A/N: I'm glad so many people are intrigued about how Peeta can change. We've only seen snippets of him so far but there is a lot more of him in this chapter. Hope you enjoy!


Chapter 4

Madge sits at the counter, slowly sipping a cup of ginger tea. One hand rubs protectively against her stomach and the other reaches out to stroke the hair of her youngest son. He turns to smile at her before quickly turning back to smear ketchup around his plate with a fry. The twins sit in a booth nearby and have scrunched up the paper we gave them to draw on. They keep themselves busy by throwing balls of paper at each other until one accidently hits Haymitch on the head. The old drunk turns round to glare at them. The twins' eyes widen in fear before they duck their heads and scribble on the bits of paper instead.

Haymitch grunts as he turns back around and bites into a bun.

"I should hire you to discipline my little terrors. I wish I could shut them up with a look," Madge says to him.

"I can't stand little children. They have too much snot and can wail louder than any other species on the planet," Haymitch grumbles.

"I think this grumpy old man thing is all just an act. I saw you sneak Ava a cookie the other day," I reply.

"Well, luckily for you, your daughter has inherited all her charm from her father," Haymitch says.

I scowl at him and yank the cup of coffee out of his hand as he goes to take a sip. Some of the hot liquid spills out and drops on to his pants.

"Holy shit, Everdeen! I could have been burned!" Haymitch declares.

"Stop being a baby. It was only a few drops and you owe some more money to the swear jar," I say. Haymitch glares at me as he tries to wipe the coffee stains off his pants. "And I thought everyone in Seam hated Peeta."

"They did just after he left. He did bring a psycho to town but you know better than anyone how he charmed the town before then. There was a reason no one ratted him out. He made an effort to get to know everyone. It's a shame he fucked it up really," Haymitch replies.

"He was very easy going. You know before he pissed off that casino guy," Madge adds.

I shake my head.

"This town isn't exactly forgiving. I don't know why he wants to live here," I say.

"People are starting to question if he's even still here. Hardly anyone has seen him since that first day in the bakery. Mrs Cartwright is beginning to think the whole town had some sort of joint hallucination," Madge says.

Haymitch snorts.

"Blondie is definitely still here. Joel never made cinnamon buns this good," he says, taking a bite of the bun.

"I'm glad you've found something to soak up all that alcohol," I state.

Haymitch flips me the bird and I sigh before turning back to Madge.

"I told you, he's keeping a low profile until I'm ready for him to meet Ava," I say.

So far Peeta has kept his promise about keeping out of sight. He only goes out into Seam a couple times a week and only at times when Ava is at school. I don't know how he is not going stir crazy with only Joel to talk to but he messages me every day asking questions about Ava. He asks everything from what her favourite colour is to who are friends are at school. After a couple of weeks I started to send him pictures of Ava as well as he was desperate to know what she got up to every day.

All this is good but part of me is expecting for it all to come crashing down.

"How long are you going to make him wait? It's already been six weeks," Madge asks.

I shrug my shoulder as I begin to tidy the menus.

"I don't know. I guess I'm waiting for him to show me that he is serious about everything. I just don't know what that thing is," I reply.

Madge nods her head in agreement.

"It's a horrible situation, Katniss. I don't know how you are keeping it together," she says.

"I have to for Ava. Though I think she knows something is wrong. I feel like I'm constantly on edge at the moment and I think she can sense that," I reply.

Madge nods her head before taking another sip of her tea. She rubs her hand across her belly again and a tinge of jealousy courses through me. She's had the textbook relationship. Boy and girl meet. They fall in love and get married and have kids. No dramas or complications. It's all been easy for her and Gale.

The twins come up to Madge and show her the drawings they made. Madge takes them with a smile but this soon turns to a frown as she tries to figure out the scribbles on the page.

"Wow, honey. Is it a dog?" she asks uncertainly.

"No, Mommy! It's a flying shark!" Aiden replies.

"Of course it is! I like how you used all the colours," she says.

