Sugar Cakes: I love Gadge. I'm obsessed. So glad you enjoyed it!
Autumn Black: Updateeeed! :) Thanks for reading
Chlollie: Thank you! Yeah I thought so too.
Madge looked up at Gale as they walked through the square. He looked down and smiled. "You alright?" He asked and stopped them so he could kiss her forehead.
People stared from their store windows at the exchange. And Madge made an effort to keep walking through Gale's grasp. "They're looking at us." She whispered.
"So let them." Gale murmured and stopped them. He smiled against her lips and tugged at her vest.
"Gale!" She cried and blushed. She kept her head down as Gale laughed freely.
"Don't be so uptight. You are pregnant after all and there's only one way of..."
"Stop talking!" She reached up to cover his lips with a hand.
"Making that happen." He said and licked one of her fingers. She let her hand drop and made a face at it.
"Gross." Gale laughed and pulled her towards him.
"PDA. Rape!" Thom called as he left the screen in the square. Gale rolled his eyes. "What are you two doing?" He laughed and stuffed his hands into his pants pockets. "Celebrating engagement?"
"Not yet." Gale winked. Madge groaned and covered her eyes.
"Oh! That's right." Thom snapped and pointed a finger at her. "You're pregnant." She blushed. "There's only one way to make that happen." He said looking over at Gale.
"Sex!" The two men hollered at her. She blushed and turned her back on them. Shuffling through the square.
"Don't let Uncle Thom get you down." Thom said catching up with her.
"Uncle?" She squeaked.
"Yeah, why not? It'll have to call me something. One more uncle is not going to hurt." Gale snorted and rested his hand on the small of her back. "Daddy doesn't seem to mind." He said and raised an eyebrow at her. "What do you say, Mommy?" Madge opened and closed her mouth a couple of times. Her eyes watered. This got real fast.
"Cut it out, Thom. I think you're freaking her out."
"She hasn't answered me yet. Bristel can be Auntie Bri. Then the baby will have two aunts! Grandma Hazelle... Yeah?" Madge could feel her hands shaking and her head started to hurt. She watched Gale's hands turn to fists. She tried to stop him but his hand was already burrowed into Thom's jaw. Madge stumbled back and became severely lightheaded.
"Gale!" She cried as her eyes rolled up and she fell to the ground. When she woke, she was surprised to find Mrs. Everdeen standing over her. She looked disappointed. "What happened?" Madge whispered and reached towards her head.
"You fainted. Are you aware that you haven't been eating or drinking enough?" Madge blinked up at her. "Well?"
"I've been eating and drinking." Madge said rubbing her eyes.
"Not enough. You have low blood sugar. This means you're potentially starving yourself because your body is feeding your baby." Madge groaned.
"Is that why I feel light headed?" Mrs. Everdeen nodded. "Where is Gale?" Madge asked.
"I had to force him to leave. He was asking too many questions. He would have fainted next if I didn't get him out of the house." Mrs. Everdeen rolled her eyes. "He left with Thom after I gave him ice." Madge sat up on the table. Just then the door burst open and Gale walked in, looking crazed.
"I couldn't keep him away!" Thom cried. Gale relaxed at the sight of wide-eyed Madge.
"You're alright!" He sagged against her and pulled his fingers through her hair.
"She has low blood sugar. Madge hasn't been eating or drinking enough." He pulled away from her and glared.
"I guessed that you weren't." He said. "Let's go ask Casper to make you a sandwich or two." Madge and Gale thanked Mrs. Everdeen profusely and left the house. Thom followed them out.
"How is your face?" Madge asked him.
"I deserved it." Thom shrugged. "I'm sorry." Gale smiled. They cut back through the square and entered town.
"Madge!" Delly Cartwright ran up to her. "I saw you faint." Madge blushed. "Are you alright?" Madge nodded.
"Yeah. I will be. Turns out my diet isn't healthy enough for the baby. I need to be eating drinking more." Delly smiled sadly.
"That's pretty scary." She said. "Don't let me get in the way of snacking!" She giggled and left the group.
"That... was weird." Thom coughed. Madge glared.
"Was not. She was just making sure I was alright. Oh gosh that's so embarrassing. I fainted... in front of everyone." Gale snickered.
"The only person who should be embarrassed is me." He told her. Thom laughed.
