Storm- An original After-Mockingjay fanfic

Author: Liz McCallus

Date of Publication: 5/24/2011

CHAPTER 1

I pour apple juice into my kids' cups and wiped my hands on a napkin. They dig in eagerly, devouring their grilled cheese-and-tomato sandwiches.

"Tod, sweetie, you're getting juice all over your nice pants, you have to stop." I wipe the juice from my five-year-old son's khaki pants I'd bought the day before. "And Lizzy, do you really have to eat so much like a pig?" I scold my seven-year-old daughter, Elizabeth. She smiles and eats more slowly. I hear the front door opening and hear Peeta call, "I'm home!" I rush to the front room, where Peeta picks me up, spins me around, and kisses me lightly.

"Hello, sweetheart." he says lovingly. I can hear Tod and Lizzy groaning from the kitchen.

"Eeew! Mommy and Daddy kiiissseeeddd!" Lizzy squeals. I roll my eyes and put my forehead against Peeta's.

"Good day at the bakery?" I say, smiling.

"Yeah, it was okay. Haymitch came by earlier. Said something about a party. He was too drunk to say anything else." I laugh, and Peeta laughs, too.

"Party? What party?" I ask, confused, and Peeta seems to suddenly remember something, but I have no idea what.

"Heey, kids, Daddy's home with…" Peeta reached inside his bag and pulled out…

"Fresh baked cookies with jelly filling!" Peeta announced loudly. I groaned. The kids were going to be MAJOR high on sugar! I glared at Peeta as he gave the kids cookies. When they happily skipp into the playroom to eat their treats, I corner Peeta. I hate doing this.

"Why did you give them COOKIES?" I almost yell. Peeta turns from soft to serious-and freaking fast, man.

"Because they're my kids and I love them?" he snaps back, anger in his eyes.

"Well, do you love me? The one who has to CALM THEM DOWN!" I yell at him.

"I'm doubting it a little bit now!" Peeta yells back.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I retort.

"I'm sick and tired of you pushing all the fun away! Why can't the kids live a little?" he yells. And it's true.

"Because if they do, they get greedy and unappreciative and stupid!" I snap.

"Ohh, then they'll be following their mother right in her footsteps!" he yells angrily. Then I notice.

The kids are standing in the doorway, mouths wide open in shock.