I don't owned all off the Hunger Games characters belongs to Suzanne Collins.
Based on Taiwan TTV and Korean MBC drama series, " Fated To Love You ". Very special thanks to JLaLa who introduced me to this wonderfull drama.
The Fate Entrapment.
" Choose between one life or the other ... ~~ Joker, The Dark Knight. "
Eleventh Note ~~ Silent jealousy.
There's always be a first time for everything. Every living creature couldn't avoided this kind of event, from the smallest bugs to a man that used to always know what he wanted or he's doing. It's the first time in his life, Gale feel so weak, helpless and so disoriented.
With one part of his conscience dragging him to Madge while the other kept pulling him to Katniss. He doesn't know what to do or even think about it.
Gale can't deny that he really enjoy the breakfast, lunch, and dinner Madge made for him but in the other hand, he couldn't expel Katniss's shadow from his dreams. He secretly picturing what is it feel like if the woman who joined him at the kitchen for breakfast is Katniss and felt so bad for Madge everytime he replied Katniss's texts or phone call and said that he missed Katniss a lot in the end of the conversation.
He felt happiness one day after he found Madge is surprised and excited when he decide to redecorate his study into a nursery room and wondering how could the swarm of happy feelings he felt is gone without any single trace as he woke up the day after.
While at the other side of the house, Madge is trying her best to understand him more. She's quite happy having him sat in the front of her every morning and evening in the kitchen and don't mind with just few words from his lips when it comes to necessary things they should talked about. At least, a part of him had returned to this house.
He accompany her to see the gynaecologist and take the initiative to care about her health. He made garlic chives ginger juice and white sugar vinegar egg as the doctor said to him in every morning to help her dealt with her morning sickness and that is far beyond she could ask from him.
She decided to do more for him. She learned his likings and surprised him at the mid month of January with Miners authentic stitch on number jersey, a big bowl of popcorns and home made hamburgers and fries.
" It's Miners's first play off games. ", she replied excitedly when Gale asking her about the jersey.
" Hey ! Is that Haymitch Abernathy signature I see ? ", Gale eyebrows knitted as he saw her turned around and exposing a big ten number and a signature signed across it.
" Uh - huh "
" But how ? ", he's knitting his eyebrows.
" Oh, I read an announcement at the library this morning that one of the Miners legend going to give a donation to the library this afternoon. So I got an idea and I thought you might like it. ", she turned to winked then flew to the living room and turning the tv on. " Come on, the game is about to start. "
" Oh. ", Gale clearing his throat. " Since when you're becoming Miners fans ? "
" Since the last Christmas I guessed ", she shrug. " Well, can't help it. "
Gale quickly withdrew into his bedroom, trying to dislodge the invicible bone fish in his throat.
The game is quite intensed with both teams take turn to scored. She catches his straight eyes to the screen and the rhythm of his fingers try to avoided hers when he reach to the bowl from the corner of her eyes but she doesn't care. She shouted when one of the Miners player managed to passed six players of the opponent team and snorted in disgust whenever the opponent team scored. Football and Miners is officially became her new fondness.
During the halftime, Gale surprised her when he seemed want to ask something to her. " Madge, are you - ", but then his pnone ringing. Gale looks like a little bit hesitate before he stood up from the couch and walked into his bedroom.
Gale joined her back five minutes after the second half started. " Who's called ? ", she ask.
" Oh, nothing.. ". Gale hesitate and continues. " Just an acquaintance. "
" An - acquaintance ? ", Madge closed her eyes and thinking if she's really heard him whispering Katniss when he passed her.
" What ? ", he ask her and she found curiosity sparked in his eyes.
" Nothing. ", she smiles. " I won't understand it anyway. Let just uhm, watch the game. "
xxx
But that nothing became something when the next day Gale texting her that he came late and likely passed the dinner because there's buyers from Europe he needs to entertain and Gale came home at six just to changed his suit and apologized to her for missing the dinner again.
By the third day, Madge realized that she do mind and again, New Dawn is always her favourite escapade. This time it's Willie turn to have a labor in the middle of their giggling and shared pizza. So Madge and Mrs. Coin carefully guide her to the car and thanked Mrs. Coin for kept reminding her to slow down with the gas pedal. After the longest three hours she ever felt in her life, Madge and Mrs. Coin joining Willow in her rejoice of the baby girl.