Aiden beams with pride before his brother fights for his mom's attention. Madge quickly glances in my direction and we share a smile. I leave her with her sons and go to refill the napkins but as I move a weary Darius trudges into the diner. He slumps on to the chair next to Haymitch and I frown as I approach him.

"You got any bourbon in that hip flask?" Darius asks Haymitch.

Haymitch raises his eyebrow but digs into his pocket to pull out the drink. I pour Darius a black coffee and he tips a large amount of the liqueur into his drink.

"What's happened?" I ask.

"There was another robbery today. But there were two fatalities. One was a little old lady who was opening a savings account for her grandchildren and the other was a young man who had just found out he was going to be a dad," he replies.

Madge gasps and rubs her hand across her belly again.

"That's awful. There's never been deaths before in a raid," she says.

Darius turns to look at me.

"We don't think it was Rye and his gang. Too much was different. They raided the biggest bank in the district. It was at lunch time, when the branch was full of people. They fired shots. That's not Rye's style," Darius says.

I feel a sense of relief. I know Peeta can't be involved because he messaged me with a picture of the chocolate fudge cake he's made for Ava today. It's her favourite and I called him at lunch to arrange a time to pick it up.

"If it's not Rye, who is it? Do you think it's the same people that killed the brother and sister in Hob?" Madge asks.

Darius shrugs his shoulder.

"It's very likely but we don't know anything about this gang. There are no leads and nothing linking the two crimes together. I hate how we are letting the families of the victims down," he replies.

I reach out to rub one of his shoulders.

"It's early days. Something could still come up," I reassure.

Darius gives me a grateful smile. I smile back at him and then a thought appears in my head. I chew on my bottom lip as I contemplate it.

"I could ask Peeta about the other gang. He'll probably know something about it," I say.

"Are you sure? I know it has not been easy for you to find things out about Rye," Darius replies.

I nod my head. So far I've not found a way to ask Peeta about Rye without it sounding suspicious. I want his brother in jail but the snooping thing is a lot harder than I thought.

"I'm going round to see him after work anyway. I think I know how to bring it up," I say.

Darius gives me another grateful smile.

"Anything you can find out is useful. Even supplying Rye's name to my detective team was helpful," he says.

I smile and plot how I can question Peeta about it later.


After work I go around to the bakery to pick up Ava's cake. Peeta likes to make her a lot of things while he is at work and my daughter hasn't complained about all the treats I've brought home. Thankfully she hasn't questioned why I keep going to the bakery and her face lights up every time I bring one back. Normally I wouldn't let her eat so many sweets but baking is the only way Peeta feels connected to her at the moment and I feel I should give him this one thing.

Peeta greets me with a warm smile as I knock on the back door but I laugh when I see what he has smeared across his head.

"You look like you have shit on your head," I say as lean forward to wipe the chocolate off.

Peeta looks surprised but I just grin back at him.

"I swear it is just chocolate," he says.

I laugh as I lick the sugary goodness off my finger. We share a grin and are quiet for a moment before Peeta coughs and looks away.

Joel is working in the background, singing rather badly to a Bruce Springsteen record. He turns to smile at me as he hears me enter and turns the radio down to come over to me.

"A pretty girl at the back door reminds me when Beth and I first started dating. We had our first kiss on that very doorstep," he says.

I raise my eyebrow at him.

"Where you a big romantic then, Joel?" I ask.

"Of course. I still buy her flowers every Friday and take her dancing once a month. I proposed by writing will you marry me on a cake. I have been trying to teach Peeta a few things. That sexy texting thing young people do now isn't the same as a handwritten love letter," he points out.

Peeta and I both laugh.

"Joel's been teaching me loads of stuff. Like how you should always stand closest to the curb when walking with a girl on a sidewalk. That way you protect her from falling on to the road," he says.

I shake my head but don't really like the direction this conversation is going in. I cough loudly and Joel takes the hint and leaves. A slightly awkward silence then falls between Peeta and me.

"Thanks for taking the cakes to Ava. I really appreciate it," he says.

"Ava loves cakes. I find it difficult to deny her," I reply.

"Just like her mother then," Peeta says with a grin.

