Welcome to the third story of cedars and wheat, about a girl named Rye hemlock. If you don't know what I'm talking about then check out my story Cedars and wheat and then it's sequel fight for love. Enjoy!
"Wake up! Rye! Get up baby it's okay!" I scream shaking my wife to wake her up. He jolts up and flings right into my arms. "it's alright" I whisper trying to calm her. All of our screaming has woken the baby.
"Where is he" rye asks me. I help her out of bed and over to the crib that holds our one month old baby boy, Macaulay. "he's right here" I say and pick up my son carefully. I place him into her arms and she relaxes. He's still crying, but she's a pro at mothering, and quiets him in minutes. "I'm sorry I woke you Macaulay" she whispers and kisses his cheek.
I remember the first time I say her bump, or when I felt him kick, they were the happiest moments of my life. But they could never compare to the birth. Rye and I didn't think she'd be able to keep the baby, but once we made it to six weeks we began to have a little hope. Over the months we were more and more sure we'd be able to have this baby. When rye went into labor, she thought she was miscarrying again, but I told her it's too late to miscarry and all that was happening, was that she was about to give birth to our child.
Her labor lasted for two whole days and she spent that time screaming her head off. By the time she'd delivered her voice was gone and I got to pick the baby name. Macaulay. We'll call him Manny for short.
During her sixth month of pregnancy she was supposed to go on a victory tour around the country. She was scared and refused to go unless I came with her. At night I would rub her belly until she fell asleep and then do it again when she woke up from her daily nightmares. I would always remind her that if snow wanted her dead, she would already be dead, and she wouldn't have the baby bump that protruded from her stomach. When she was upset or afraid I would have her place her hand on her stomach and talk to the baby for her about things we'll do when he gets here. That would always lighten her mood to the point where she'd add to the list of possibilities we can have with our child.
I always said the baby was basil, just because it helped her out. I knew the baby would probably be a boy but at the same time I thought that it might be a girl. Nevertheless, she was just as happy to hold her new son in her arms. She would say to me, "I finally had the baby I wanted, by the man I wanted to have it with".
I wrap my arms gently around rye and she holds our baby in her arms. I lower my head and kiss her cheek. I still can't believe we're parents. I'm a father. That isn't even a title Holden possesses yet.
The two of us had a talk after Macaulay was born. We talked about dad, and I said that I was going to be the father he never was, and Holden agreed if he was ever to settle down with a wife.
"C'mon baby let's get back to sleep" I whisper in her ear. She nods and gently places the baby back in the crib. I take her hand and lead her to bed with me. I have her lie down and when my head touches the pillow she's wrapped around me. She hates sleeping alone now, and begs me every night that if I wake up, to wake her up as well. She isn't getting much sleep now with her nightmares and her fear of being alone. Not to mention we have a baby to take care of. So she only gets about ten hours of sleep a day.
The next morning Macaulay's crying is what wakes us up. Rye immediately begins to get up. I stop her and do it myself. "Get more rest" I tell her, but she doesn't. She wraps herself in the blanket and holds one of the pillows tightly. "I can't" is all she says. I pick up my son and kiss his cheek. "it's alright baby, let's go to mommy" I say and climb onto the bed. Rye drops the pillow and removes the blanket. She takes the baby and smiles at him. "He's hungry" she says and pulls up her shirt to breast feed.
"Are you hungry babe" I ask her. She looks up at me and nods. "Leftovers" she pleads. "No bacon!" I joke and she smiles. I lean in and kiss her, "alright I'll bring your plate up." "But what if..." I cut her off, "it's alright baby, nothing is going to happen. You have Macaulay now. Remember how you wanted a baby but could never have one" I ask her and she nods. "Well now you do, make sure he gets fed okay. I'll be right downstairs if you need me" I say. She nods again then goes back to looking at our baby.
I head out of the room and downstairs. Rye believes that without me next to her, she's in danger. She doesn't know what it is she thinks will come for her, maybe snow, but she doesn't care. The games changed her greatly. We're back to faze one of her cautious stage, just worse than last time.
I open the refrigerator and get last night's dinner. Meatloaf with a side of peas. I cut her a piece and a few spoonful's of peas and put the plate into the microwave. As always, I fry myself bacon. Jett finds it funny how I eat it so much, but never gain weight.
When the microwave beeps I take the plate, a napkin and a fork, and then head upstairs. Rye has the baby lying on her raised legs. She leans in and kisses his forehead. She's whispering something but I can't hear her.
I close the door and she says, "Here he comes now" I walk over to her and smile. I set the plate on the dresser next to her and take the baby. I say, "I'll be right back". She stops me, "where are you going" she asks desperately. "Downstairs, my food will burn." I say, "But why are you taking Macaulay", I shrug. She is about to object, "Baby, no one is going to hurt him…or you. Okay I promise" "but..." "Let's just see what happens okay. I want you to be able to know that we're safe now. You won the games, there is nothing snow can do anymore. You and I are safe, and so is Macaulay. Alright" I say softly. She looks down and nods. I walk back over to her and kiss her cheek. "Here kiss him" I say holding the baby out to her. She gently kisses his head and rubs his soft brown hair.
His eyes are very large, so large you couldn't see the white in his eyes unless you got close to him, which makes him cry unless it's me or rye and Holden. His eyes are dark brown, my eye color. Rye's have always been lighter.
