118I loved you first
Part Thirteen
The streamers had already begun to droop when they realized no one else was coming.
Except for Marvel, who had arrived with his latest girl, before leaving the uncomfortable situation. His friend had given him a comforting pat as Peeta led him out.
"All this wasted food…" his mother said as she took a tray of sandwiches into the kitchen. "I thought that invites were sent—"
"They were," Peeta replied, leaning against the counter. "I don't understand—"
The back door to the Mellark House opened and Prim emerged, giving him a sad smile.
"She hasn't said anything in the last hour," she informed him. "Johanna and Mom are trying to get her to eat something."
He nodded, letting out a sigh. "I'll talk to her."
Peeta headed over and Prim gave him a quick hug before he stepped into his backyard.
Outside, his brothers along with his father and Mr. Everdeen sat at their picnic table with full plates of food. They all looked at him, their gazes concerned.
However, Peeta didn't need it. He really didn't care one way or another about having a baby shower.
But it was important to Katniss.
His eyes looked ahead to the woven chair where his fiancée sat. On each side, Mrs. Everdeen and Johanna spoke softly to Katniss.
They both stopped once he came into view, and his heart clenched seeing Katniss clinging to a teddy bear.
"We'll give you some privacy," Johanna said as she rose from her seat.
"I'll go check in with your mother, Peeta," Mrs. Everdeen added. She kissed the top of her daughter's head. "I'm so sorry, baby."
When they were finally alone, Peeta pulled up a chair to sit in front of her.
Katniss remained silent; her chin perched atop the teddy bear's head.
"I knew that no one would show up." Peeta's eyes shot up to meet hers. "They all said yes, but I could feel it…the judgment." Her eyes filled with tears. "I just wanted one last time—"
His brows furrowed. "What do you mean?"
"One last time of normality. One last time to feel like a teenager with her friends—" She closed her eyes. "Some friends." Her hands went to her belly; Katniss was just shy of her eighth month and, despite her protests, looked as beautiful as ever. "I know nothing will ever be the same."
"It won't be." Taking her hand, Peeta raised it and placed a kiss on her knuckles. "But it doesn't mean that it won't be great."
Katniss blinked, letting the tears finally fall.
"Was it stupid to think I could act like I was still normal? Like I could ignore this huge belly and the swollen ankles?"
Peeta pulled her against him, and she sobbed fully into his chest.
"Oh sweetheart, we're still teenagers despite all this. Teenagers who are saying goodbye to a life they will never know. A life of being carefree, and of no responsibilities—"
"You're making this whole baby thing sound real great," Katniss snorted wetly as she straightened.
"I'm being realistic," he told her. "Yeah, we're not normal. But I also know that we're the rare kind of people who found true love right off. I cannot wait to start my life with you—" His hand went to her belly. "—and her. What all those other people have or do will never compare to this."
"And what is this?"
"A beautiful life of waking up to you." Peeta cupped her face, his eyes tracing over every graceful feature—the almond shaped eyes…the rich skin…her rose lips… "Of getting to watch the love we created grow up…to see her walk and talk for the first time. I get more time with you and her and I want that. As much time as God will allow me to live and breathe with you and for you both."
Katniss let out a breath. "Well, fuck me that was beautiful."
"That's how we got ourselves in this situation, isn't it?"
She grinned. "Our inability to use birth control was what got us here." Her mouth went to his. "I love you, Peeta. Beyond all the time that God—or whoever—might give me."
He pressed into her lips once more, breathing against their kiss. "That's my girl."
There was a cough, and they looked up to find their family gathered.
Johanna held up a box filled with open diapers, each featuring different brown…substances.
"I know I did not smear each of these things with chocolate bars for nothing," she told them. "Are we up for a game?"
Peeta looked at his fiancée, giving her a smile. "What do you think?"
"I think that I'm kicking all your butts," Katniss declared.
"You underestimate the amount of chocolate I eat," Aaron countered as he took a seat.
"You eat boring chocolate," Prim retorted. "I have a better palate when it comes to sweets."
"Don't be so cocky, little sister," Otis said. "Youth might not be in your favor."
"You're not that much older than me!"
Then the yard was filled with the laughter of their family as they started the game.
The silence was broken as Katniss took the letter from Peeta's hands and opened it.