I roll my eyes before Peeta goes off to retrieve the box. I take it gratefully off him and then chew on my bottom lip as I prepare myself to ask him about the bank robbery today. Peeta stares at me as I make no move to leave.

"Just ask me, Katniss," Peeta says.

"Ask you what?" I ask.

"About the bank robbery today. It's been all over the radio," he says.

I'm a little annoyed that he can read me so easily and huff as I tuck the cake box under my arm.

"I know it can't have been you but Darius thinks it wasn't Rye either," I say.

"And he's right. Today's robbery was amateur. We've never shot at anyone inside the bank. We're not murderers," he replies.

I snort.

"No. Just thieves," I reply.

Peeta sighs and runs a hand through his curls.

"I told you. I'm done. I'll happily write baker down as my profession," he says.

"I still don't know if six weeks is enough to show me you have changed," I reply.

Peeta lets out an exasperated sigh and digs his hand into his pocket. He pulls out his cell phone and taps on the screen until he finds something.

"Look at this. You see how many times Rye has messaged me? But I haven't replied," he says.

I peer at the screen as he scrolls through the dozens of messages Rye has sent him but not once has he replied.

"This was the last message I sent him," Peeta says.

I peer in closer as I read the message that is dated from six weeks ago.

"I'm done. Ava is my only priority," he says.

I take a step back as I contemplate what this means. Peeta looks frustrated and part of me can't blame him. I've not been very clear about what I've been looking for from him.

"So you don't know where Rye is?" I ask.

"No. I don't speak to him anymore," he replies.

I slowly nod my head.

"It's safer for everyone that no one knows where he is. No doubt Cato and Marvel did this stunt today to try and catch Rye's attention," Peeta adds.

I snap my head up and frown.

"Cato and Marvel?" I ask.

"Yeah. They are who robbed the bank today. They've kind of envied how we've worked for years and are trying to take over. That's why the ambushed us at our house and why they are robbing banks now," he replies.

I nod my head in understanding and tuck the information away to tell Darius later. `

Peeta and I are a silent for a long time but eventually I turn to leave.

"Thanks for the cake. I'm sure Ava will love it," I say.

Peeta nods his head a little sadly but then his eyes widen.

"Oh. I almost forgot," he says.

I frown as he turns and leaves the room without any further explanation. He appears again a moment later and hands me an envelope.

"You didn't cash the cheques I sent you before, but I hope you accept this one. I got paid by Joel recently and thought this could help with Ava," he says.

I look up at him, slightly surprised. When he left, he sent cheques every month, as child support. But I never cashed them. Some I sent back to him in shreds. I wasn't going to buy my daughter shoes with stolen money.

I open the envelope and am surprised by how much he has given her.

"This is too much. It must be close to your whole pay check," I say.

Peeta just smiles as he shakes his head.

"It's not exactly like I'm spending lots of money on going out," he says.

I let out a light laugh and look down at the amount again. I then look back up at him with a smile.

"Thank you. She needs new boots for the winter," I say.

"It's no problem. I like knowing I can help her, even if I don't see her," he replies.

I nod my head and begin to see him in a new light. He looks genuinely proud that he earned this money for Ava. I hadn't dared believe that he hadn't talked to Rye but he seems to have left his brother behind.

I make up my mind quickly and know Dad will question to speed of my decision but it suddenly feels right.

"Ava comes with me to the diner on Sundays. It's pretty quiet as everyone is at church or with their families. You could come and join us there, if you want," I say.

I didn't think a smile could get so big. Peeta's shoulders stop sagging and his eyes shine with joy.

"Yes. I'd really like that," he replies.

Warmth spreads out through my chest and I can't help but smile with him.


Ava is doing her homework when I arrive home and I give her a big smile as I enter. She grins back at me and her eyes go wide when I show her the chocolate fudge cake.

"Is that for me?" she asks eagerly.

"I thought we could have some after dinner," I reply.

Ava licks her lips and nods her head enthusiastically.

"But you can only have some if you eat all your vegetables," I add.

Ava scrunches her nose in disgust.

