The Family Plan
Part Seven
It took Katniss a minute to recover from the steeliness of the woman's voice. Her eyes went to Ramona, who had stopped mid-conversation with Bea to see if she could help her with the call.
"Give me one second," she managed to say. "Peeta is in the kitchen. Let me get him."
Pressing the 'On-Hold' button, Katniss let out a smooth breath and gave everyone a quick smile.
"Be right back."
"You okay there?" Cato asked, his usually easy eyes catching the tension in her gaze.
"Nothing…really." Katniss looked to the phone. "Just have to get this to Peeta—"
"It's her, isn't it?" Ramona's usually lilt voice was heavy with resignation. She went to Katniss, taking the phone from her grasp. "I'll take it."
Katniss wasn't sure she should, seeing as the girl looked like she was about to go head-on into the gauntlet.
"Are you going to be okay, sweetheart?"
Ramona nodded. "I'll be fine. Let me just take this in the den."
Quickly, she crossed the room and went to the adjacent door of the den, closing it behind her.
"Mom?" Bea was suddenly behind her. "Do you think she'll be okay?"
Katniss wrapped an arm around her daughter's shoulders and placed a kiss to the top of her head. Immediately, she felt herself calm at the sage scent of Bea's thick mane.
"I hope so, love. I really do."
"I cannot believe you," Peeta responded in frustration. It seemed that, though their conversations were few and far between, speaking with his ex-wife always seemed to be an ordeal. "You rarely call Ramona and all you did was grill her on who Katniss is?"
"I have a right to know who is hanging out with my child," Madge said tersely. "Apparently, this woman has two children herself."
"Katniss has a son and a daughter," he explained tightly. "Dylan is 6 and Beatrice is 12. Ramona and Bea are practically best friends—even more so these days."
"And, who is Katniss to you?"
Peeta didn't fail to hear the suspicion in Madge's tone. "It's not your business, but since you spent a majority of your conversation about Katniss and not about how Ramona is, you should know that we are seeing one another."
A pinch noise came from the speaker. "And, you didn't tell me first?"
"Once again, Katniss and her children are not part of your life. They are a part of Ramona and mine," he replied.
"Ramona is my daughter!"
"Funny, since you haven't spoken to her in nearly a year!" There was a knock at the door and Katniss peeked her head in before slipping inside. Peeta felt his anger simmer down at the sight of the woman before him. "Listen, Madge. Could you please just call when we're a little calmer? I know that Ramona would love to spe—"
The phone line had already gone dead.
Peeta hung up, meeting Katniss' concerned stare. "My ex-wife, everyone…" He slammed the phone on his desk and groaned. "After these calls, I don't know who is more effected—me or Ramona."
"I wanted to check on you," Katniss said softly. He drew her close and Katniss sat on his lap. "You alright?"
"I feel like I've been hit in the face with a blunt object." Peeta smiled wryly. "How's Ramona?"
"Bea is force-feeding her ice cream while Cato and Dylan work on a sock puppet show for Ramona to watch," she informed him. "They are all worried about her…and you."
"I'm okay," Peeta assured her. "Madge is just…she seems to find her way back at the worst times." He met Katniss' eyes, full of understanding. "I hope she wasn't too bad with you."
"Nothing that I can't handle," she replied before pecking him on the lips.
"Come on now." Peeta's mouth rose into a full grin and Katniss laughed against his mouth. "You're going to have to do better than that."
So Katniss did.
'Who is she, Ramona?'
'Mom, can we talk about something else…anything else?'
'I am your mother and it is my responsibility to know who is in your life.'
'Honestly, Mom? I don't think it is.'
'You've never spoken to me like this! This is because of her, isn't it?'
The conversation played on a constant loop in Ramona's head.
Not once did her mother ask her about her life; she focused solely on the woman who had answered the phone. In truth, her mother had every reason to be intimidated. Katniss was the kind of mom that Ramona had always wanted.
"One more bite."
Beatrice looked at her with worried eyes, the spoon of Rocky Road ice cream in front of her.
She took the spoonful before patting her seat on the couch for Bea to join her.