"Did that seriously just happen?" she said after reading it over.
"And why did it happen?" her father asked from his seat.
"I think Aaron is the only one who can tell us that," Jo said, her eyes on her son.
Aaron stared blankly ahead, his mouth in a tight line. It was odd as he was never the silent type. Her brother-in-law was unabashedly unfiltered most of the time.
However, today, Aaron seemed deflated—maybe even a little bit heartbroken.
Grant looked at his son. "Aaron, what is going on?"
Peeta, finally recovering, held a hand up.
"Let's discuss this later. Right now, the remaining candidates need to continue their campaigns."
"Peeta's right!" Prim chirped before turning to Thresh. "Tell us about your progress since the break."
Katniss looked towards the door. Giving Peeta a quick nod, she walked out.
She wasn't sure why she was attempting to do this. Madge had been the small chip in an otherwise flawless divorce. However, she had been affected by the woman's words and Katniss found herself…concerned for her.
Katniss spotted the woman heading towards the elevators. "Madge!"
Madge turned and she rushed over.
"Katniss, slow down!" Madge reached to make sure that she didn't take a tumble. "You're having a baby!"
"I know," Katniss replied easily. "My swollen ankles and belly are pretty good indicators of that." She looked at her. "Are you okay?"
Madge stared at her for a moment, trying to gauge what Katniss' intentions were.
Katniss waited, letting her figure out that there was nothing for her to worry about. Slowly, she saw Madge's defenses lower with a gentle exhale and the tenseness in her body dissipating before her eyes.
Madge's expression, however, was somber, and her mouth trembled before she replied, "No."
"Understandable." Katniss approached her, and Madge stiffened. "I just want you to take some time to make sure that this is really what you want. You're very qualified for this position—"
"I don't want it," she replied. "It's just too close to…" Her lips tightened. "I'm sure I'll find something else—"
"Come to my baby shower!"
Wait—what?
Did she really just ask Madge Undersee to come to her baby shower?
Madge looked just as confused. "What?"
"It's this Saturday," Katniss continued. "There will be a lot of food and a lot of people! And I'm inviting Thresh and Finch, too. You won't even see certain folks who you might not want to see…" She gave Madge the best pout she could. "You can't say no to a pregnant woman—"
Madge snorted, a chuckle escaping her. "What is with you Mellarks? I can't seem to escape you—"
"To be fair, I'm only a Mellark by marriage." Katniss smiled. "So, you'll come?"
"If you let me leave so I can go buy a bottle of wine and pasta for ten, I'll go."
Katniss nodded. "Have a glass for me."
The elevator door opened, and Madge stepped in.
"You have to deal with those Mellark men on a regular basis. For you, I'll have ten glasses."
"Did you really invite Madge to our baby shower?"
Katniss scooted into bed next to Peeta.
"I invited her to my baby shower." She relaxed against her pillows with a content sigh. "I think she really cares for Aaron, and that he cares for her, too. They need to talk and if they do it there, then that's that."
Peeta smirked. "I didn't think you were such a matchmaker."
She grimaced at the moniker.
"It must be the hormones. Millions of them turning me into this mess of a person. Gross."
"I find you far from gross." Peeta toyed with the strap of her nightgown. "I happen to find your hormones very appealing." His mouth went to her ear, pressing a kiss behind it, and she fell slack against him. "Can I show you how much?"
The events of the day were quickly forgotten as Katniss watched him move both straps off her shoulders. Peeta yanked down her top and her swollen breasts bounced before his gaze. His blues suddenly darkened, and a groan escaped his throat.
"You're gorgeous," he told her. "God, this body—" His lips went to one nipple, grazing it till it puckered, then to the other, and her breath shortened at the zing of pleasure. "—so perfect."
"You using me for my body, Peeta Mellark?" she teased.
"You know me better than that." Peeta looked into her eyes, his hands reaching for hers. "Besides having a body that I could just worship all day, you have the biggest heart I know. Look at what you're doing, Katniss. You didn't have to go after Madge today, but you did, and you invited her to your baby shower. You're even trying to get her and Aaron to talk."
He leaned in, capturing her lips for a moment before pressing his forehead against hers.
"I don't know anyone who would do that—except you. Because you, Katniss Mellark, care for others even when they don't even believe they're worth it. To me, that makes you gorgeous inside and out."