"I don't have to eat broccoli, do I?" she asks.

"No," I say, reaching out to stroke her head. "But there will be carrot and peas."

"Toby says that you can see in the dark if you eat carrots. Is that true, Mommy?" she asks.

"You will have to eat them tonight to find out," I reply with a smile.

Ava nods her head seriously but tears her eyes away from the cake to finish her math homework. Dad eyes the cake warily as I put it on the counter. I unpack away the rest of my things and Ava soon throws her pencil down triumphantly.

"Finished!" she declares. "Did I get them all right, Grandpa?" she asks.

Dad snaps his head away from the cake to quickly look down at Ava's work.

"Yep. All right. Good job, honeybee," he replies. "You can go and play."

Ava lets out a yelp of delight before dashing out the kitchen. I don't dare turn to face Dad once we're left alone. I'm anxious about telling him about my decision on Peeta. I can feel his stare on me though and he waits several moments before speaking.

"I see he is still determined to buy Ava's love through sweets," he eventually says.

I sigh as I force myself round to face him.

"Ava doesn't even know the cakes are from him," I reply.

Dad scoffs and shakes his head.

"I just wish he'd hurry up and leave. He's doing no good here," he says.

"I don't think that's going to happen anytime soon, Dad. He seems pretty set up in the bakery," I say.

Dad shakes his head.

"I can already see how he's breaking your walls down. He's always had that effect on you. All your worst decisions were because of him. I don't want you making another one," he says.

Anger begins to flare up inside me as my natural defence mechanisms kick it. I stand up tall as I look my dad straight in the eye.

"And if I hadn't made some of those decisions we wouldn't have Ava," I snap.

Dad bows his head and looks ashamed.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that. I just don't want either you or Ava to get hurt," he says.

I soften slightly and let my shoulders relax.

"You have to trust me to make the right decisions for Ava. And that includes inviting Peeta to the diner on Sunday," I say.

Dad takes a sharp intake of breath and looks at me with wide eyes.

"You didn't?" he asks.

I nod my head.

"It just felt right when I saw him today. He even gave me a cheque for Ava with honest money he earned. That's a big step for him," I say.

Dad shakes his head.

"It's too soon. Six weeks isn't long enough. And let's not forget that two people were killed in a bank robbery today!" Dad exclaims.

"That wasn't Peeta or Rye," I reply.

"Did he tell you that? And you believe him?" Dad asks in disgust.

"Yes, Dad. I know when Peeta is lying. I might be the only person that does and I believe he's sincere when he says he wants to be there for Ava. Are you going to back my decision or bitch about it until the end of the week?" I say.

Dad sighs in defeat and leans back in his chair.

"Fine. But I'm coming on Sunday too," he grumbles.

I let a small smile slip on my lips.

"I wouldn't expect anything less," I reply.


Dad doesn't speak to me much at dinner but Ava makes up for it with her constant chatter. She devours her slice of chocolate cake and gets so much chocolate cake smeared across her face that I contemplate forcing her to take another bath.

I manage to tackle her with a face cloth and the bundle her into bed, where I sit with her to read a story. She chooses a Frozen book and laughs when I put on all the voices. But as the story ends, I realise that I have to tell her about Peeta. I can't ambush her with him on Sunday and she will need a few days to get her head around the fact he's back.

Ava giggles once I've finished the story and snuggles back into my arms.

"You're funny, Mommy. Not even Miss Trinket reads stories as good as you," she says.

I smile and place a kiss on top of her head. Ava continues to flick through the pictures as I try to find the right words. My hand goes to the top of her head and begins to stroke it as I build up the courage to speak.

"Ava, I've got something important to tell you," I say.

Ava twists her head up to look at me with a curious look.

"What, Mommy?" she asks.

I take a deep breath.

"Remember how I said that it wasn't safe for your daddy to be in Seam and that's why he can't come and visit you?" I say.

"Because he knows bad men," Ava confirms.

"Yes. There were bad men. But your daddy doesn't know them anymore and it's safe for him to come back," I say.

