Second Chances: The Return of Gollum

Chapter 15

On the way home, Hayley stopped at a convenient store to buy us all slurpees––watermelon flavor for herself, blue raspberry for me, and cherry for Sméagol. When we arrived home, I changed into a sweater house dress, and Hayley and Sméagol changed into their onesies. Despite it being late October, it was still warm outside, so we decided to head for the field nearby to enjoy our slurpees. We sat on the big stump, and looked out at the water and the trees with the leaves changing colors.

"You were incredible today, Sméagol," I said.

Sméagol smiled warmly at me. "So were you, my precious."

"No, I don't just mean our duet. I mean the way you were so kind to everyone who came up to talk to you. It was so beautiful to watch. I mean, you made so many people happy today, both with your singing and your kindness. Then again, for you, those two things go hand-in-hand. You use your angelic voice to make people happy and love people."

Sméagol giggled softly, and put his arm around me. "Just like you do, Baby."

"Not the way you do. You take it to a whole new level, and it inspires me."

"Awwww, come here, Sweetheart." Sméagol scooted back a bit, and spread his legs out to create room for me. I stood up, and sat back down between his legs. He closed them around my legs, wrapped his arms around me, and held me tightly against his chest as he rested his chin on my shoulder. "You inspires me, too, Precious," he said sweetly. "You knows that?" He kissed my cheek. "Yeah."

"How so?"

"You never judges me. You saw the good in me, even after everything I've done. You accepts me, and you reminds me what the true Precious is. Love. Love is the true Precious, it is, not a golden ring of dark power." He kissed my cheek again. "And, you, my love, are the reason Sméagol remembers music. Never would I have joined the choir or sing at nursing homes if not for you. You reminds me how much I love to sing, and you shows me just how powerful music is. A sweet melody sung with love can warm the coldest of hearts."

"But, your heart was never cold."

"No, but very corrupted and empty and broken it was... until I meets you." His eyes filled with tears. "I still remembers the first time you sings for me. Never have I heard anything so beautiful as your voice."

I felt myself getting emotional, too. "That's how I felt when I first heard you speak. When I saw the movies for the first time, and I heard your voice, it was like an angel was speaking... and that's when I knew I needed you."

"Awwwww." Sméagol held me even tighter.

"It's true, Sméagol," Hayley chimed in. "You should've seen the look on her face when she first saw you and heard your voice. It went from complete devastation and defeat to utter enchantment. You mesmerized her. When she saw everything you went through, it broke her heart. Like, when Faramir's rangers beat you up, she cried her eyes out."

"I wanted to jump through the screen, and cuddle with you," I said.

"Awwwwww, Precious," Sméagol wept.

"And, it devastated her when you fell into the lava," said Hayley. "Like, she was bawling at that point."

"Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww! My poor baby!" Sméagol kissed my lips.

"You were just so special," I cried softly. "I wanted you to live."

"Oh, Sweetie," Sméagol wept as he gently caressed my body. "It's alright now. Sméagol is here now. Yes, Sméagol is alright."

"Please don't die again."

"I won't. I promise." He kissed me again. "Sméagol stay away from volcanoeses."

I laughed through my tears.

"Well, I don't think you have to worry about that," Hayley chuckled. "There's no active volcanoes here in Virginia."

Sméagol giggled softly. "Awwww, Sméagol stay here as long as possible to keep Precious Cheyenne safe... and give her all the love she deserves." He smiled at me, and gently kissed me again. "Sméagol loves you so very much," he said in a cutesy voice. "You knows that?"

I smiled back at him. "I love you, too, so freaking much."

Sméagol giggled again.

"Ow," I said as I tried to turn my head to kiss him.

Hayley snickered. "Uh oh."

"Oh, no, did my poor baby get her beautiful hair caught in my zipper again?" Sméagol gently removed my hair from his zipper, and brushed it aside. "There you go, Baby. Awwww, Sméagol so sorry."

I just snickered. "I'm good."

"Okay, Babyface." Sméagol looked down at his zipper. "Now, Zipper," he said in a silly tone, "Sméagol loves you very much, but don't pull my baby's hair again. That's not nice, Precious."

Hayley and I laughed.

"You're funny, Sméagol," I said.

"Oh, Sméagol, you're so cute," said Hayley.

Sméagol giggled.

"Oh, Hayley," I said, "I meant to ask you, how's Jamal doing?"

"Oh, he's doing great," Hayley replied. "He's doing an excellent job at the store, and I think he really loves his new home. He told me he eventually wants to go to college to study music." Hayley sighed happily. "I'm so proud of him. You know, despite all the crap he's gone through, he's not letting it discourage him, and he seems so happy now. I think it's because he knows he's loved now. He has friends who love and accept him the way he is. That's all he really wanted was love."

"I'm really glad he––"

Just then, we heard something moving nearby.