"Oh yeah. You should have seen and heard him." Thom pulled a horrified face, mockingly. "MADGE!" He reenacted. "Madge! Thom help me! She's hurt or something." Thom shrugged. "He had just punched me so I was still reacting to that so when I didn't help him he started shaking my shoulders."
Gale rubbed the back of his neck. "She gets it."
"Madge answer me! Can you hear me?" Thom continued. "I have to get her to Mrs. Everdeen!"
"Look- it didn't help when you asked me if she was breathing." Thom snickered.
"I couldn't help myself."
"That's horrible." She said to Thom. "Now, can both of you stop talking? Or else I'm going to take another dive into the gravel."
Thom paled, "sorry, talk to you two later." Gale wrapped an arm around her for stability. They walked up to her house and Gale opened the gate for her. Madge opened the side door and crashed in a kitchen chair.
"Casper, need food pronto." Madge said covering her eyes. Casper came out of the kitchen.
"Are you okay?" He asked. Gale sunk down in the chair next to her and rubbed her shoulders.
"No. Food. Please." She groaned.
"Do you want to lie on the couch?" Gale asked her.
"No." She shook her head. Casper brought out a chunky peanut butter and jelly sandwich and set it in front of her.
"There is more where that came from." He reminded her as she chewed and swallowed her first bite.
"Could you get her some water as well?" Gale asked as he watched her swallow another large bite. Casper nodded. "Thank you."
"What happened?" Casper asked as he set down the tall glass of water.
"Drink it all." Gale bossed when Madge took a small drink. "She fainted in the middle of town."
"Because she was dehydrated?" Casper guessed.
"And hungry." Gale said.
"That's my fault." Casper said.
"No it's not. It's all Madge's fault." Madge looked up and nodded. Her plate was clean.
"That's not good." Mr. Undersee said as he made his way down the stairs.
"No it wasn't." Gale said. Casper stood up and took Madge's plate.
"Would you like another one?" He asked her. Madge nodded again.
"Drink." Gale said and pushed her glass forward. Her father watched the exchange and sat down across from them.
"Will you stay for dinner?" The Mayor asked Gale.
"I have to get home." Gale said. "My family-"
"Can have dinner on me. I'll call the butcher and have him deliver meat." Gale was shocked out of words.
"Thank you and yes I would be happy to stay for dinner." Madge received her second sandwich. "Drink this." Gale glared and pushed the glass closer to Madge. She took a sip.
"Would you like to contact your family about dinner?" Mr. Undersee asked.
"Our family doesn't own a phone." Gale said making eye contact.
"We'll have to fix that. Tomorrow morning, I'll send someone over to install it." Madge looked up at her father, surprised.
"I can't afford it." Gale admitted. "Thank you for..."
"Have you thought about my job offer?" Madge reached over and squeezed Gale's knee.
"I have." Gale said curtly.
"Will you accept it?" Mayor Undersee asked.
"I will." Gale nodded.
"Very good. You can afford the phone and the house I picked out for you two in town." Madge spit her water out on her empty plate.
"Dinner is served." Casper set down a tray of buns with pulled pork and crumbled goat cheese inside. He placed a glass of barbecue sauce and took Madge's plate. He returned with three new plates.
"What do you think?" The Mayor asked Gale.
"I haven't seen a house for sale on the main road." Gale said shifting in his chair.
"The Parson's moved back into their jeweler's store second floor apartment. I couldn't help making them an offer on their charming house." Madge felt skeptical.
"They lived in the faded sage house next to the Cartwright's." Madge recalled.
"That's right." Her father nodded. Madge looked over at Gale's tight jaw.
"If I remember correctly it has two bedrooms, bathroom, a small kitchen and a bright living room." He looked down at her. "Not too large." She said.
"How can we not accept?" He said to her father and forced a shaking smile.
"I want a hospital birth as well!" Madge blurted. Gale looked over at her alarmed and dropped his fork back onto the table.
"Wasn't that the plan all along?" Her father asked taking a sandwich.
"Mrs. Everdeen wanted to have her delivered at the Hawthorne's house in the seam." Madge said looking down at her plate.
"Nonsense." Her father said, putting a napkin onto his lap.
"Her?!" Gale and Casper exclaimed. Madge blushed.
"I couldn't keep calling the baby it." She murmured. She bit into her sandwich and wiped the corners of her mouth with a napkin. The three men starred. "What?" She asked after she swallowed and took another bite.