Ava frowns and looks deeply confused.

"My daddy is coming back?" she asks.

I nod my head.

"Yes. And he would really like to meet you. Would you like that?" I ask.

I bite on my bottom lip as I wait for her to answer. No matter what I told Peeta today, if Ava doesn't want to see him, I won't force her.

Her eyebrows knit even further together and she thinks very hard. A five-year-old should not have to make this decision.

"I don't know what he looks like," she finally says.

My heart breaks as I hear the fear and confusion in her life. Peeta is such an unknown being to her. She doesn't know what to expect. I pull her close and place a firm kiss on her head.

"He's got blond floppy hair and blue eyes just like you. I can show you a picture of him," I say.

Ava nods her head but doesn't say anything else.

"And he loves making cakes and drawing with all the colours in the world. You can ask him all the other things he likes if you meet him," I say.

Ava nods her head again and pauses before turning to speak to me.

"Are you going away, Mommy?" she asks.

I shake my head fiercely and drop my head down to hers.

"No. I would never leave you. If you want to meet your daddy I will be there too. I won't leave you alone with him," I say.

Ava looks at me for a long time but eventually nods her head.

"Okay. I would like to see my daddy," she says.

I give her a smile and bend down to give her a big hug.

"I love you, bug," I whisper.

"I love you too, Mommy," Ava mumbles.

We hold each other tight for a long moment and wish there was an easier way for this to happen.


It doesn't take much to get Ava to sleep afterwards. I sigh as I pause at the door to check she is sleeping. It's going to be a confusing few days for her. I just hope Peeta proves me right and becomes a good part of her life.

I trudge down the stairs and frown when I see Dad sneaking in through the front door.

"Did you go out?" I ask.

Dad looks a bit sheepish and shuffles about on his feet.

"I went to see Peeta," he admits.

I let out a loud sigh.

"Please tell me you didn't hit him," I say.

Dad shakes his head.

"I'm not that stupid," he replies. "I just told him nicely that I won't stand for him hurting either of you."

I let a small smile cross my face. Whatever happens with Peeta, it's good to know there are people who have my back.

"Thank you, Dad," I reply.

Dad looks a little shocked by my reply but he shares my smile when he catches my eye.


Sunday comes around way too quickly and I'm not totally prepared for this meeting with Peeta. Ava has been clingier than normal with me and practically hangs off my side in the days leading up to it. I'm still not sure if she's a hundred per cent sure on meeting Peeta but whenever I ask her she says she wants to go.

I'm jittery when I get to the diner and Ava clutches to me tightly as we slide into a booth. Dad slips into the side opposite and scans the area for any signs of Peeta. He's not here. I didn't tell him to meet us for another fifteen minutes but Dad already has his guard up. He sits up straight, holding the menu, but not reading it, as he stares at the door.

Ava clambers into my lap and I turn to ask her what she wants for breakfast.

"Pancakes or waffles?" I ask.

"Can I have both?" she asks hopefully.

She can sense my agitation and knows when to try it on with me.

"How about one pancake and one waffle," I suggest.

Ava nods her head and Lavinia comes over to take our order a minute later. Ava slurps on her orange juice when it is brought over to her and my leg bounces up and down as I keep glancing back at the door.

"It's still not too late to back out. If he's serious about Ava, he won't complain," Dad says.

"No. It's going to be today. I just don't know what to expect," I reply.

Dad nods his head while Ava grabs some crayons to start drawing.

"I'm going to draw you a page of love hearts, Mommy," she declares.

"That sounds great, bug," I say, stroking her head.

Ava looks pleased and hums as she begins to fill the page will different sized hearts.

I glance back at the door before checking the clock on the wall. I don't know how I want this meeting to go. I don't know if I want Ava to be wary of Peeta, the man who once put her in danger or for her to absolutely dote on him. It's been just the two of us for so long that I don't know how I will handle sharing her love.

The drawing keeps Ava busy as I watch the minutes count down on the clock. At ten o'clock a blond bobbing head appears in the distance and not long after Peeta pushes into the diner.