"Come here," Ramona said. She put an arm around her friend. "Thank you, sis."
"Anytime," Bea replied. "Your Mom…seems like a real interesting lady."
Ramona chuckled softly at her friend's attempt to be neutral.
"That's the nicest comment that's been said about my mother in a while."
"She gave you half your genes." Beatrice smiled affectionately. "There has to be something good about her."
"Ramona!" Dylan rushed over to them, socks on his hands. "Me and Mr. Puppet—"
"AKA me," Cato said good-naturedly.
"I mean, Daddy. We're going to sing you a song!" Dylan informed him cheerfully. He looked over to his father and Cato joined him in front of the two girls. "Ready, Daddy?"
"Ready, Dill!" Cato put his socked hand up and looked to his son. "On three. One…two…three…"
"La la la la la la, La la la la la la…"
The mouths of the sock puppets opened and closed as Cato and Dylan started to sing.
"My cherie amour, lovely as a summer day
My cherie amour, distant as the milky way…"
The girls swayed to the joyful melody and Ramona felt her smile grow wide at their attempts to cheer her up.
This was what it was all about—her family.
Her eyes went to where her father and Katniss suddenly stood, hands entwined, as they listened to Cato and Dylan sing. Ramona breathed in relief, seeing that her mother's call had not effected their closeness.
"Oh, cherie amour, pretty little one that I adore
You're the only girl my heart beats for
How I wish that you were mine…"
Cato waved his arm out to her father. "Get in here, Peeta!"
Katniss joined the girls on the couch, putting an arm around Ramona, as the men finished their serenade.
"La la la la la la, La la la la la la
La la la la la la, La la la la la la!"
They clapped enthusiastically for the trio and Dylan took a grandiose bow.
Katniss beamed beautifully. "That was wonderful!"
"It was totally awesome," Beatrice added.
Ramona looked between the three men, then at Katniss and Bea.
They had all done this for her.
And, suddenly, she burst into tears.
'Are you feeling better?'
'I'm such a spaz. I think I might be having my monthly friend soon.'
'I'm really looking forward to having my period.'
'I can smell the sarcasm. But really, thanks for being here for me, sis.'
'Anytime.'
"Speaking to Ramona?" Beatrice found her mother at her bedroom doorway. Katniss walked into the room, sitting on the edge of her daughter's bed. "Is she feeling better?"
"As good as she can feel after that phone call with her mom." Beatrice met her mother's eyes. "Are you and Peeta alright?"
"We're more than alright," her mom said, her face lit up. "We're making plans to get together soon—just have to figure out a plan."
"Why don't we have Halloween together?" Beatrice suddenly suggested. It was the following week and she reminded herself to ask Aunt Prim to bring her make-up kit over. "We can all go trick-or-treating together with Peeta and Ramona around our neighborhood."
"You going to introduce Ramona to Jamie?" her mother teased and Beatrice's face flushed. "That boy has it bad for you."
"Well, he should've thought about that when he tagged me out during softball," Beatrice retorted. "But, it would be fun and I won't even tease you about your lame costume."
"It's comfortable and I've had two children," her mother protested with a laugh. "Plus, it's not about me. It's about you and Dil—and Ramona, if they want to come."
"I'll text her!"
"Oh, wait! You might be with your father for Halloween," Katniss informed her. "Why don't you check if Ramona can go trick-or-treating with you?"
"Even better—why don't you just tell Dad to bring Glimmer to meet us then?" Beatrice countered. "You know, bring her onto our turf?"
"We're not a gang, Bea!" Her mother responded with a laugh.
She shrugged. "Might as well be. Plus, there will be more people around to be buffers."
Katniss went to her side and Beatrice scooted to make room for her mother.
"Are you nervous about meeting Glimmer, Bea?"
"I don't know…maybe," she said truthfully. "Dad has never brought a woman around…maybe I'm still freaked out over Ramona's mother."
"Ramona's mother…is a different situation." Her mother put her arm around her. "I trust your father. I've known him long enough to know that he would not bring someone around that he wasn't absolutely sure of to meet the most special people in his life."