Gale hid his smile as Caper said the obvious, "no wonder you fainted."'
"Yeah- no kidding." Gale said shaking his head. Madge raised an eyebrow and swallowed.
"What?" She asked again.
"You just finished two large peanut butter sandwiches and are now starting this one." Casper said and Mr. Undersee chuckled. Madge swallowed her newest bite. She looked over at Gale, who was smiling. She looked back at her more than half eaten sandwich. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she started crying.
"Whoa." Gale said and reached out to rub her back. "Holy hormones." He said to no one in particular. Madge cried harder.
"Time for bed...?" Casper said.
"Take her upstairs, make her comfortable, and then we'll talk business." Mayor Undersee said to Gale. The young man nodded and lifted Madge from her chair.
"Come on." He whispered as they climbed the stairs. "You're fine. Don't worry."
Madge sat at the edge of the bed and kicked off her shoes. Gale set her pajamas on the bed. "I'm going to die in those." Madge said looking at the red flannel pants and thick white t-shirt.
"It's winter." Gale said. "Wear them." He took her vest off for her and picked a hanger off the floor. She shifted and took her shirt off. "Can you get ready by yourself?" He asked.
"Yeah." She nodded. "Whatever my father asks you to do. You don't have to do it."
"I'm supporting my new family." Gale said and brushed a stray curl away from her eyes.
"Okay." She whispered.
"I love you." He smiled and nodded towards the bed. "Get some sleep. I'll be up soon."
"You're going to sleep here with me?" She asked surprised.
"Madge your father is moving us into a house. I think he'll let me stay the night." Gale closed the door behind him.
Madge blinked up at the ceiling waiting for Gale to return. She bit her lip and shifted under the covers. All she could think about was his hands on her. Finally, he slipped inside the room and started taking off his clothes and putting pajama pants on.
Gale crawled into bed and flopped onto his stomach next to her. She turned onto her side and smile. "You're awake?" He whispered.
"Yeah, I was waiting for you." She admitted.
"Why? I wouldn't have minded if you fell asleep. You do it all the time now anyway." He said and brushed hair out of her face.
"I don't know..." She shrugged and moved closer to him. He wrapped an arm around her and forced her under him. She kissed him slowly.
"... Should we?" He asked quietly. "Is that- okay?"
"Yeah." Madge giggled. She rolled her hips with his and kissed him again.
"Can you have sex when you're pregnant?" He asked and Madge rolled her eyes.
"Of course. Actually you have more sex when you're pregnant because of hormones." Gale bit her lip.
"Good." He murmured and rocked against her. He tugged up her shirt and she pushed it off the bed once it was off. His hand encircled her breast and she tried not to cry out.
"No." She whimpered. She covered them with her hands. "They hurt." She swallowed.
"Hell's teeth. I'm sorry." He said and stroked her cheek.
"It's alright." She whispered and kissed him until she was dizzy and had to breathe.
"I don't know what to do with my hands." He admitted with a laugh.
"Hold yourself up, you're squishing me." Gale faltered.
"Hell's teeth. I'm sorry. Are you hurt?" His hands smoothed out the skin of her stomach and she desperately want them to go lower. She groaned and ached back. "I'll take that as a no."
"Stop talking." He chuckled darkly and kissed along her jaw, down her neck, across her collarbone, between the swell of her breasts, down her ribcage, and his lips lingered on the left side of her abdomen. "Gale" she groaned, "stop paying attention to the baby."
"No..." He whispered and kissed back up her body to her lips. Her legs kicked his and Gale went to remove his pants.
"Take mine with." She demanded and raised her hips for easy removal.
"Hmmm. No." Gale said. His thumb circled around her abdomen and disappeared under the elastic of her pants.
"Gale." She cried. "Please." He removed the finger.
"What do you want me to do?" His eyes gleamed with amusement in what little light they had. She bit her lip and mewed. She arched towards him once more. His hand slipped between her legs and spread them apart slightly. She groaned and Madge could feel the desperate tears come to her eyes.
"Please." She groaned.
"Shhh." He reminded her.
"Gale." She cried. "Touch me."
"Shhh." He said again. He removed her flannel pants and let them drift off the bed. His fingers moved along her thigh. "God." He said as he found her center.
"I know." She groaned and bit her lip. "I've been waiting..."