His hands went to the bunched fabric just below her breasts. With a gentle pull, Peeta helped her slide the nightgown off her body.
Katniss felt utterly conscious of the changes in her body. While she loved the feel of her round belly, there were other things like the swollen ankles and the sudden fullness of her face that made her feel less than perfect.
When she was pregnant with Adeline, she bloomed in her pregnancy, loving the little changes showing that life was growing within her. Then, when Luke came, it seemed about the same, though her body had not bounced back as quickly as it did the first time.
Katniss didn't even want to think about how long it would take for her to look like herself this time around.
"You've got that look in your eyes." Peeta stared for a moment. "What's wrong?"
"I know that you think that this—" She waved her hand over her body. "—looks like perfection, but I don't feel like that. The stretchmarks…the swollen breasts…the puffy face."
"I don't know what you think you see, but that's the furthest from the truth." He reached, cupping her face and kissing each cheekbone gently. "I see those smoky eyes…that lovely skin…and those sweet lips." His mouth went to hers, caressing her lips with his and tasting till her body begged for breath. Peeta continued down till he was at her breasts, and he sucked one nipple—
"Uhhh…fuck!"
Her hands reached for Peeta's hair as he licked, his teeth grazing against her sensitive peak. His other hand grasped at her other breast, pinching and teasing till she was arching into him. Continuing down, Peeta reached between her legs, teasing against her wet slit and pressing his thumb to her clit.
Bringing his thumb to his lips, he brought it to his mouth and sucked, savoring her nectar.
"Like I said, perfect."
Then, it was like someone else took her over and Katniss suddenly shoved Peeta down onto the mattress. She clambered atop him, panting and drenched as she reached to the waist of his pajama bottoms. Peeta fumbled hurriedly, helping till the pants were pushed to the end of the bed.
Katniss reached for his cock, pumping once before lining him against her entrance and sinking down.
They let out a collective moan, feeling her fully seated.
She leaned down, kissing him and caressing his tongue with her.
"Oh God…" she panted. Her insides gripped his cock, and the delicious slide made her eager for more. Katniss wanted to destroy him, bring him to his knees and turned him into some babbling creature just from her cunt. She wanted to feel everywhere with every rough thrust of his cock inside her. "I want you to let go. Give it to me."
"You sure?" She rode him, his heated stare on her. His hands palmed her tits as she soaked his lap. "I don't want to hurt you."
"You would never," she assured him. "Don't hold back—" Her hands planted themselves on his chest as she rose, leaving his head inside her. "I—thrust!…need…thrust!...you—AHH!"
They drove into one another, his hips arching to meet her cunt and Katniss grounded her pussy against the coarse hair surrounding his cock. It gave her just enough friction and she suddenly found herself spinning towards her climax.
Katniss cried out, her jaw tightening as her body tensed and then spasmed, the muscles encircling him pulsating. It was too much for Peeta to take and let himself go, filling her to the brim.
After, they laid together, Peeta's hand smoothing down her hair tenderly.
"Just as you are, you're perfect," he told her. "Even when we were apart, I believed that, and I'm sorry if I ever made you feel like you were any less than that."
Katniss met his gaze. "Oh, Peeta. You know I've always felt the same. Why do you think Gale never worked out? Because all I could see was his imperfections. I could see the imperfections in us as a couple. But you and me? We always seemed to fit—perfectly imperfect. That was enough for me."
Peeta pulled her against him and Katniss settled, her belly tucked to his side. He caressed the swell lovingly and pressed a kiss to the top of her head.
"This is what Aaron wants," he said. "Perfectly imperfect…and I guess if it's with Madge then weird as it is then I'll have to deal with it."
"You think it's weird for you?" Katniss snorted. "Madge and I have both seen your dick."
"To be fair, it was pretty dark—"
"Okay, stop." She gazed up at him. "If Madge ends up with your brother, do you think she'll let me see Aaron's? I mean, fair is fair."
His jealousy flared at the thought but the laughter in Katniss' eyes quickly doused the thought.
"Hell, even if they don't end up together, I'm pretty sure Aaron would whip it out and let you see."
They both fell into laughter, spending the rest of the night talking until there was nothing else to do but sleep.