"You have great faith in people, Mom," Beatrice told her with a grin. "I think that's why Peeta is falling in love with you."
"Beatrice Everdeen-Carter!" Her mother's usually olive face was now crimson. "That's definitely an assumption!"
"Assumption or hope?" she questioned.
Her mother groaned before drawing her into her warm embrace.
"You drive me crazy, but I couldn't love you or your brother more."
Beatrice sighed in content, realizing just how lucky she was to have a mom like hers.
"Same here, Mom."
"I used to wear this all the time." Peeta presented his costume to Ramona, who sat primly on his bed. "Then we got too busy to go out trick-or-treating."
"More like we've never had anyone invite us to trick-or-treat," Ramona pointed out with a small smile.
Peeta caught her worn expression. Placing his costume on the bed, he knelt in front of his daughter.
"Ramona, it's been a few days since your mother has called and I know that you said that you're fine…that it's hormonal…but, I can't help but feel like it's not completely that way." Peeta reached to cup his daughter's cheek. He could see her resolve to remain strong crumbling. "I know that you're upset."
Ramona's expression slowly fell and his heart broke seeing the tears begin to seep through her long lashes.
"I just don't want her to ruin anything between all of us," Ramona sobbed. "Is that bad? I'm supposed to miss her, right?" She buried her face in her hands. "I don't though…I'm angry because she only seems to show up whenever I forget that she even existed."
Peeta held out his arms to her. "Come here." His daughter easily fell into his embrace. "I get angry, too. But I also remember that without your mother, I wouldn't have you. You, Ramona Mellark, are the light of my life and it breaks me seeing you so sad."
"I know, Dad." Ramona wiped her eyes. "I hate seeing you upset and I don't want Mom to drive a wedge between you and Katniss—" She gave him a watery smile. "—because I think Katniss might love you and you might love her."
"Don't you worry about us," her father reassured her. "We're going to be alright." Peeta flicked her pert nose and she laughed at the tender gesture. "The only thing that you need to worry about is picking out a costume."
"I think I have an idea," Ramona told him. She looked to her father shyly. "Will you help me?"
Peeta pressed a kiss to the top of her golden head; his precious girl, who smelled of sunshine and hope.
"Of course—always."
The door to the gallery chimed and Katniss looked up from her desk to smile at the visitor.
"Welcome to Panem Gallery," she greeted. "Have you been here before?"
"No, actually," the woman replied with a nervous smile. "And, I'm actually here to see you." The blonde held her hand out. "I'm Glimmer Edwards, Cato's girlfriend."
Katniss started, recovering quickly to shake Glimmer's hand. "Nice to meet you." She gestured at the seat in front of her desk. "Have a seat. I actually thought that we would be meeting tonight before trick-or-treating."
"I thought that we should meet first," Glimmer explained. She ran a hand through her straight blonde hair, her bright eyes looking around the posh gallery. "I was anxious about meeting Beatrice and Dylan, but I didn't want to overstep my boundaries." Her eyes went to Katniss nervously. "You're their mother and I'm just the woman that their father is seeing."
"Cato seems to think differently." Katniss examined the woman in the moto jacket and jeans. "You were important enough for him to approach me about." She sat back, taking a slow breath. "Bea and Dylan are easy-going kids. They're not hard to get along with. I don't know you, but I trust Cato to choose special people to get to know our children."
"I really like Cato." Glimmer's ivory complexion went pink. "Actually, I love him and I know that the kids are the most important people in his life. He lives for them…and I just really want them to like me." She met Katniss' eyes. "But, if you think that it might be uncomfortable for them tonight, then I can meet them another time."
Katniss could hear the sincerity in Glimmer's words and her mind went to her own uncomfortable encounter with Madge.
"Listen, I'm going through the same thing with my boyfriend's ex-wife," Katniss said. "It's not easy being the new lady in a child's life, right?"
Glimmer nodded in agreement, giving Katniss a pretty smile. "Any tips?"
She thought for a moment. "Well…Beatrice is a bit of a musician—plays an array of instruments and reads sheet music. Dylan is obsessed with aliens, believes that bras are an acceptable alien uniform, and speaks in alien language just to mess with you."
