Chapter 3: A Decade Later
Peeta kept his eyes peeled for the dirt road that would lead to his destination. Out here in true American country, the turn was easy enough to miss. He had overshot plenty of times before.
Whoa, there it was! He felt the strange tingly feeling as his metal prosthetic slammed on the brakes. It was a life-saver, that thing was - worth every penny it had cost.
Even if the funds had all come from the wretched settlement.
Paula Mellark's vendetta against the Everdeens had not come without its consequences. The decision had ruined his parent's marriage, as Steffan had sided with his wounded son to not overly press charges. This had led to accusations that Steffan was still in love with Katniss's mother, Lillian Everdeen. Peeta could hear the shouting matches downstairs every night he went to bed, even after the hearings were over. His mother and father had finally divorced bitterly six years ago.
Peeta parked his Chevy truck out front of the shack and retrieved his cane from the shotgun seat. Ordinarily, he would have taken his motorcycle, but his oldest brother, Taftan, always worried about him going too far on the thing. Never mind that Peeta had mastered it as well as any able-bodied man.
Prothesis and cane assisting, Peeta hobbled up the steps of the Everdeen home and knocked. Prim answered.
"Right on time! Come on in, Peeta!"
Peeta smiled. Coming to the Everdeens for the medicine he still needed was one way to let them know he meant them no ill will. A nurse in her last year of medical school, 27-year-old Prim understood this. She had blossomed from the trembling little girl into an attractive Southern Belle, the spitting image of her mother.
"Now, Ms. Primrose, when the hell you gonna settle down with a nice fella?" Peeta teased, like a brother would a sister, as she led him down the hall. Prim shook her head.
"Boy, if you the one offering, you'd better git down on one knee, and call a little louder than that! And sweeter! Ain't no man gonna marry me until after my residency is over!"
Peeta chuckled. This was old banter between them. And deep down, he knew Prim had her eye on Rory Hawthorne, the crack-a-jack handyman in this part of town. "You should try going down to Carolina for that residency of yours."
Prim raised an eyebrow, her eyes twinkling. "North or South?"
"Girl, you talking nonsense? North the only Carolina there is! Ain't nobody pay attention to that South imposter!" he laughed. "But really, I hear Chapel Hill's real nice for that kind of stuff."
"It's WVU's call where they put me, not mine," Prim bristled. "And anyway, I don't know if Rory would wanna come, wherever I'll end up going."
"Well, he damn sure won't if you don't push him against the wall and eat his -"
"Now that's enough out of you, Peeta Mellark!" Prim snapped. Though she could not hide the grin.
He pecked her on the lips. She swatted him, amused. "Ain't ya mama ever told you to ask a girl before kissing her?"
The two now entered the kitchen, where 11-year-old Ella Hawthorne, Katniss's middle daughter and Prim's niece, was just fixing up a package. She grinned. "And here…. is your latest batch, Peeta. Perfect timing, as usual!"
Peeta smiled. "Same for you! Your aunt hasn't missed a refill in ten years…."
"…..and she ain't about to start now!" Ella finished.
Prim beamed. "All thanks to my little successor here."
"Another aspiring nurse?" Peeta chuckled. "And how is your mother, Ella?"
"Why don't you ask her yourself?" The group turned to see Katniss standing in the doorway, her game bag over her shoulder.
Even at his same age, 31, and after marriage and bearing three children, Katniss Everdeen Hawthorne looked a vision. Peeta felt his pants tighten as he observed her flowing brown hair down to her shoulders, carved-by-angels face and full lips. She was quite the beauty.
In the last decade, Peeta and Katniss had resumed their friendship. Though it would never be what it had been before he was sent to Fort Bragg. There was a cordiality between them, and despite Peeta repeatedly denying it, he knew Katniss still suspected his involvement in the settlement.
He nodded to her. "Hey, Katniss."
"Hey, Peeta."
A brief silence. "The, uh….. other little ones doing well? Olivia and Tess, right?" 12-year-old Olivia was the oldest, and Tess had turned 10 a few months ago. Or was it the other way around? He couldn't remember.
Katniss nodded. "Yup."
"And your mom?"
Katniss averted her eyes just slightly. "Out to see a patient."
Peeta didn't say anything. The answer was predictable, yet unsettled him. The last time he had seen Lillian Everdeen was…. a few years ago. Three, maybe four.
The veteran kissed Prim on the cheek. "Thanks for this. Better get going." He limped past his friend. "See you, Katniss."