As weird as it felt to be invited to Katniss' baby shower, there was no way that Madge could refuse. So, she resolved to be the perfect guest and set out to find both the perfect present as well as the perfect outfit.
Though it wouldn't hurt that Aaron would be there.
After her resignation, Madge returned to her hotel room to drink the wine that Katniss suggested as well as the ten glasses in honor of the mother-to-be. She set herself up in a steaming soak surrounded by bubbles.
Then, Madge cried.
It had been a long time since she cried. The last time had been during her mother's funeral. She had been sick for a long time, and after seeing Madge graduate from college, had finally succumbed.
Madge remembered begging her father to come to the funeral. Her mother, despite being hurt by him, still thought of him as the one man she loved. He, of course, hadn't shown and it cut seeing the empty seat next to her during the funeral.
That day she cried for her mother, knowing that she would never see Madge get married or have a child. She cried for her father, who she hated beyond reason but at the same time, longed for him to be in her life—the man was the only parent she had left.
And she cried for herself—because she was utterly alone.
Until Aaron.
For once, Madge had felt that sliver of hope that maybe there would be someone to fill the many bare spaces in her life. Aaron made her laugh and feel like she was the only person in the room. She liked his humor and joie de vivre. It also didn't hurt that he was so ruggedly handsome which she didn't realize she liked until him.
And the way he looked at her—it made her whole body shiver.
No one had ever made her shiver.
"Madge?"
She turned from her to find Finch smiling shyly at her. During their time at the Mellark Bakery HQ, the two had struck up a camaraderie along with Thresh. While they all enjoyed the competition, they agreed that they weren't going to be cutthroat about it.
"Hey Finch," she greeted. "I guess you had about the same idea as me."
Finch nodded, a blush on her cheek. "Why not just buy from the store of the mother-to-be?"
"Plus, it has the best clothes," Madge added.
"Katniss does have impeccable taste."
"Thanks, ladies."
Katniss approached dressed in a rose maxi dress and looking every bit the pregnant goddess. Madge understood why Peeta always looked at her like he couldn't quite believe that she was real. It made her wonder what had caused the divorce between the obviously enamored couple.
"We're shopping for your baby shower," she informed Katniss. "Any suggestions on what to wear?"
"My mom planned it…I think it's flower-themed?" Katniss sighed, her hand on her belly. "I just let her do what she wanted."
"You don't seem particularly excited," Finch said.
"My first shower—no one showed up," she explained. "I mean, I was a pregnant teenager and parents weren't keen on having their kids celebrate a teenage pregnancy, but nonetheless it hurt. I was soured by the time Luke came and had leftover stuff from Adeline, so we decided to not have one. So, this is the last hurrah for the grandmothers."
"Bummer," Madge replied. "But I get your less-than-enthusiastic feel about it."
Katniss smiled. "Thanks. Is there anything, in particular, you two were looking for?"
Madge went to the round rack next to her and flipped through a few pieces before pulling out a pale blue dress with a boatneck collar.
"This one."
"Good choice," Katniss remarked, her grey eyes twinkling. "The exact shade of Aaron's eyes."
Madge felt the heat engulf her cheeks. "That is not why I picked it out!"
Finch giggled. "Sure, it isn't."
Katniss smiled in amusement before taking the dress from her hands.
"I'll bring this to the register, and we can go on to find something for this pretty, little ginger."
"I really adore her," Finch said as the woman walked off. She turned back to Madge; her eyes suddenly uncertain. "So, is he the reason that you withdrew your application?"
"Part of it." Madge sighed, distracting herself by searching the round rack. "Also, getting this job just didn't seem important to me. I know Mellark Bakery is the kind of place where you can balance work and your personal life but somehow, I know I'd be making it my whole life. It's just the way I'm programmed so I had to break from the chain."
"Well, I admire you for going for what you want." Finch gave her a small smile. "I know you'll find your way."
"I'm a survivor and I've got other skills beyond a boardroom. Speaking of skills—" Madge presented the woman with a short-sleeved empire waist dress with a sweetheart neckline; it was light green with pink roses sewn along the hemline of its skirt. "This would look gorgeous on you."
"You think?" Finch looked unsure. "I don't think I'm girly enough for it."