Glimmer chuckled. "Music and bras…anything else?"
"Ramona is Peeta's—my boyfriend—daughter. She will be coming along with us tonight as well as Peeta. So you'll be in good company. Ramona is a dancer, sweet, and cute as a button."
"And, what should I know about you?" The woman asked.
"I'm Superwoman," Katniss told her simply.
Glimmer grinned. "I can totally see that."
"You're already winning with me." Katniss smiled back at the woman. "We'll see you tonight."
"And, who are you supposed to be?" Katniss asked as she stepped out of her walk-in closet.
Prim twirled in her black one-armed leotard, high heels, and half bee-hived hair, stopping in front of her sister.
"Beyoncé." She bounced her hips from side to side. "You know 'Single Ladies'?"
"You're going to freeze at that party," Katniss replied. She quickly brushed her hair before turning to her sister. "How do I look?"
"Amazing for a woman with two kids," her sister responded. "I'm sure Peeta will enjoy it."
The doorbell rang and Dylan's excited shout filled the upstairs hallway as he rushed past his mother's bedroom. Bea followed at a slower pace, dressed as a mime, stopping to check in on her aunt and mother.
"Nice, Aunt Prim!" Beatrice remarked before looking to her mother, smiling fondly. "Mom, you really live up to your costume."
"Thanks, hon." The three stepped out of the room and headed towards the stairs.
"Mommy, Peeta and Ramona are here!" Dylan called out.
Prim and Beatrice rushed forward in front of Katniss to make sure that her costume was the last to be revealed. However, as she made her way down the stairs, Prim let out a peal of laughter.
"Now I know that you two really belong together!"
Katniss let out a surprised chuckle as she spotted Peeta in the entryway.
"Suits you," she remarked with a smirk. "Superman."
Peeta put his hands on his hips, puffing out his strong chest to her appreciative eyes.
"I do what I can…" He admired her own costume; bright blue top, emblem on her chest, and red skirt just grazing her thighs. "…Superwoman."
"Did you two plan this?" Ramona asked in amusement. She was dressed as an angel, long white gown, feathered wings, and golden halo atop her curled hair.
"Mom wears this costume every Halloween," Bea told her friend.
"No kidding!" Ramona looked to her father with a grin. "He told me that he used to wear this getup every year…when we actually celebrated Halloween."
"Come on, everyone!" Dylan moved towards the door, his green tentacles bouncing with him. He had worked on his papier–mâché alien head for a month with Katniss. "It's time for candy!"
"Okay, okay…" Prim ushered them out the door and onto the porch. "I'll lock up." She looked between Katniss and Peeta, giving them a saucy wink. "Happy Halloween, Super Couple."
Cato and Glimmer joined them halfway through their trick-or-treating route. Glimmer looked like a grown-up version of Ramona which Beatrice really liked. She seemed really nice and her father blushed whenever their eyes met. The two were even dressed in sync as a biker couple with leather jackets and bandanas.
"Are you okay with this?" Ramona asked as they walked together ahead of the grownups. "I mean, Glimmer seems cool and all…"
"It's kind of weird," Beatrice admitted. She looked back to the foursome; they were talking amongst themselves and looked like they were getting along pretty well. "I don't know how to feel really, but it's nice to see my parents happy—even if it's not together."
Ramona put an arm around her. "You have me."
"And, you have me," Beatrice replied. "You're my best friend and my sister—always."
"Dad says, 'Always' to me," Ramona replied.
Beatrice smiled, hooking their pinkies. "So does my Mom."
They looked to see Dylan, rushing towards the house across the street from the Everdeen Home and Beatrice let out a small groan before following.
She looked to Ramona, her face heating. "I just want to warn you about this particular house—"
"Hey Bea!" A tall boy with bronze hair and green eyes stood before them in a karate uniform. His gaze rove through her black boots, pants with suspenders, then to her black and white striped top. Finally, he settled onto her made-up face and black beret atop her head. He tugged at her side braid. "I like your costume."
Beatrice wished that she was an actual mime.