After dropping Mrs. Coin back at New Dawn and promised to pick up the girls tomorrow to visit Willie, Madge drove back to the town house. She's not expecting Gale to rushing downstairs when she hung up her coat.
" Where the hell were you ? ", he roared.
" At the hospital. "
His anger swooshed away, leaving him with that gut - hollow feeling as after an elevator drops too fast.
" Is - something wrong ? "
" Willie just had a six - and - a - half - pound baby girl. ", she turned on her heel, heading upstairs, but found herself swung around by an elbow.
Madder than ever at having been duped into thinking something was wrong with Madge, he barked, " Well, you could have called, you know ! "
" Me ! ", she yelled back. " Oh yeah, I could have called ! Why do you bother ! "
" I'm waiting for you ! "
" And I'm not asking you ! "
" Well, you sure as hell didn't make me feel anxious to leave. "
" The choice was yours, Mister Hawthorne, and I'm sure you won't suffer out in the cold. "
" No, I sure as hell didn't. "
" Oh, Did she let you paw her nice flat stomach all night long ? "
" What is it to you ? You gave me permission to paw anything I want of hers, didn't you ? "
" Right. ", she hissed. " Anything you want ! "
" Madge, let's not get into it, okay ? I'm beat and I - "
" Oh, you're beat ! Poor baby ! I'm didn't get two hours sleep last night worrying that some European buyers drove you out of your system untill you cracked up the Mercedes someplace and all the while you were with her and now you're coming home earlier crying that you're tired ? Spare me ! "
" I had to deal with some assholes from Europe. You assumed that. "
" I don't give a tinker's damn if you were with her or not. If it'll keep you off my back, fine ! Spend all the time you want with that Everdeen bitch. Only do me the courtesy of reminding me not to cook supper for you on your nights out, allright ? "
" And who the hell do you think cooked supper for you tonight ? "
Her eyes slid to the kitchen. Sure enough, there was evidence of a neglected meal all over the place. Madge didn't know what to say.
He raged on. " Just what do you suppose I thought when you didn't show up to eat it ? "
" I know what you didn't think - that I was out someplace with an old boyfriend ! "
He ran a hand through his hair, as if searching for control, then turned away.
" You'd better call your dad, she's worried sick. "
" My dad ? How did he get into this ? "
" I couldn't think of anyplace else you'd be and you didn't pick up my call, so I called his place. "
" Oh, fine, just fine ! I didn't called your mother to check up on you ! "
" What happen with dialling my number and just ask ! "
Gale stomped across the living room and plunked down on the davenport. " God, ", he said to the windows, " I don't understand what got you today. All I did is telling you that I'm gonna missed dinner for two nights. That's all I did ? Am I that low on your opinion ? And this, "
He got to his feet and started pacing back and forth. " I mean, look what we got in here ! A husband and a wife sleeping in different room ? This setup just isn't natural ! "
" And whose idea was it in the first place ? "
" Allright, granted, it was mine, but be reasonable, huh ? "
Her voice grew taunting. " What am I to you Clay ? Another conquest ? Is that what you're after ? Another notch on your - ", she glanced insolently at his crotch - " Whatever is your notch ? I should think you could do better than one banged - up, big - bellied loser like me. Listen, I plan to come out of this marriage with fewer scars than I had going in, and to do that I need to keep you away from me, do you understand ? Just stay away ! "
Suddenly Gale stormed across the room, grabbed one of her wrists and , in his fury, flung his other hand wide, exclaiming, " Dammit', Madge, I'm your husband ! "
Instictively she yanked free of him, covering her head with both hands, hunkering down, waiting for the blow to fall.
At the sight of her, dropped low in that crouch, the anger fell from him to be replaced by pity, which hurt - hurt worse than the thought that she couldn't stand being touched by him.
He dropped to one knee beside her.
" Madge. ", he said hoarsely, " God, Madge, I - I wasn't going to hit you. "
But still she cowered on her knees, sunken in some fear too big for him to fully comprehend. He reached out a hand to soothe her hair. " Hey, come on honey, it's Gale. I'd never hit you, don't you know that ? ". He thought she was crying, for her quivered terribly. She needs to cry, he thought, she needed it weeks ago.
