by Rabidsamfan
Thanks to belegcuthalion and mariposa for the beta and Gayalondiel for the Elvish.
When Drogo opened the door of the smial, Bilbo couldn’t help but laugh aloud, for his young cousin looked so exhausted and startled and smug that there was no question that it had been more than the rain which had kept him and Primula
from coming up to Bag End for the party.
“Congratulations!” Bilbo cried, propping the basket he carried on one hip to free a hand. “A lad or a lass?”
“A lad,” Drogo said, accepting the handshake with a dazed air. “But how did you know? Mrs. Banks only left for home five minutes ago…”
“We didn’t,” Bilbo admitted, hefting the basket again and giving the new father a pointed look. “And we’d come back later, but as it’s raining…”
“Oh, come in,” Drogo said, backing out of the doorway to give them room. Bilbo wiped his feet on the mat and stepped inside quickly, giving Hamfast Gamgee plenty of room to follow with his awkward burden.
“I expect you’ve been too busy to eat,” Bilbo said. “But here’s a bit of luncheon.” He set the basket on the nearest table. “There’s a shepherds’ pie in here from Mistress Gamgee that ought to go into your warming oven before it cools any farther, and some of the cake, as well as more practical
things. You can thank Bell for those, too. She said Primula wasn’t likely to be comfortable standing over the cooking just now, and I told her to pack plenty.” He shook his hands to get some of the rain off and the circulation back. “It weighs enough.”
“Thank you,” Drogo said, collecting Bilbo’s cloak and looking from one visitor to the other with an air of bewilderment until Hamfast came and took it from him. “But shouldn’t you be at Bag End? For the party? If you made cake then someone must have turned up.”
“Oh, they won’t miss me for a while,” Bilbo said confidently. “The hobbits are in the parlor drinking and singing, the married lasses are in the kitchen drinking and washing the dishes and singing, the tweens are doing their best to make sure that none of the dishes will need washing by cleaning them with their tongues, and the little ones are playing catch-as-catch-can in the hallway. I’ve left Bell to guard the pantry and Dan Twofoot to watch over the wine cellar.”