"Thanks." She looked to Ramona, biting back her irritation. "Ramona, this is Jamie Odair."
He held out his hand to her friend and Ramona shook it quickly. "Any friend of Bea's is a friend of mine." His eyes went to Beatrice. "You know that I've been in love with her since we were kids."
Ramona turned to her reddening friend. "Really?"
"No, he's been a pain in my side since we were kids." She took Ramona's hand, going to her brother, who stood talking to Mr. and Mrs. Odair. "He loves to annoy me."
Jamie quickly caught them, putting an arm around her shoulders.
"Hands off!"
Beatrice and Ramona turned at the sound of both their fathers' synced shouts.
"Finnick," her mother called out to the handsome man with Jamie's coloring; he was dressed as Hercules. "I'd bring your son into the house if I were you."
"Sorry, Katniss," the man responded as he waved Jamie over. Jamie sheepishly joined his father on the porch. "Jamie just knows what he wants."
"But, Jamie knows better than to pursue a woman who doesn't want to be pursued," the dark-haired woman next to the Odair men said. "Hey Katniss! Hey Cato!"
Her mother waved to the woman. "Hey Annie!"
Her parents went to the porch to introduce Peeta and Glimmer to the Odairs.
"Bea!" A small girl stepped out of the house, rushing down the steps and going to her. "I'm a fairy!" She presented her pink dress and wings.
"Who's this?" Ramona asked with a smile.
"This is Arabella Odair," Beatrice explained. She eyed the boy on the porch, still gawking at her. ""Not all Odairs are irritating. This pretty girl, along with her parents, are the exception."
"Nice to meet you, Arabella." Ramona offered her hand. "I like your costume."
"I like yours, too! And, Bea's!" Arabella looked at Beatrice in adoration. "One day, she's going to be my sister. Jamie said so!"
"Bea is pretty great and I'd like her to be my sister, too," Ramona told the girl.
Arabella jumped up and down excitedly. "Then we'll all be sisters!"
"Bea…Ramona?" They looked to her mother on the porch with the Odairs. "Will you bring Dylan across the street?"
"Can I come, too?" Arabella asked before looking to her parents. "Mommy, Daddy—can I go, too?"
Mrs. Odair smiled prettily and nodded. "If it's alright with Beatrice and Ramona."
The two girls took the girl's hands as Dylan followed excitedly, looking through his candy bag.
Across the street, he rushed to the house next door to theirs while Beatrice followed after her brother, making sure that he didn't act out of line.
"Ramona, will you come with me?" Arabella asked.
Squeezing her hand, Ramona nodded. "Of course."
Together, they followed Beatrice and Dylan to the porch where Frankenstein's monster and his Bride stood talking to her friends.
Ramona's breath stopped short when a dark-haired boy with coal eyes stepped out of the house, dressed as a mad scientist. Their eyes met and she could feel the color rush to her cheeks.
"Ramona, are you okay?" Arabella loudly asked. "You're all red!"
Beatrice looked to her friend and then to the boy, who stood next to his father before answering for Ramona.
"She's fine." Stepping to her friend, Beatrice nodded at the family in front of them. "These are the Hawthornes." She beamed at her friend. "This is my friend, Ramona."
"Hi Ramona. I'm Gale," Mr. Hawthorne said easily. He looked to his wife then to his son. "My wife, Johanna and our son, Cameron."
"Hello…" Ramona managed to sputter out. "Nice to meet all of you." Her eyes went back to Cameron before looking to Arabella. "Did you get your candy?"
"Oh!" Cameron started, rushing forward to deposit candy into Dylan and Arabella's bags. Beatrice easily took a piece of candy from the plastic cauldron in his grasp. He stopped in front of Ramona, his eyes warm and causing her heart to pound. "Did you want one?"
"Sure." Ramona looked into the cauldron, quickly taking a piece. She gave Cameron a smile. "Thanks."
"I like your costume," Cameron said quietly. "It suits you."
She blushed at his words before looking to her friend, who was grinning madly at them.
"Alright, Casanova," Mrs. Hawthorne joked before going to them. "You've done your due diligence."