He watched her knotted fists dig into the nape of her neck. He touched her arms. " Come on, Madge ", he gently, saying. " It's only a silly fight, and it's over, huh ? ". He brushed back a strand of hair that feel like a golden waterfall covering her face. He leaned down to try to see around it, but she clutched her head and bounced on her haunches as if demented. Fear tore through his gut. His heart swollen to twice its size.
" Madge, I'm sorry. Come on, don't ... nobody's going to hurt you, Madge. Please, homey, I'm sorry ... ". Sobs collected in his throat. " Let me help you to bed, okay ? "
Then something switched her back to reality. She raised her head at last, just enough to see him with one eye around that veil of gold. With i finite tenderness he promised, " I won't touch you. I just want to help you to bed; come on. ".
The tears he expected to see were not there. She unfolded herself finally, tossed back her hair and eyed him suspiciously. Her face wore a protective mask of expressionlessness.
" I can do it. ", her voice was too controlled. " I don't need your help. "
With measured movements, she rose and left the room, left him kneeling there in the middle of it with a knot of emptiness inside him.
xxx
After that Madge spent her evenings in the bedroom. She either watched her favourite asian novelas or did typing jobs on a card table she'd set up. When she had studying to do, it, too, was done in the same room where she slept. Like a snail, she crawled of into her shell.
After several nights of her incessant typing, Gale came to the bedroom doorway, stood there studying her back, wondering how to approach her.
" You're doing a lot of typing lately. Your professors laying on a heavy load or something ? "
Madge not bother to turn around. " I got a couple of jobs typing term papers. "
" If you had problem with shals, why didn't you say so ? ", he asked impatiently.
" I want my typing to stay good. "
" But you're got enough to do keeping up with your classes and things around the house without taking on more ".
At last, she looked over her shoulder. " I thought we agreed not to interfere with each other private lives. "
His mouth drew into a straight, hard line, then she turned back to her work.
xxx
The following evening when she was again facing her laptop, she heard the door slam. Her fingers fell stil, hovering over the keys while she listened. Finally she got up and checked the living room and kitchen to find him gone. She sighed and returned to the bedroom. But there's undeniably a lonely feeling about the place, lknowing he wasn't out there.
Gale got home around ten, offering no explanation of where he'd been, getting no questions from Madge. After that, he would leave occasionally that way, preffering not to face her indifference, or the isolation of the spare bedroom with the sound of peoples talking in strange languages or the steady sounds of a printer doing its jobs.
One evening he surprised her by returning home earlier than usual, coming into her hideout with his jacket still on. He dropped a small, plastic bag on the cardtable and she glanced up questioningly. He leaned from one hip a little, hands in his jacket pockets, only his eyes and hair picking up a faint reflection from the gooseneck lamp pointed down at the table.
" What's that ? ", she asked.
He eyed her from the shadows. " I ran out of blank checks and had to have some new ones printed. "
She looked down at the black plastic bag, pulling out a check book and a white, silverish card with her name imprinted beside the Visa logo. She opened the black plastic folder and this time, she found her name imprinted beside his on the top check.
" We had a deal, ", Gale said. " I'd support you. "
She stared at the paired names on the blue rectangle, reminded of their wedding invitations, for some reason. She looked up but his features were inscrutable above her.
" But not forever. ", she said. " I'll be needing it for the two summers ahead and recommendations from satisfied customers. I want to take these jobs. "
He shifted feet, leaned on the opposite hip. His voice was slightly hard. " And I want you back out in that kitchen and living room in the evenings. "
" I've got work to do, Gale. ", and she turned back to her laptop, dancing her fingers above the keys. He left the checkbook where it was and strode angrily from the room.
After he was gone, she leaned her elbows on the table and rested her face in her palms, confused by him, afraid - so afraid - of allowing her feelings for him to sway her again. She thought of the next two summers, the separation that was inevitable, and sternly began typing again.
The bedroom soon become cluttered with her things; piles of blank paper and manuscripts lying in heaps on the floor. Textbools, a tote bag, her artwork.
The fourth week of January passed and she spent most of it holed up, typing, while he spent most of his time in the company lab, which was always open seven days a week, twenty four hours a day for him, perfecting his second generation assault rifle and conducting a research for his first anti - material sniper rifle.
xxx
The first week of the dreary February came and passed by like the other weeks before it. During that times Madge couldn't stop to wonder where's the strong smell of something burned that her nose had caught from Gale's laundry basket every time she washed her clothes.
