Madge arrives home earlier than usual. She'd rushed leaving work and the walk home in order to straighten up before Mrs. Everdeen arrived. As she swept, polished and scrubbed she couldn't help but wonder why her friends mother would be visiting. They'd visited her frequently over the last three years, hoping she could help them conceive after they'd had no luck themselves. They had been nonchalant at first, sure it would happen eventually. But gradually things had become desperate, and then they'd lost hope. Evelyn had done everything she could and even tried some old remedies that'd been passed down her family but nothing had helped. Now they were working towards accepting that they probably wouldn't ever have a family. A heartbreaking discovery for both who desperately wanted a number of children. They were trying to convince themselves with comments like 'perhaps it's a blessing in disguise', 'no doubt we'll have plenty of nieces and nephews'and 'we only need each other'. But Gale couldn't look at the Mellark's new baby and Madge had been crying herself to sleep in his arms.
Prim had come to the grocer's to see Madge in work and mentioned that her mother wanted to come by. It wasn't totally out of the ordinary but it was unexpected. So mush so, it made Madge nervous and now she very cleaning things that didn't need cleaning and straightening things that were already straight. The last of which was one of three picture frames they owned, more than the average street in the seam. The frame housed a glossy picture of she and Gale at their toasting. She wore her mother's wedding gown, a rare commodity in 12 but still simple and understated. Gale wore his reaping clothes and a dress jacket borrowed from her dad. He was the most incredible thing in the world to her and the picture captured that.
She put a kettle on the stove to boil so Gale would have hot water to wash with when he got home and laid a shirt out for him to change in to. She hadn't gotten used to the no food rule with guests. She'd been brought up to offer guests not only a beverage but snacks or dinner for planned guests. Things were a little different in the Seam. Few had enough to feed their families let alone visitors, so dinner would wait until Evelyn had been and gone.
She could hear Gale's boots on the front porch and she listened as he knocked them against the side of the house to remove the coal dust. A few seconds later the door swings open and her husband hobbles through the doorway, untying his boot laces as he walks.
"Hey" she smiles, going to him and reaching for his shirt buttons. From the very beginning this has been how she greets him. Ever since he kicked up a fuss about ruining her clothes this has been her answer. She prefers it, who wouldn't. He kisses her head as she pushes his shirt from his shoulders and hangs it over her arm "Evelyn is coming over"
"Evelyn? Why?" Gale's brow furrows, not displeased, just confused
"I don't know, Prim come by today to tell me"
"Oh" he shrugs "how was your day?" he asks, following her to the kitchen, hand on her lower back. She's always loved and appreciated how affectionate he is. She'd been unsure of his intentions in the beginning, wary of the fact she was falling for the Gale Hawthorne. After voicing this concern, there had been no doubt about anything. He assured her that now he had permission and the title boyfriend there'd never be any doubt in any one's mind
"Busy, everyone's buying up before the harvest festival"
"Oh yeah, I forgot that was coming up. Something to look forward to"
"Mmhm" Madge agrees, handing him the tiny sliver of soap they had left from their last luxury buy to wash with "I was going to take Posy to my Dad's tomorrow for a piano lesson, will we be okay to have her for dinner?"
"I didn't trade all my meat from last weeks hunt, we've got plenty to last until next week" he nods "I might go out for longer this week actually, if everyone's buying for the festival"
"Sure, that sounds good, we could put some money aside for that boning knife you had your eye on".
Gale is buttoning up his clean shirt when the door rattles with Evelyn's knocks
"Evelyn, hi, come in" Madge invites Evelyn in and takes her cardigan "would you like some tea?" tea they could manage
"No thank you, why don't you both take a seat. There's something I'd like to talk to you about" her tone makes Madge's gut twist painfully and Gale grasps her hand. Evelyn had been the bearer of bad news for them for the past three years, their reactions were instinctual "I have a patient. She's young and she's in trouble" Madge and Gale share a look of confusion before turning back to Evelyn and she sighs "Lorna Miller, she's Vick's age, reaping age. She's pregnant" Madge swallows dryly at the word, for a number of reasons
"They'll punish her" Gale tells us what we already know
"Is she- is she going to- to terminate?" Madge swallows, struggling with the words "is that what you're treating her for?"
"No" Evelyn shakes her head "she wants to continue with the pregnancy"
"What?!" the couple exclaim in unison "doesn't she know what'll happen to her?" Gale sounds distraught
"I'm going to help her hide it, I'll have delivered the baby long before the next reaping, long before there's any danger of anyone finding out" with a feeling she knows the answer, Madge leans forward
"So where do we come in to it?"
"Well Lorna doesn't have any intention of raising the baby, in fact she's quite adamant no one else is ever to know but she doesn't want it in the orphanage or the work house"
"So she'd give it to us?" Gale is leaning forward too now, his voice hopeful
"Yes" Evelyn gives one concise nod "if Madge were to start showing in a month or so, no one will question a thing"
"We'll do it" Gale agrees "right?" when he turns to Madge his face drops, she isn't smiling "right baby?" he asks her
"What if she changes her mind? What if someone finds out? I can't take losing the hope of a family again"
"No, Madge, Princess, don't talk like that. You heard Ev, she doesn't want it. This is perfect, it saves everyone involved"
"I don't know Gale" Madge can't take the disappointment in his eyes, she can see her own heartbreak reflected in them "could we meet her?"
"I'll ask" Evelyn nods, taking each of our hands "this is a big decision and it has it's risks but Gale's right" she gives us a tight lipped smile "I'll let you two talk and ask Lorna if she'll meet with you. I'm sorry but the decision needs to be made soon"
"I understand" Madge smiles "thank you Evelyn. This is ... this is huge".
They talk whilst preparing their evening meal together. Madge stands at the stove adding what little they have in the way of seasoning to their stew whilst Gale parcels meat to last them the rest of the week
"I don't want this if you're doing it for me" he says without looking away from his task "if it's important to you that any children we have are conceived by us we won't do this"
"We both know that isn't an option"
"Then we have each other and that will always be enough for me" Madge wraps her arms around Gale, buries her head in his back and inhales his scent through his shirt
"I want a baby Gale. I just took it for advantage, I never thought we'd have to try and I never dreamt we wouldn't be able to" her eyes are getting watery "I don't want to be told we can't have a family again Gale, I can't get my hopes up to be destroyed again" she's crying now and her tears are soaking through his shirt
"Hey, hey, look at me" Gale murmurs, turning and tipping her chin up to look at him "whatever we do, we do it together. I got you Princess" he grins, kissing her tear streaked smile
"So we'll meet her if she's willing and go from there?"
"I'll follow your lead okay?" he pecks the side of her mouth
"Well I'll be leading that fine ass to set the table".