"That is a great dress!" Katniss returned. "A pair of espadrilles and your hair down. I can see it already—" She stopped, grimacing suddenly before letting out a breath and smiling. "Just a little cramp."
"You should sit down." Madge joined her side and Finch followed on the other. They went behind the register and helped her onto the stool. "Take a break and I'll ring us up."
"Have you used a POS system before?" Katniss asked, watching Madge scan the tag of her dress.
"I was an assistant manager at an Express in college," she explained. "We were using the old version of this system back then."
Taking her credit card out of her purse, Madge ran it through the swiper before signing her merchant receipt and putting the other one in the basket beside the register where the others were kept. Then she rang up Finch, folding her dress neatly and placing it in a shopping bag as the woman signed the receipt.
"Oh, you really do know your stuff." Katniss took another breath, this time it seemed a little bit longer. She looked at the two. "I think we better call Peeta."
"Where's your phone?" Finch asked.
"In the back, my purse is on the desk."
The woman rushed to the back of the store, leaving Madge and Katniss at the register.
For a moment, Madge panicked but seeing the worried expression on Katniss' face quickly steeled her nerves.
"I'm going to shut the front door and put up a sign saying that you're closed for the rest of the day."
"Good idea." Katniss hissed, her hand going to her stomach. "This one was a bit sharper. I think we should go to the hospital."
"Don't worry, I'll get you there," Madge assured her.
"Promise you'll stay, okay? You and Finch…just don't leave until the others come."
She nodded.
"I promise."
"Are you insane?" Katniss looked at Effie. "I can't be on bed rest. We have so much to do!"
"Katniss, you have to understand that this is necessary," her doctor replied. "Placenta previa is something we take seriously. It's marginal right now but I won't take any risk especially when we're getting to the finish line."
Sitting back in the hospital bed, Katniss contemplated how this would all play out. They had not figured out who would be taking over Mellark Bakery. Not to mention, she had not even figured out the schedule for the store once she was on maternity leave.
There was a knock on the door and Peeta rushed into the room.
He kissed the top of her head. "I headed over as soon as Finch called. How did you get here?"
The door opened and Madge along with Finch entered the room.
"Madge drove me here after Finch called you," she explained. "I was lucky they happened to be in the store when I started having these pains—"
"It was no problem," Madge assured them. "Finch was the calm one. I just tried to make sure we didn't crash while I sped over."
"I appreciate you both," Peeta told them. "Why don't you head out? There's a great Italian place near Katniss' store and we have an account there. Dinner is on me. Go ahead and tell them to charge it to Mellark Bakery. If there are any issues, just have them call my cellphone."
"Thanks, Peeta," Finch said with a smile. She walked over to Katniss' bed. "I hope you get better. I'll see you at the baby shower."
"Thanks." Katniss squeezed her hand. "Good luck with this week. Text me if you have any questions—" She winked at her husband. "I think I have a little more intel."
Finch nodded. "Of course."
"I'll check on you tomorrow, Katniss," Madge added. "Get some rest."
The two stepped out of the room leaving them with Effie.
"What's going on, Eff?" Peeta asked anxiously. "Is the baby okay?"
"She's fine," Effie told him. "However, I explained to Katniss that she has placenta previa which basically means that part of the placenta is covering her cervix. It's marginal right now but as she gets closer to the end of her pregnancy, the placenta could possibly detach from the uterine wall. In order to keep that from happening, I am putting her on bed rest."
"Of course." Peeta turned to her. "I know this isn't ideal, but we have our family here and we'll figure things out. For now, I just want you to relax."
Katniss scowled. "Who do you think you're talking to?"
"I know who I'm talking to. Katniss Mellark does not lie down," Peeta replied. "But she will for the sake of our baby—"
"But what about the store? Or choosing the new head of Mellark Bakery? Or the baby shower!" Her eyes widen in panic. "My mom will think that I did this to get out of it. She'll never forgive me."
"Your mom is a lot more logical than that," he replied. "She and my mom will figure something out."
"Peeta is right," Effie added. "With all the technological advances in at-home entertainment, bedrest won't be as bad as you think. I'll get you checked out after the nurse goes over the rules of bed rest and all the things you need to look out for." The doctor placed her hand over Katniss'. "This is for the best. I don't think it will be long before you're holding her in your arms, but I do want to keep her inside as long we can."
