It is around 3:00 when they arrive home. Jack is so tired that he goes straight up to his room. After about 10 minutes of waiting for him to come back down stairs, Katniss goes upstairs to check on him and there she finds him sound asleep in his reading corner surrounded by all of his stuffed animals and pillows. She walks over to pull his blanket from the bed and covers him up with it.
Jack's reading area is inside of a canopy they made last year. The fabric covering it is a rich maroon that she had gotten from one of her suppliers at her store. Then she had gotten PVC pipe and fit them together in a square tent like shape. This is his favorite part of the room. Its here he keeps his pictures that he draws. He has taped some of them to the wall, others he has put into his desk. There is a secret place in the desk that her father had showed her when she was little. In it she had put her secret things that she had when she was little, now it was Jack's turn. She watches him while he sleeps. She remembers bringing him home from the hospital. He was so tiny, but not really for he was 9 lbs. when he was born. But he was tiny to her, and she had been afraid to put him down. It was only until recently that Jack started sleeping in his bed and not in hers. He still looks like the baby she had brought home and it's amazing her how much he has grown up too.
Sitting beside him on one of his pillows, she runs her fingers through his curls, the ones that she loves to play with and thanks God for giving him to her. This little boy is her heart. Seeing Peeta today at Gale's upset her because he was unexpected. But it is good to see him; she just doesn't want to admit it. Katniss is also shocked at how burned out he looks. The last time she saw Graham he didn't say anything about Peeta but then again, he hasn't seen him since almost a year ago. If she knows Peeta at all, he isn't going to come out and say anything like that either. Once upon a time he would have told her something like that, but not now. And now he is coming over this evening to meet Jack. Not wanting to think about what might happen after a while; she scoots down beside Jack and closes her eyes for just a minute too.
Graham Mellark is working the counter at the bakery when he sees Bram's truck pull around to the back parking lot. He remembers that Bram had said that they couldn't stay long at the party because Tyler has swimming practice after while. Just when he is starting to wonder where Peeta is, he hears the bell chime for the back door. A small smile comes to his lips as he continues bagging Mrs. Norton and Mrs. Banks orders of bread for their family dinner that happens after church. Bidding the ladies goodbye and that he will see them on Tuesday; he turns to walk into the kitchen.
Graham stands in the doorway watching Peeta pace around the ovens like he did when he was little and something was bothering him. His hair is even standing up from where he is running his fingers through it and pulling on it. By looking at him, he can guess what happened. "How was the party?"
"Dad, when was the last time you saw Katniss Everdeen?" even though Peeta is a man now, he can hear the scared little boy who would come to him for comfort when there was a storm.
"I see her every once in a while at the grocer, and here and there. But that's about it. She opened up a new outfitter store for the tourist. Why are you asking?" he says carefully.
"Dad do you ever see her with a little boy?" Graham can see the disappointment on Peeta's face when he asks that question instead of the question he really wants to ask.
How he has prayed for this day to come. He also knows that he has to choose his words carefully. "Yes in fact I have. You know how people gossip in this town. I never paid it any attention. Now your mother on the other hand…"
Peeta interrupts, "What does mother have to do with this?"
"Son it was a long time ago…."
"Just tell me what happened. And why in the hell am I just now hearing about any of this?"
"After you graduated from District, after you had already left for Atlanta. Your mother said she came to us wanting to get in touch with you because she needed to talk to you. That was after you had broken up; remember you had changed your phone and email? Well your mother took that as a sign that you didn't want to see Katniss again. So she told Katniss that you didn't want to see her and to not ever come back. And she didn't. But I've seen her in town and out and about. That's her son."
"Why has no one ever told me any of this?" Peeta shouts almost in tears. "Dad have you not seen the boy?"
Reaching out to grab Peeta, he holds his arms and looks into his eyes, takes a deep breath and says, "I have. I know how you feel about Katniss. And yes I have seen the boy. He looks like you did when you were 4."
Letting his dad pull him into a hug and letting him comfort him, Peeta whispers to him, "Well I'm going over there tonight to talk to them hopefully I can get some of this figured out."
7:00 pm
Katniss stands at the sink washing the supper dishes. Her Superman comes zooming through the kitchen making the loop as she called it. If you walk, or run as Jack does, through the kitchen, into the living room and then into the dining room it leads into the kitchen again. This is what Jack does when he is fighting sleep. As Katniss put the last dish into the dish washer, she turns and catches her Superman. Jack gives her a halfhearted protest and a giggle. She kisses his forehead, "It's time for Superman's bath."
"But mommy, I'm not tired," he said as he yawns.
"Yes you are. Besides someone is coming at 8, and I need for you to be done by then. And remember, you are going back to Daniel's house to spend the night."
"I know mommy! You told me after I woke up from nap. Who is coming mommy?"
"Oh just one of my old friends from school."
"Is it Finn and ?" he asks hopefully.
"No. Come on. Let's hurry. Up the stairs you go!"
She lets him play for just a minute or two, and then she helps him wash and dry off. By the time he has his favorite pair of Superman pj's and of course his cape on she hears the doorbell ring. Jack perks up at this point. "They are here mommy!" and takes off running down the stairs.
"Don't you dare open that door until I get there young man!"
When she gets to the bottom of the stairs she sees Jack waiting there. At least for once he decides to listen to her.
She ruffles his still damp hair while she walks to the door. She looks back at her son, and takes a deep breath and opens the door…
Now what?!
I just wanted to thank everyone. Thank you to the ones who have been reading this little project of mine. I love Jack. He is a combination of all of the little children I have met over the years. Thank you to the ones who are following and have added me to your favorite list. I was reading for a year before I started writing, and so I know that if you follow or favorite a story you want more and to come back and read it again. I'm so glad that something got your attention. Thank you to the hubs for helping me and listening to me read it to him and for pestering him when I ask him one more time, are you sure this is how a guy would act? And for not being afraid to tell me how he feels. And thank you to sohypothecially for being so sweet and nice and wonderful and letting me bug her… thank you!