"No kidding." He molded his lips with hers and pressed a finger into her until she couldn't get out a single breath. He removed his boxers and pressed into her fully. Her eyes snapped open and she groaned.
"Yes..." she whispered.
"Breath." He said and waited for her chest to rise and fall a few times. "It's important." He joked. She glared. "Are you feeling okay?" He asked and nudged her jaw with his nose.
"Stop." She sighed.
"At least I care." He hissed at her. "Some guys probably don't- at all."
"Then don't care." She said. "Stop thinking about it." He shifted and she groaned.
"I can't stop thinking about it... her." He said. "Can you feel it?" He asked. She shook her head. "Does it hurt to press on it?"
"Try." She said. He did. "Not really. It's tender lower, across here." She showed him. He made a face. "Mrs. Everdeen said I would start showing soon." Madge recalled.
"Noticeably?" He asked, surprised.
"Apparently." She nodded. "Gale don't forget what position we're in." She glared. He snickered and rolled his hips. Emitting a long groan, Madge relaxed into the pillows. In the morning, Gale woke first. He was on his stomach. He looked over at Madge. Her hair was crazed and she was breathing heavily. "What time is it?" She mumbled.
"Eight." He said, checking the clock. She groaned.
"I'm starving." She threw the blankets off her. "I'm naked!" She cried and dragged the blankets under her chin. He raised an eyebrow.
"So...?" He wondered.
"Close your eyes! Don't look at me." He laughed.
"Madge-" he rolled his eyes but closed them tight. The blankets flew off of him as she danced around the room, collecting her clothes. He looked over as she was dropping a shirt over her head.
"No peaking!" She cried and blushed.
"Are you finished?" He asked as she relaxed onto the bed.
"Yeah." She said and reached towards his bandaged back.
"Don't touch them." He warned.
"Sorry." She said quickly.
"It's fine." He sighed. "Will you find my pants?" She nodded and laughed. She threw his boxers at him, then his pants. He turned over and the scream died in his throat.
"Gale!" She helped him up.
"What was I thinking?" He asked.
"Maybe you weren't." She said and dragged her fingers through his hair. He pulled her over and set her on his lap.
"I don't want to get dressed and go downstairs." He whined.
"I'm really hungry though." She frowned and stomach complained loudly. She got up and grabbed out clothes. "I'm getting dressed in the bathroom." She announced.
"Are you serious?" He laughed but she was already gone. Madge turned sideways in the mirror. She pulled up her loose shirt and studied herself.
"Maybe a little." She whispered to herself and dropped her white laced t-shirt. She buttoned her jeans and dragged a brush through her knotted hair. She walked out of the bathroom. Gale was leaning sideways on the wall so it didn't touch his back.
"Breakfast?" He asked and took her hand.
"Yes please." She beamed and hopped down the stairs. Casper was setting out scrambled eggs and toast with jelly. He sat the couple down across from each other and served them. "Looks good." Madge said and rubbed her hands together. She took a bite and looked up at Gale.
"The games start today." He said, looking over at the television screen.
"I know." Madge said and looked down at her plate. "They'll live through the first day." She said quietly.
"Of course." He nodded.
"You two won't even be around to watch it." Casper reminded them.
"Moving day." Madge looked over, noticing the empty cardboard boxes stacked in the halls.
"I'm only bringing clothes… do we need to purchase furniture?" Madge asked and Gale raised an eyebrow.
"I would think that your father would have that covered. He's organized." Gale said and reached across for her hand. "You don't have to worry about a thing."
Madge looked up at the small house in front of her. The porch looked crooked and the stairs needed repairing. She opened the front door and walked in. Gale was talking to a few construction workers about cleaning the crown molding.
She walked through the small living room and into the kitchen. There was a rather large pantry and a small bathroom. She cut back down a hallway and found the two doors to the bedrooms. A queen sized rickety metal four-poster bed was in one and the other room was empty.
"Is this going to be your office?" Madge asked, stopping Gale in his tracks.
"No, I'm setting up the attic as my office. That's the baby's room." She looked inside and closed the door behind her. It had large windows on the back wall and let the light flow in. Madge imagined a crib in the center of the room and a floating mobile over it. "Are you ready for lunch?" Gale asked, peaking in at her.
"Yeah." She nodded and left the room behind.
Review. :S
Erin