It's a week before Valentine and Hazelle called to informed her that she would like to had a private party to celebrate Gale's and her birthday party. " It's a very rare occassion. ", Hazelle said and to add more knots in her stomach, Gale came home in an evening with a dress and two tickets of Swan Lake, which held at the city hall at the end of February.
" You .. remember. ", she said, with the warmth expanding in her chest. She smiled to him.
" It's from Ma. ", he said nonchalantly, addressing to the tickets. " Ma kept asking me about what you like and I can't help it. Sorry. "
" I ... well, thank you, Gale. I'm sorry I have no gift for you. ", she said to the maternity dress, chuckling, but when she turned. She found him already disappeared.
The date of fourteenth came inevitably, while they were getting ready to go out. Gale was as stony as he'd been during the weeks since she left the checkbook. Madge had learned how lonely it felt to be the one on the receiving end of such treatment.
She put the finishing touches onher hair. Just then Gale came in the bedroom to rummage through his jewelry box for a tie pin which he seemed to forgot to carry along when he moved all of his clothes in the spare bedroom. From behind, he was tantalizingly thin and tappered in the new smoky blue suit withnits trim cut and double vents at the rear.
Gale swung around to find her studying him.
" I' almost ready. Excuse me. ", he said, edging around her briskly.
" I see that. Is that your new suit ? "
He didn't answer, just moved to the mirror to insert the needle of the pin through a new stripped tie.
" You always manage to look like an ad in The Capitol Cosmo, ", she tried.
" Thank you. ", he replied icily.
" And thank you for the dress, it fits, see ? "
" Good. "
She was stung by his indifference, which she should lready guessed where its came from, but still she asked. " Gale, you've hardly talked to me at all for weeks. What's wrong ? "
" If you don't understand it, I'm not going to waste my breath explaining. "
She knew it very well what was wrong, but it was hard for her to apologize.
" Gale, I know, I act ungrateful sometimes,but I'm not. And you and I had an agreement before we got married. "
" Oh, sure ! So why are you in here offering me compliments ? Why do I suddenly merit applause for how I dress ? "
" Oh, for heaven's sake, what's the matter with you, anyway ! I'm saying that because it's true. That's all "
" You want to know what's the matter with me ? ", he barked, whirling on her, accosting her face - to - face. " What's the matter with me is the same damn thing that was matter with me last week and the week before that and the week before that. It's you ! I don't know how to handle with you anymore. You've walked around me like I was some granite statue for weeks and now you suddenly start fawning over my looks, which are the same as when you married me ! You know what you are ? "
She had never seen Gale this angry. His face was suffused with color; the veins above his colar stood out boldly. " You Mrs. Hawthorne are a - ", but even as angry as he was he couldn't say it.
" What ? ", she yelled. " Finish it ! Say it ! "
But he got control of himself and turned away, tugging at his lapels and adjusting the knot of his tie.
" I was raised to speak with respect around females, so I'll refrain from using the four - letter prefix to the word - teaser. "
" How dare you, you bastard ! "
He gave her an insolent look in the mirror. " Take a look at what happens to you after few weeks of being ignored. You come in with your cute little compliments, just enough to keep me swimming after your bait, huh ? Do you know how many times you've warmed me enough to keep me interested ? I won't bother to recount them because you'd deny it anyway. But it's the truth. You've accused me of being the one exploiting you to boost my ego, but I believe the shoe's on the other foot. "
" That's not true ! I've never led you on ! "
" Well, at least I've been doing my husband job as well as I promised. Andyou ? What about you ? "
" Damn you, Gale. ", she growled, low in her throat.
" Go ahead, call me with everything you wanted so you don't have to face yourself. "
" You said ' it just an act ', when you asked me to marry you. "
" You're damn right. That's why I've decided not to harass you anymore. You want to locked up in your nutshell alone, fine ! But let's end this sweet little charade we play in between bedtimes okay ? I won't press for your attention, and you won't give me cute little compliments you don't mean, huh ? Let's just keep out each other hair untill the next two summer, like we agreed. "
xxx
There was nothing more in the world she wanted to do less than go to the Hawthorne Estate that night. Things become less tolerable when shortly after they arrived , so did Katniss Everdeen along with her date and her family.
Gale put an devoted - husband act, timing his repeated returns to Madge's side very assisduosly all night long,making sure she had whatever drink she wanted, making sure introductions were made where necessary, making sure she was never left at the table alone when every other woman was dancing.