"I understand," she said with a sigh. "Thanks, Effie."
The woman gave her a smile before stepping out of the room.
Katniss turned to Peeta and took his hand, giving it a squeeze. She could see the stress on his face, and it broke her heart thinking that she caused it.
"Getting that phone call from Finch—I swear my heart stopped." He grasped her hand tightly, as if he was afraid that something else might befall her. "I'm glad you're alright…as alright as you can be, anyway."
"I'm so sorry, Peeta. I know that you're making so many sacrifices with leaving the company and just turning your life all around—"
"Hey," he called gently. Peeta brought the bed railing down before carefully sitting next to her. "Being with you and bringing our family back together is not a sacrifice. It's a gift." His hand went to her stomach. "She's a gift."
Placing a hand over his, Katniss leaned up and kissed him. "I love you."
"I love you back." He ran through his tousled locks. "When we get home, I suppose we should call the family together and discuss how this will all go."
"I have a suggestion for the whole situation for the store," she told him, biting her lower lip. "It's a little controversial but I feel very confident about this."
Peeta gave her a smile. "Well, go on."
"You see, today when Madge and Finch were in the store. Madge was telling me how she used to work in retail…"
"You're making Madge your temporary store manager!"
"Aaron, please don't yell at my pregnant wi—Katniss," Peeta scolded, stopping short of the faux pas. He sat next to Katniss on their bed as their family surrounded them, all sitting in various seats taken from around the house. "Katniss is confident because of Madge's prior experience. She will be available for Madge via Zoom as needed and when Madge isn't in the store, Katniss will train her here."
Aaron sat back down in his seat, one of the dining chairs. "I guess there's really nothing I can do."
"You can grow up," Otis told his brother. "None of us were expecting for Katniss to go on bedrest."
"Plus, Madge will be coming to the baby shower and will be running the store until we can find someone else," Katniss informed him. "So, you'll have to get used to her being in the picture."
She didn't miss the passing looks between Peeta's mother and her own.
"Madge is a lovely girl," her mother added. "I don't know what happened between you two, but maybe if you have a chance to talk, you can call a truce."
"This isn't a truce kind of issue," Aaron replied sullenly.
"Will anyone explain what is going on?" her father asked from his space at the foot of their bed. Prim sat opposite him and met her eyes. "Why did she decide to leave?"
"I'd like to know myself," Grant said, his stare serious.
Prim picked at the comforter. "You might as well tell them." She looked at the couple. "Most of us already know, minus the kids."
Jo whipped over to Aaron, eyes blazing.
"Did you hit-it-and-quit-it? Madge is a very nice girl and we taught you better than that!"
Aaron scowled, crossing his arms.
"First, I would never like to hear those words come from your mouth ever again. Two, I did not sleep with Madge and just abandon her."
"I did."
The words escaped Peeta's mouth before he even realized it.
His parents and in-laws let out a collective gasp.
However, his eyes remained on Katniss.
Peeta mouthed his apology, and she shook her head, letting him know she was okay. She knew her place in his life, his heart, and though there was only the slightest of stings, it was in the past. It was in their past and it was time to move on.
"Oh, Peeta," Jo said. "How could you?"
"It was almost a year and a half ago. I was drunk and so was she. It was the biggest mistake that I've ever made," he explained.
Her mother shook her head in shock. "Katniss, did you know about this?"
"I knew before we got back together that there was a woman," she replied. "And when Madge came in for her interview, Peeta told me immediately after that it was her." Her hand went to her stomach, and Katniss let out a sigh. "I don't feel like Madge is a threat, and we've cleared the air. Plus, Madge was very qualified for the position, and it was only right that she was put through the interview process. To turn her down would have opened all kinds of issues."
"We didn't raise you this way," Grant told his son.
Peeta hung his head. "I know. There's nothing I could say to change what happened. I'm sorry if I've disappointed you." He looked at her parents. "All of you."
Finally, Peeta looked to Aaron.
"I know I said it before, but I am sorry."
Aaron nodded, his hands clasped tightly and his eyes blank.
Slowly, his brother stood up. "I can't do this right now."
Aaron stepped out of the room and after a moment, they heard the front door open then shut.
Grant looked around in confusion. "What was that all about?"
"Honey," his wife called. "That is a man who lost love before he even had it."