I immediately tense and pull Ava closer in my lap. Ava looks round as she senses my movement and follows my line of sight until she is staring at her dad for the first time she can remember. She goes very quiet and drops the crayon as Peeta gives us a nervous smile and wave before coming over to us.

"Good morning," he says, smiling at Ava. He then turns to my dad. "Good to see you again, Mr Everdeen."

Dad clenches his jaw and tips his head tersely at Peeta.

"Morning," he replies. "I'm just making sure my girls are happy."

Peeta nods his head in agreement before stuffing his hand in his pockets and turning to face me and Ava again.

"Do you mind if I sit here?" he asks.

Dad, Ava and I all stare at him and I nod my head. Peeta lets outs a sigh of relief and Dad reluctantly shuffles along so Peeta can sit opposite me and Ava. Ava watches him warily and snuggles closer into my chest. There are hardly any new people in Seam so she's not used to meeting strangers. She studies Peeta carefully as I can tell she struggles to figure him out.

Peeta places a plastic container on the table and wipes his hands on his jeans. He gives Ava another nervous smile as he pushes the container towards her.

"Hi, Ava. Did your Mommy tell you anything about me? I'm your dad," Peeta says.

Ava nods her head.

"Mommy showed me photos on Grandpa's computer," Ava replies.

"Your mommy showed me pictures of you too. Can you really swim all by yourself?" he asks.

Ava puts her arms around my neck as she sits up on her knees.

"Mommy takes me swimming every week. She teached me to swim like the big boys and girls," Ava replies.

Peeta grins and leans in closer to us.

"Can I tell you a secret? Your mommy taught me how to swim too. I couldn't swim until I was a grown up," he says.

Normally a comment like this would make my daughter laugh but she doesn't respond in any way and continues to look at Peeta stonily.

The smile slowly drops from Peeta's face and he lets out a sigh as he leans back. He then reaches for the container and pops open the lid.

"I made you some cookies. I drew pictures of Elsa and Olaf on them," he says.

The mention of the Frozen characters piques Ava's interest and she loosens her tight hold on me to lean in and have a closer look. Dad catches my eye over Peeta's shoulder and gives me a look that says "I told you he was buying her love with sweets."

Ava sticks her nose in close to the cookies and Peeta smiles. The cookies are beautifully intricate and the Frozen designs much more realistic than any attempt I could ever make. The smell of ginger wafts out from the box and makes my stomach rumble.

"You've watched Frozen?" Ava asks.

Peeta beams and nods his head eagerly. Very early on he asked me what her favourite film was and he went out and bought Frozen as soon as I told him.

"Yes. Olaf is my favourite character. I think it's funny when he gets all jumbled up," Peeta replies.

Ava snaps her head up again and tilts it to the side. I know that is one of her favourite parts of Frozen too but she's not sure what to make of Peeta liking it as well. It breaks my heart to see the conflict on her young face.

There was a time she loved Peeta. When she was born she was such a daddy's girl. The first time she ever smiled and laughed was for him. She stopped crying the instant she was in his arms. I have dozens of pictures of the two of them fallen asleep together with her fist wrapped around his finger.

But this man is a stranger to her.

Eventually Ava leans back to sit in my lap. Her eyes never leave Peeta's face.

"Mommy can sing all the words to the songs. And she does the voices when she reads me the stories," Ava says.

I smile at the slight protectiveness in her tone. She doesn't always sing my praises. Peeta and Dad grin too.

"Your mommy sounds very clever," Peeta says.

"Mommy knows everything," Ava declares.

Peeta lets out a small laugh and Dad bites his lip to stop himself from doing so.

Lavinia comes back with our orders and jots down what Peeta wants. Ava slides off my lap as she starts wolfing down her pancake and waffle. Peeta watches with a grin before leaning in to whisper to me.

"I see she gets her appetite from you," he says.

I roll my eyes at him before nibbling on my bit of bacon. The butterflies still swirl around my stomach and make it difficult to eat.