The district citizens were literally lined up at the hospital to see our baby. Victor, rye hemlock, of the 58th games has a baby. It's all anyone can talk about in the capitol. I hold my child in my left arm and let him lean on my shoulder. I tend to the bacon and flip it. When it's done I turn off the oven and pile my plate up. I take the plate with me upstairs and when I open the door rye jumps up, "is he okay" she asks desperately. I nod and give her the baby; "he's fine" I say and kiss her head, "I told you" I say and climb back into bed. Rye lays the baby in her legs again and continues eating.
Afterwards I suggest we take a walk. It's the middle of march and it's cold out, but it almost never snows in this district. I have to convince rye that it's okay. The only thing that'll happen is a camera crew will take pictures of us with our baby, and follow us around all day. If we ignore them, they'll leave us alone.
In the end I get rye to get dressed in warm clothes. I dress myself, then Macaulay. I put a coat on him and wrap a baby blanket around him. When he's cold his nose and cheeks turn bright pink, just like his mother. She insists on letting me hold him during the walk because she's afraid she might drop him. She refuses to hold him anywhere but the house.
We stroll around the district, stopping at almost every corner because someone wants to get a look at the baby. There are camera crews but we pay them no mind. Rye stays attached to my hand and her eyes dart around to make sure there's no danger to harm her or our baby. Every time a person stops us she stares at them while they get a good look at our child, to make sure they don't try anything. She tells me sometimes that she will kill anyone who tries to harm our baby, or me, or Holden. There is a perfectly sharpened axe in our closet; just in case.
We stop in a cafe and I have her sit and hold the baby while I order us hot chocolate. "I might drop him" she says afraid. "No you're not baby. You're a great mother you hear me" I say to her kneeling next to her chair. She nods. I stand and kiss her head. "Stay right here" I say and turn to go order.
When I come back she is kissing the babies cheeks. "Mommy loves you so much" she says to the baby. He's awake, and not crying! "Whoa, would you look at that" I say leaning on her chair and looking at my baby. He looks up at me, then at rye. "Hey there Manny. Hey!" I whisper happily and put my finger in his hand. He holds on tight. Rye smiles at this.
"He looks just like you Mr. Rendom" a voice says and I grab the baby before rye even has time to react. I hold my son to my chest and my wife gets out of her chair and whips around facing President Snow!
"what are you doing here!?" rye asks. "it's my country little lady, now, why don't we have this conversation at your place" he says signaling us out the door.
I take rye's hand and give it a reassuring squeeze. She looks pale, and she's shaking. No doubt she's afraid right now.
Peacekeepers lead and follow us back to the victors village; president snow is right next to me, looking at my baby.
When we get home rye and I head inside with snow behind us. A peacekeeper comes in right after. "I'm sure you remember head peacekeeper, Launder" he says. Launder removes his helmet and doesn't dare look at me; he looks at rye. "yeah, how could I forget the man who tried to buy my girl" I say removing Macaulay's layers so he doesn't get hot. I take rye's coat from her then remove my own. Snow waits patiently for us to get settled. We sit on the couch and rye says, "What do you want". "I just came to see the child" snow says. He comes over to me, "may I" he asks. I can't refuse. I gently put my baby into his arms and snow gets a good look at him. He's too close, and Macaulay starts to cry. "Here let me have him" rye says standing up. "That won't be necessary Ms. Hemlock" he says. "It's Mrs. Rendom" she corrects. Snow looks at her, then back at the baby.
Macaulay is crying and crying. I can't take it, "president snow please, let us calm him" I beg. "Children cry all the time, this won't make a difference" he says. "But it's my child!" I say stepping forward. I can't help it. That just pissed me off. I take the baby from him and calm him. "it's okay. Daddy's here" I say gently rocking him.
"What's his name" snow asks. "Macaulay" I say. "Macaulay Rendom. Hmm" he says. "Why" rye dares to ask. "The capitol citizens wish to know more about your baby." He says. "Well the camera crews have been following us for a month now I'm surprised they don't know every single thing about him". "Mr. Rendom please calm down." Snow says. I look away.
"Anyway, let's stop stalling so I may tell you why I'm really here" he says. This gets our attention. He doesn't want to know about the baby!?
"thanks to Launder and I, you have this baby. As easily as we gave you the ability we can take it away just remember that" he says looking from me to rye. "anything rebellious and you will regret it" he says. "it's been a year, we haven't don't anything yet" rye cuts in. "I understand that, I'm talking about the future. Now I said I would leave you two alone, and I will, along with all of the children you decide to have. Just know that me saying this doesn't mean that they're excluded from the reaping because they're not." Our kids will have to participate in the Reapings when they're older. Twelve years from now that's a long time.
"Okay, but…you can't rig the bowls. Their names are to be entered once a year" rye says. "Fair enough" snow says. "Any other requests before we leave" he says. Rye and I think, "Haul and Macaulay get to come with me whenever I need to mentor." I say. Snow accepts. "Alright, if that's it, we'll be on our way" snow says and heads towards the door. "You'll be mentoring this year Mrs. Rendom" snow calls on his way out and starts to laugh, "Happy Hunger Games!"
Review! Aww she had a baby! Boo she's mentally unstable. More chapters to come….next weekend or maybe the one after that I don't know, but just follow, favorite and review. Thanks!