"Rise and shine!"
Slowly, Katniss opened her eyes revealing…Adeline.
Shooting up in bed, she threw her arms around her daughter. "I can't believe it!"
"Mom, it's your baby shower!" Adeline replied. "Why wouldn't I be here? Dad sent over the ticket last week."
"I'm so glad you're here…" Katniss reached to cup her daughter's cheek and the tears began to rise. "I've missed you."
"Oh Mom…" Adeline's own eyes went glassy. "I missed you, too."
The two embraced, and she took in the scent of her daughter's hair. Katniss still remembered sitting in the hospital bed, just hours after Adeline was born and smelling her hair. At the time, she couldn't believe that she had grown this little being inside her for nine months.
Even now, sometimes Katniss couldn't grasp that the woman before her was her daughter.
"Didn't your dad tell you that we had to postpone the baby shower?"
They had all agreed that same night that she was put on bedrest that she would have to wait until after the baby was born to have some sort of celebration.
Adeline grinned. "Yeah, he did. However, I had a better solution."
"What?"
"You're just going to have to trust me."
There was a knock on her doorway, and they looked to find Peeta entering with a tray holding a cloche. Luke followed with his own tray holding a kettle and mugs.
Adeline took the tray from her father's hands before Peeta leaned down to greet Katniss with a kiss.
She grinned as they pulled apart. "What is going on?"
"Just thought you'd like to eat breakfast before your hair and makeup team arrived," he informed her.
"My what?"
Katniss stared at the mirror in shock. The glam team headed by a man named Cinna had done wonders despite having to accommodate her being in bed. Her dark hair was now in an elaborate half-updo, baby roses and ranunculus interwoven into her locks while her makeup was kept minimal but pretty.
After the team was complete, Adeline and Prim helped her into a sage maxi dress with off-the shoulder sleeves.
"You look like Mother Nature," Prim remarked, her eyes bright. "It's not really fair that you look this amazing while a baby is practically hanging from your uterus." She looked at Adeline at her other side. "She looked amazing when she was pregnant with you, too. I thought it was because she still was all youthful and shit."
Katniss snorted. "Can we refrain from the cursing in front of my children?"
"Please, I've seen you curse out a supplier over the wrong color blouse," her sister retorted. "If AJ learned how to swear like a sailor, it's because of you."
Adeline giggled. "It's true, Mom."
Peeta stepped into the room, slowing as he took her in.
"My God…" His gaze bright at the sight of her, and Katniss felt her cheeks warm. "You are so beautiful. Not that you're not always beautiful! It's just that you're…ethereal." Peeta sat gently taking her hand. "I'm sorry if I'm staring like an idiot."
She let out a laugh. "Stare all you want, but can you tell me what's going on?"
There was a knock and her brothers-in-law stepped inside.
"We're here to assist the mommy," Otis called out. "Everything is ready."
Aaron went to her and kissed her cheek. "You look beautiful."
"Thanks—will you tell me what's going on?"
"I'm only here to lend you a shoulder," he explained. "How do we do this?"
"Effie said that she needs to be off her feet as much as possible," Peeta informed them. "You'll take one shoulder; Otis takes the other and I will get her lower half."
"What?"
"Don't worry, Sissy," Otis said. "We're big, strong men!"
"Who each accidentally dropped one of my kids!" Katniss pointed out.
Aaron nodded at Adeline. "It turned out alright. She was valedictorian and is a top-notch college student. She's more than alright, actually."
Adeline grinned. "Thanks, Uncle Aaron."
Together, the three men assisted Katniss out of bed. Aaron and Otis held her up by her shoulders as Peeta's arms slid underneath her waist and upper thighs. They walked slowly and towards the stairs in the hallway.
"What is this?" she asked, staring at the seat connected to her wall.
"It will help you get down the stairs," Peeta told her. "I'll help you to it and you just strap yourself in. Then we press this button—" He pointed to the red button by the wall track. "—and it will slowly bring you down."
Katniss stared at the contraption uncertainly. "Was this necessary?"
"For now, and I will have it removed as soon as the little one is out of you."
"Come on, little mama," Otis urged. "Let's get you into that chair."