The booth is mainly quiet as people tuck into food but Peeta keeps trying to ask Ava about things I told him she likes. But my daughter is unusually quiet and barely gives him more than one word answers. Dad at least doesn't make things worse and largely stays out of the conversation.

Even though it must be dispiriting for him, Peeta doesn't give up and keeps going until he can find that thing he can connect to Ava with.

As we are eating, Darius strolls past the window and Ava sits up straight as she bangs on the glass to get his attention.

"Darius! Look at all these love hearts I drew!" she says.

Darius stops as she pushes her picture up at the glass. He smiles fondly at her before giving her a thumbs up and pulling a silly face. Ava giggles and Peeta's shoulders slump as he watches the interaction. Darius catches my eye and gives me a small smile before waving again and walking on. Ava huffs as she sits back down.

"Can we go out and see him? I want to give him my picture," Ava says.

"I thought that picture was for me," I say, raising my eyebrow.

"I can draw you another one, Mommy," she says.

"Darius is busy, bug. But I think your daddy would like a picture," I say.

Peeta perks up a little bit and leans closer to him.

"I'd love a picture. I hear you are the best drawer in kindergarten," he says.

The smile drops from Ava's face and she gives him a stony look.

"I don't know what you like," she replies.

Dad and I share a look and he then clears his throat.

"Ava, come and help me choose a song on the jukebox," he says.

Ava nods her head and I move so she can hop out the booth. She takes my dad's hand as she skips to the shiny machine in the corner.

Peeta lets out a heavy sigh as he slumps back into his seat.

"She really adores Darius, doesn't she?" he says.

"We were together for three years. He bought her her first art easel," I reply.

"You guys were pretty serious, huh?" he says.

I smile and shake my head.

"Yes. He's still a good friend," I reply. "But be careful. You almost sound jealous. Though I hardly believe you were celibate all these years."

Peeta lets out a laugh as he picks up one of Ava's crayons and starts sketching on a napkin.

"No. There were maybe a few girls," he says with a grin.

I laugh and Peeta sighs again.

"I am jealous though. I'm jealous that she loves him," he says.

I give him a sad smile and reach out to touch his hand. Peeta startles at my touch and looks up from his sketch. I look him straight in the eye.

"Give it time," I say, running my thumb over the top of his hand.

Peeta smiles at me gratefully and I remove my hand as Dad and Ava come back. Ava slides back into my lap but her eyes widen when she catches sight of Peeta's sketch.

"Did you draw that?" she asks.

Peeta looks up, startled that she asked him a direct question. He looks back down at his drawing before looking back at Ava.

He's drawn a mockingjay, its wings wide as it is captured in mid-flight. It's a rare bird in Seam these days but Ava loves it when we spot some and make them whistle a tune.

"Yeah. Mockingjays are my favourite birds," Peeta replies.

"Me too," Ava replies. "Mommy and I whistle this tune when we see them."

Ava then purses her lips together and whistle a four-note tune. Peeta smiles, probably remembering how I taught him the same tune eight years ago.

"But I can't draw them. I try and I try but they always go wrong," Ava adds.

Peeta beams and leans in closer as he senses a small opening.

"I can teach you. I know drawing is the one thing Mommy isn't good at," he says.

"Hey!" I proclaim. "I can draw pretty awesome stick people."

"Stick people are for babies, Mommy," she says matter of factly.

We all share a grin before Peeta gets some paper and hands a crayon to Ava.

"Are you ready to start? I'll go through it slowly," Peeta says.

Ava nods her head and grips on to her pencil tightly. She's been wanting to draw a mockingjay for ages but gets easily frustrated when it's not perfect. Some of her biggest tantrums have happened as she has torn up all her various attempts.

But Peeta is patient with her and talks her through it step by step. By then end she has drawn more than an acceptable looking mockingjay.

"I did it, Mommy! I drew a mockingjay!" she exclaims.

"It's beautiful, bug," I say, kissing her head. "I think you need to say thank you to your daddy."

Ava turns to Peeta.

"Thank you, Daddy," she says before turning back to me. "I'm going to take it into school to show."

The grin on Peeta's face is impossibly wide as she says this.