Finding my Uncle Peppy was the best that happened to me after hearing that Pa and Ma were not my real parents. The worst thing was, finding out that my real mother, Yola Plumblossom, was no longer alive. Just as bad was, that I could not find a single trace of my real father.
Pa and Ma in Buckland were delighted to see me again and when I introduced them to Uncle Peppy, they welcomed him as they would have a dear old friend. They too, were shocked and sad when they learned that I could never meet Yola now. Pa and Uncle Peppy sat down by the fire and they talked about the old hobbit that had delivered me in a basket when I was a baby. Pa described her and Uncle Peppy got furious when he realised that it was indeed his own old gammer. “How could she do this to Yola!”, he snorted with rage, “And why? O, why?!”. Ma tried to calm him down and excused herself and Pa for not looking up the mother of the baby that had come to them, fulfilling their wish for a child that they never could have had themselves. Uncle Peppy assured them, he was not mad at them at all, no, he was extremely grateful that they had so lovingly raised me. “Look at what a fine lass Rubellita has turned out to be!”, he said.
We stayed in Buckland for a couple of wonderful days and then Uncle Peppy announced that he had to go back to his home in Pinewarrens. He had some things to do concerning a concert in Brockenborings. That brought up the question of what I was going to do now. Would I stay home in Buckland, or continue the search for my real father? The chances of ever finding him were slim, but I had to try. There were so many mysteries surrounding him: Why was his name first written, but then crossed out again on the note? Why did Yola never tell anyone, not even her dear brother, about her baby and it's father? I just had to try and find him! So, with pain in my heart, I told Pa and Ma, that I wanted to be in the Shire some more and that I would leave their home again. But they understood and gave me their blessing, especially after Uncle Peppy said: “Don't worry, I'll keep an eye on her!”
But where was I going to live? I could not stay with Uncle Peppy forever. I discussed it with him and he said: “Well, there is a nice, although small burrow available next to where I live. I'll have a talk with Master Andy, the house-broker.” And so I became a Pinewarrens resident and neighbour to my uncle.
One evening, I heard Uncle Peppy playing his lute in the yard. I went over to listen and he asked me if I played music as well. I blushed and told him I was not as good as he was, but he insisted on hearing me play. I ran home to get my flute and lute and somehow managed to impress him with my efforts. He gave me some music sheets and before I knew it, I was playing duets with him.
Well, one thing lead to another and there I was in Brockenborings on Bullroarer Took's Day, playing with the Greenbrambles! With the concert and the preparations I had a great time and I met some of the most wonderful and kind hobbits ever! They were some of my uncle's best friends and I regard them as my own friends now. Just before the concert I sat down under a tree, next to Anerra. We had never talked before, but there and then I felt so connected to her, as if we had known one another our whole lives. And there were Miss Tibba, Miss Nimelia and Miss Akelay. All were most kind and friendly to me.
From them I learned about the Green Dragon, about the hobbit market in Michel Delving and those became events that I love to visit and try to participate in. It took my mind of my search, which was not a bad thing. My search for my father should not become an obsession. I knew how hard it was to deal with disappointments as a result of searching for my real parents.
One evening, Uncle Peppy came to me and had good news: “I've been offered a burrow in Bramblebury”, he said. I cheered for him, although I was sad at the prospect of losing him as my neighbour in Pinewarrens. But then he said: “I want you to take it. If you want to, ofcourse.” Then he mumbled something about it being just a small home, compared to where he lived now. But I felt that he would have loved to take it. He wanted me to have it, to bring me to where his sister and my mother had lived and worked: Bramblebury. I did not know what to say. But then I nodded and gave him a big hug.
Most houses are sold by the house-broker, but this time it was different. Late that night, Uncle Peppy and I went to Bramblebury to meet the person who was selling the property. I'll not give away the name, but that person knows I am eternally grateful and so is Uncle Peppy. We closed the deal and then I had my own home in Bramblebury, close to where Yola had lived.
Next: a memorial for Yola.