Once she got into the chair and was strapped in, Katniss could see the benefit in oppose to the brothers hauling her down the stairs. She was surprised to find Thresh waiting at the bottom of the stairs, dressed casually in a printed short-sleeve button-down and khakis.
"You look beautiful, Katniss," he told her with a wide smile. "Thanks for having me at your home."
"You're welcome," she replied. "However, no one told me what's going on."
Thresh raised a brow. "Really? Then they probably didn't tell you about this."
He stepped aside, revealing a wicker palanquin decorated with the same flowers she wore in her hair.
Peeta joined her at the bottom and smiled.
"Well, we had to find a way to get you to the backyard."
Her family went all out.
Her mothers had gone with a royal garden look inspired by the Bridgerton series which they had binged together. Roses, ranunculus, and peonies decorated their entire backyard starting from the arch that she entered via the palanquin to the gold-rod canopy bed that she currently resided in. Her spot was made to look like the bed was floating in a sea of flowers as she oversaw the party as Mother Nature.
The beautifully crafted chiffon gown and the flowers interwoven in her hair; it all made sense with the concept of the baby shower.
Katniss sat comfortably as she watched the crowd of people enjoy the shower. There was a onesie station on one end where Katniss could see Finch drawing on a onesie as other guests watched. A large plexiglass was set at one side where guests wrote out name suggestions for the baby. She could see Effie, who approved her flower bed, writing a suggestion as she chatted with Haymitch Abernathy, who Adeline invited after running into that very morning.
Luke and Adeline oversaw the gift station and greeted anyone who came in. Johanna, Madge, Delly, and Prim sat at one of the round tables talking; the four had gotten on while setting up. They were already planning the drunken spree they'd be taking Katniss on after she gave birth.
On the opposite end of the party were Otis, Aaron, and Thresh by the bar. As promised, Aaron was trying to keep peace and so was Madge—that didn't stop the two from surreptitiously looking at one another when they felt the coast was clear.
Her parents and in-laws were talking to the Odairs and some of the other guests, mostly employees of Mellark Bakery HQ.
A gorgeous buffet was set out on one side with different arrays of meats, cheeses, pastas, and of course—bread. A dessert table was next to the food where a three-tier cake that was trademark Peeta stood proudly surrounded by cupcakes and cookies.
Peeta sat down, handing her a cup of lemonade. "Having fun?"
"This is amazing," she replied. "How did you even pull this off?"
"You deserve this shower, Katniss," he told her. "I mean, we haven't had much luck with them. Then we were apart…I thought we'd never have this chance again. So, when Adeline suggested the whole bed concept, I decided we were going to give you the baby shower that you always wanted."
Her mouth trembled at his words and from the full look in his eyes. The look that made her fall madly in love with him as a girl and made her heart pound as the woman she was now.
Inside, the baby kicked wildly at the swirl of her emotions and Katniss brought Peeta's hand to her stomach.
Peeta gasped, his eyes filling. "That never gets old, you know."
Katniss nodded. "It doesn't." She took a slow breath, breathing out evenly. "Are you ready?"
Their gazes met and Peeta reached, cupping her cheek gently.
"With you, I'm ready for anything."
There's a lot to take in this chapter. I appreciate your patience while I rolled out my second book for the Again series. Now, I'm hoping to move on and continue updating this story!
We don't have a lot of chapters left as Katniss gets closer to giving birth, but we have a lot to unpack so get ready.
I love the thought of Katniss being in bed surrounded by a sea of flowers. If you didn't know, this was inspired by a baby shower on the Gilmore Girls which Hubbs and I are huge fans of. I'm pretty sure a few of you recognized it.
Also, coming in on a palanquin is pretty boss.
I feel that I might need to address Katniss' behavior towards Madge. Some might find it too forgiving in a way but here's the thing—Katniss doesn't feel like Madge is a threat to her relationship. It speaks more to how she's becoming much more secure with her and Peeta's relationship. Also, she can see the obvious chemistry between Madge and Aaron.
We're also really tapping into Katniss' maternal side and she's very mothering towards Madge as well as with Finch and Thresh.
So TL;DR? Madge is not a threat to what Katniss and Peeta have.
I appreciate you staying loyal and continuing to read my writing. I'd love to hear your feedback!
Next: The Mellark Bakery chooses their CEO and Katniss deals with bed rest.
Until then, JLaLa