Lila hurried up the hill to Bag End, trying to shush Aster. She was late already because of her little daughter, but she hoped it wouldn't be too much trouble.
The door was flung open before she knocked, and Meli and Molly attached themselves to her legs. "Can we hold the baby? Can we? Can we?" they begged, and Lila had to smile, for they were little more than babies themselves. She moved inside and smiled at Rosie, who shook her head and grinned at the girls.
"If you promise to sit very very still, you may each have a turn." Molly and Meli nodded eagerly, racing into the parlor and climbing onto the settee. Lila watched them wriggle a bit and looked around, taking off her cloak and hanging it by the door. "Where are the others?" she asked, and Rosie pointed to the table, where Sammie and Daisy were busily eating slices of apple turnover.
Meli wiggled a little bit more, then forced herself to sit very still. "Can I hold her first?" she asked, and Molly looked like she was going to complain, then bit her tongue and didn't.
Aster blinked up at Meli and Molly, who was leaning on Meli's shoulder. She crinkled up her little face and yawned, then reached for Meli's hair. "She's so little," Meli said in awe, and Molly nodded.
"My turn now," she declared, and before Lila could come forward, Aster had been carefully switched to Molly's arms. The two girls made faces and giggled at Aster, who smiled and stretched out, trying to catch their eyes or their curls. Finally Lila took her daughter back, and Meli and Molly smiled very politely.
"Thank you," they said, then scurried off to join Sammie and Daisy and plan mischief. Lila held her daughter to her shoulder and smiled after them.
~