Around his family Gale was the epitome of husbandly courtesies, but Madge lost track oh how many times he danced with Katniss. At two minutes before ten, Gale was dancing with his wife, but when the violinists broke into softer, mellow song and he kissed her, it was the most impersonal, tongueless kiss she'd ever had.
Furthermore, he had artfully maneuvered them near enough to Katniss and her partner that it appeared quite natural when they were the first couple to exchange partners.
Madge found herself pressed into the arms of a stocky, black - haired ma who solicitously refrained from embracing the pregnant lady too tightly. But while she and the dark man kissed, her eyes were open, watching Gale and Katniss sending a silent message into each other's eyes - long and tenuos - before enfolding each other in a painfuly familiar fashion.
Gale's hand caressed Katniss's bare back, his fingers spread seductively so that his little finger hooked beneath a green spaghetti strap, traveled up Katniss's shoulder blade and disappeared beneath her cascading hair. Madge dropped her eyes only to see Gale's hips pressed provocatively against Katniss's The couple broke apart momentarily, then Katniss laughed and half turned to Gale as she captured him again.
Now Madge could see Katniss's long fingernails glittering through Gale's hair. Unable to drag her eyes away, Madge watched as their mouths opened wide upon each other and could see a movement at Gale's cheek as his tongue danced into Katniss 's mouth.
Then, thankfully, Rory was there to claim a kiss from Madge. But he could see the way she fought the intimidating rush of tears and whispered, " Don't think anything of it, kiddo, okay ? We've all been kissing each other Happy Valentine since we were too young to know whatnit meant. "
Then Rory smoothly parted Gale and Katniss and moved in for a kiss. But Madge noticed when Rory kissed Katniss there was none of that open - mouthed business, nor did she run her glistening nails through his hair.
Before twelve o'clock arrived, Katniss and Gale were both mysteriously missing. Nobody seemed to notice except Madge, who checked her watch at least twenty times during the twenty minutes they were gone. When they returned, they entered carefully from the other doors. But Gale's tie had been loosened and she could tell he'd freshly run a comb through his hair.
xxx
During the rest of February, Gale began leaving the house in the evenings again, although he never stayed out overnight. He and Madge withdrew into their polite roles of roommate, and nothing more.
The spirited teasing they'd once shared seemed gone forever, and the consideration they both showing disappeared with the end of the Valentine day. When they were home at the same time, they never ate together, avoided even passing each other in the hall.
Madge visited her father at the weekend, raising no objection in Gale when she return home at Sunday without any called or text from her.
The night before balet she tried to reminded him of it, but without looking from the drawing board he hung at his bedroom, he just said that he wouldn't free to go with her and suggesting to inviting whoever she wanted to go to the balet. Madge took Mrs. Coin, but somehow the balet had lost its appeal.
Gale spent the night of the balet at home. Occasionaly his thoughts meandered to Madge, remembering her pleasure at receiving the tickets. He'd thought back that it would be fun to take her to see her first performance. Most of the time when he was alone he tried not to think of her at all, but tonight it was hard, knowing where she was.
There had been times during the past week, if she would have offered the slightest wsrming again toward him, he might have reneged and dropped the uncaring front behind, which he'd been posing. But he'd been hurt by her rebuffs too many times to approach her again. A man could stand being turned away only to a point before withdrawing a safe distance, or - better yet - going where he knew he'd find a positive response.
When Madge came home, Gale was drowsing in the living room with the flat - screen tv still on, watching him. He yawned, sat up and ran a hand through his hair. It had been a long time since they'd said anything civil to each other. He thought, maybe ... " How was it ? ", he inquired.
She glanced ober his tousled hair, wondering why he bothered to make it appear as if he'd been home all night when she hadn't the slightest doubt whom he'd been with. She kept her voice intentionally expressionless as she replied, " I didn't like the way you could hear the dancers' fert echoing on the floor every time they landed. "
Gale withdrew further into his force field barrier.
xxx
March came, bringing gray days that thwarted even the most blithe spirits. Madge decided to stay in school until the semester ended in the beginning of spring, but the chore became harder and harder as she grew heavier and more listless.
And in the town house in Merchant Valley, the refrigerator had nothing inside of it, cooking utensils lay forgotten in the shelves and the fire long gone from the stove.
xxx
To be continued ...
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Regards, Heinz