. When the car stopped, he jumped out on the side away from the house, shoes and socks tucked under one arm, and went into the semicircle. Jake followed, while the other three went inside.

Jake followed him from tree to tree, and this time Bolco talked quietly to Jake about each tree he visited, telling Jake what he noticed and what he liked about each one, little details about bark and bud and form and shape. They went around to several trees and shrubs, and Jake thought it was Bolco's way of calming down after all the morning's stress; he was right.

"Jake, was it wrong of me to look back at Anne?" he asked suddenly.

Jake had no idea how to answer, but he shook his head. "Why?"

"I was just so peaceful, from the singing, I wasn't worried about anything. I didn't feel shy or nervous or anything. I could have, I don't know, fallen asleep or been in a daze or something. Nothing worried me. And when she looked at me, I just let her. Was that wrong?"

"I don't see why. Don't worry about it," Jake said. "She's not like LeeAnne. She's not automatic trouble. She's a nice girl, and I don't think she'll do anything rash. I hope. And if she thought anything funny about it, we'll probably find out tomorrow night."

"Jake, really, do I have to go?"

"You," said Jake, "are the whole point. She said she thought that you're really sweet." Maybe I shouldn't have said that, he thought, too late. He went on. "She wants to meet you. Besides, if you don't like ice cream you'll be the first person I ever met who doesn't."

"Really? Is ice cream that good then?"

"Yep."

"Oh." They were standing in front of the lilac bush. "You like Anne, though, don't you, Jake?"

"She's a nice, nice girl. Mom likes her. We've known each other for a long while. I could like her a lot, I think, if, well, if I'm meant to, I guess."

Bolco stepped around by the foundation, under the bush, and put his open hands behind one of the lower branches. Jake realized Nathaniel was very, very far away, and he didn't know what to say.

Bolco stared at the lilac bush for a long, long time, and slowly and carefully pondered its bark, its buds, its shape. He traced one branch with an open hand, and said quietly, "I never want to be a heartbreaker."

Jake started. "My Mom didn't mean it like that," he began.

"If I don't return to Lilac..." he traced another branch, and left the sentence incomplete.

"Look, I'm sorry," began Jake, watching Bolco sinking fast. "I didn't mean to..." ...to what? He tried again. "Bolco? Hey. Come on." He put a hand on Bolco's shoulder. But he had no idea what to say or do.

"You could pray for me," Bolco said.

Yeah, he could. He pressed hard into God, storming the throne room, hammering out his protectiveness over Bolco, wanting God to shield him from every hurt. And while he was at it, he rebuked the darkness and told it to get lost. All he could see was what he couldn't see, the cheerfulness in Bolco he was so used to. Come on, God, he thought, you have to help him.

The front door opened and shut, and Josh stepped outside, whistling one of the tunes from that morning's worship. He looked around, and saw Jake by the lilac bush, and came over to investigate. Jake looked more upset than Bolco, he thought, but Bolco was backed against the wall holding a lilac twig in his hands.

"What's going on?" Josh asked Bolco.

Bolco sighed. "Just thinking about Lilac."

"What about Lilac?" said Josh, easily.

"If I don't ever get back to her."

"What if you don't ever get back to her?" Josh prompted.

Bolco struggled, and Jake thought that Josh could be an insensitive creep sometimes. "Well, she'd miss me, I'd miss her, and we'd both be lonely."

Josh nodded. "When did you see her last?"

"The day before I went out walking in Green Hill Country, to Woody End."

"Woody End was, what, five or six days ago?"

"Seven. I woke up on the train Monday morning. I had been walking in Woody End the day before that."

"So you've been gone exactly one week. She can't be that worried yet. She probably figures you finally found some elves and are hanging out with them. Too bad we don't exactly qualify."

Bolco sighed. "That's not what's bothering me."

"What is it that is bothering you?"

"What your mother said," Bolco focused totally on the branch in front of him, studying it minutely, and speaking as if from a great distance away.

"What Mom said?" Josh responded blankly.

"I don't want to be a heartbreaker."

"That bothers you?"

"Of course it does," Bolco said, still very far away.

"Tell me why it bothers you."

"Because I wonder whether I was wrong to meet Anne's gaze. And Elizabeth's. Perhaps I was being unfair to Lilac."

"Unfair?"

"Faithless."

"Faithless." Josh considered that. "Did you intend to be?"

"No! No. Not at all."

"What were you thinking when you were looking at Anne?"

"That she looked kind, and gentle, and peaceful. And that I felt safe, and happy, and that the Creator was there."