"Mom…" Cameron blushed though he grinned charmingly at his mother, before looking to Ramona and Beatrice once more. "I'll see you two around."
"Tell your parents we said hello," Mrs. Hawthorne added and looked to Beatrice. "Your mom wanted to recommend a great place to go shopping for furniture." Her hand went to her stomach and they noticed the tell-tale swell. "I've kind of gotten backlogged when it comes to baby shopping because of the move."
"No problem," Beatrice responded. "Nice to officially meet everyone!"
The Hawthornes waved before heading back into the house.
Beatrice looked to her friend, her eyes teasing. "What was that all about?"
Ramona chuckled. "Nothing! Now let's go bring your sister back to her house."
"I really like Glimmer."
Peeta looked over at Katniss, who sat in his passenger seat. "I could see that you two got on well."
"Yes, I like her even better when she and Cato take the kids out for dinner and let us have a night to ourselves," Katniss added. "Where are we going?"
"I wanted to show you one of my favorite places," Peeta said as he drove up a hill after making a turn into an unmarked road.
"This isn't going to be one of those horror movies scenarios, is it?" Peeta stopped the car and Katniss unbuckled her seatbelt. "We're all alone and making out…then some crazy person with a mask comes along and slices us to bits…"
Peeta laughed. "You really know how to set the mood." He stepped out of the car, rounding it before opening her door for her. "Come on."
Together, they trekked the small mound, heading towards a gated fence. Peeta went through his keys, unlocking the gate and letting her walk through. Katniss looked around the closed-off area that was surrounded by trees, intrigued by it all. She thought that she had been everywhere in Panem as well as District 12.
"Close your eyes," Peeta suddenly instructed.
"Now this is really like one of those movies."
She, however and with a loud sigh, closed her eyes.
It was not a long walk before Peeta stopped her and she savored the moment of silence, his hand in hers.
"Okay, open them."
Katniss did as she was told, her eyes adjusting as she let out a gasp.
Before her was an incredible view of the city, lights glaring from the main streets and she could see the borders of District 12 to her left. Far off, she could see the mountainous coastline of District 4. Turning around, her eyes caught the large grey building with the opening at the top.
"This is an observatory," Peeta said. "A friend of mine runs the place and lets me come up here when I need to paint or sketch in peace."
"I love it." Katniss twirled to look out at the view. "I forget how small I am sometimes whenever I see how big our town is."
Peeta's arms wove around her waist and Katniss leaned back against his strong chest.
"You're a giant to me. Superwoman, through and through."
She looked to him, gazing into his blues, dark and heady in the moonlight. "Thank you, Superman."
His hold on her waist tightened and Peeta's lips went to her neck, trailing along her skin.
"I want to give you the world," he whispered into the ear, playfully nipping at her lobe.
Her knees nearly buckled at the intense rush hitting her center.
"I don't need the world." Katniss turned in his arms, her gaze reaching. "I need you."
Peeta's hand went to the nape of her neck, steadying her so he could look into her eyes.
"Katniss, I'm falling in love with you."
Her eyes filled and she felt her mouth widen in a grin. "Good. I'm not alone."
Their lips met, hot and intense, full of whispered words and aching moans. She didn't how long they stayed that way, but it felt all too short as she let out a breath in-between their joining.
"Peeta…" Katniss' mouth went to his neck, marking him as his hands threw her cape onto the ground. "What do you think about unconventional places to have sex?"
He met her heady gaze, a conspiratorial smile on his kiss-swollen lips.
"I say that if you don't get caught, then good on you. And, if you do—you better have a damn good excuse."
She grinned, pulling him closer and feeling his heated skin though the thin fabric of their costumes.
"Are three children, a well-meaning sister, and an ex-husband with his new girlfriend at the nearest house a good enough excuse?"
Peeta was already laying her onto her cape. "I'd say so."
"I agree."
Katniss yanked him down to join her.
Song: Ma Cherie Amour-Stevie Wonder
And is Madge quite gone from their lives? Not even close.
Next: More from the Odairs, the Hawthornes, and the girls get a little closer to their plan.