"Were you out to hurt Lilac when you were thinking these things?"

"No. I never want to hurt Lilac. But why did your mother say I was a heartbreaker then?"

"Because," said Josh, "young boys and girls with captivating eyes and beautiful faces are destined to leave a string of broken hearts behind them as they grow, because of all the people that will think they are beautiful and charming, and want to take them out for ice cream, and spoil them rotten. And they can't all, can they?"

"So your mother was saying I was an attractive little child waiting to be spoiled."

Josh nodded, trying hard not to laugh.

Bolco digested this. Quite humiliating, but at least Janiece hadn't really been accusing him of being faithless to Lilac. He sighed. He still didn't want to go out for ice cream tomorrow night, but he didn't feel drenched in guilt about the idea.

"Hey," said Josh. "We'll pray for Lilac again, okay?"

Bolco met Josh's eyes, and nodded. "Can we pray for her together?"

"Yeah."

"All right."

Bolco sighed. "I do worry about being away from her. I'm not worried about somebody else proposing to her, because she's far too wild for most hobbits." Josh stiffened with caution. "But I am worried about her being discouraged if I am gone too long."

"Don't take her for granted either," warned Josh. "You've said she's attractive, and you can't be the only wild elf-hunting hobbit around."

"No," he admitted, "I'm not. But the others that I know of are either spoken for or not likely to speak." Except Pippin, he thought, and Merry, but he had never noticed any interest in Lilac from either of them. But then, they knew he was interested in her, and had her father Isembrand's implicit approval; what if he was gone for months? Should he worry about them after all? They hadn't been around a lot lately. He didn't think Pippin would be interested in Lilac. Would he? And if he failed to return shortly, would he lose Lilac's father’s approval? And come to think about it, Folco Boffin wasn't spoken for, and neither was Fredegar Bolger...

"So," said Josh, "you do know other wild, elf-hunting hobbits then."

Bolco nodded grimly, more worried than ever now. "I guess it would be a good idea to pray about that too."

"When in doubt, ask."

Jake had watched the whole conversation with great interest, realizing that Josh had eventually probed for what was really going on in Bolco, rather than patching what he saw on the surface. How did that go again? "He who answers before listening, that is his folly and shame." And then he prayed for a listening heart.

Josh was whistling one of the tunes from this morning, a favorite one, and it resonated within Bolco. "Sing it," he pleaded, and Josh did.

The door opened again, and James leaned out. "Getting cold, and disappearing fast," he said.

"Lunch!"

"Yeah, I was sent to tell you lunch was ready," said Josh.

Bolco gave the branch he was holding one last caress and sprinted towards the door. The brothers laughed and followed him in. James had not after all eaten everything, but it wasn't as hot as it could have been, either. They ate, Josh and Bolco reviewing song lyrics from the morning service. By the end of lunch, Bolco had the lyrics from three out of six songs memorized.

The trip to the pool was not until four o'clock, and it was not one o'clock yet. Bolco reviewed his dictation, and asked Janiece if she would read to him some more. The rest of the brothers got out their books as well, and several quiet hours were spent. Bolco finished the entire Christmas story up to the presentation in the temple and the return to Nazareth. Janiece closed her bible then, weary, and Bolco thanked her profusely. She got up.

To her surprise, he turned to the back of the notebook and continued writing.

"What are you working on now?" she asked.

"One of the songs from this morning," he replied. "I like them. I don't want to forget them."

Suddenly he put his pen down and looked up at her. "Janiece, last night, James said that going under the water and coming up out of the water represents the boundary between the old life and the new one. I should do that."

"What makes you say so?" she asked him. Legalism she did not like.

His hand strayed to his chest. "I want to follow him into the water." He met her glance, eyes burning. "Into water so deep that it's over my head."

She nodded, more than satisfied. "Why don't you discuss it with James?" she replied. James, she knew, had baptized several people at the church he went to at school. He wasn't ordained, but there were denominations that did not consider that important for baptism, and James had all that theology under wraps. She trusted her eldest son in some things more than she trusted her local clergy. That would have made the clergy nervous had they known, but they did not.

Bolco smiled. "All right. Thank you, Janiece. I will." He picked his pen back up, and returned to the song. Janiece noticed he was writing correctly in verse, and thought, he's more educated than he seems, and it shows up in odd places. How he could understand verse structure but still be so rusty with his runes-- although he was making steady improvement-- she did not fathom. She did not know that his first experience with runes had been for poetry. Pippin had written down several of Bilbo's songs.

The house remained quiet until three-thirty, when the books were put away.

Table Of Contents