"Laila!" I yell up the stairs. "Laila! Hurry up!"
We are going to be late for the concert. Haymitch was meant to meet us in town with everyone ten minutes ago. "Laila!"
Peeta comes into the room in his nicest tuxedo. He's the one who's most worried about being late.
"Peeta, go tell you daughter to hurry up. You're the one who want us to be there on time!" I say and he sighs and runs up the stairs into Laila's room. I hear them talking.
"Daddy, I'm nearly ready!"
"Come on Laila, your keeping everyone ready! It's selfish!"
"Okay, okay! Let's go!"
They both come down the stairs. Laila looks stunning, but way too grown up for my taste.
Her long black hair is in a messy bun and she has heavy makeup. Her pink dress is way too tight and it barely covers her bum. There are no sleeves and she's showing off too much of her chest as well.
"Did I say you could go out looking like a prostitute?" I say to her as she reaches the bottom of the stairs.
"What? Why don't you like my outfit?" She says so innocently.
"Too grown up. Way too grown up." I say.
"Oh god leave it Katniss! Were late as it is!" Peeta says ushering me out of the door.
Laila slips on her black duffle coat and black heels and comes strutting out of the door.
"Well, it's not like your covering up, it is mom?"
She says so matter-of-factly.
"Move. Get in the car." Peeta pushes us as he shuts and locks the front door.
It's true. I'm not covering up. I'm wearing a black dress that's just as short if not shorter then Laila's, but it has long sleeves. The neckline does go down a lot though.
"Um, I'm a thirty three year old women, you're fifteen! I can wear what I like, and you have to wear what I say is suitable." I tease
"Mom!" She whines as we file into the car.
Peeta slides in the drivers seat next to me and starts the car so quickly that my door is still open.
"Whoa! Peeta slow down!" I say as he speeds down the road.
"Daddy, who's going to be there tonight?" Laila asks.
We are going to this concert in town. It's not the sort of music I particularly like, but we have to go because we 'Represent the district' apparently. Laila's been looking forward to it, though, so I try and act enthusiastic. She really has developed a love for music. Ever since she was little she always liked listening to it. I think she's got that from me.
"Well grandpa Haymitch of course, Gale, Johanna, Robyn and Roxy, and… oh! Annie and Finn."
I peer at Laila in the rear view mirror as a smile creeps onto her face.
"Oh. Okay." She says trying to sound un-interested.
"Laila?" I say cheekily. "Are you dressing like that to impress Finn?"
She sounds shocked but is smiling from ear to ear.
"No! I don't like Finn. He's too…"
"…sexy, funny, handsome?" I say trying impersonating her.
She laughs and starts blushing.
"No mom! I don't like him. Really." She says and I look behind my shoulder at her. She is looking out of the window trying to stop smiling.
I turn back around.
So, Johanna seems happy." I say to Peeta.
He quickly looks at me and then back at the road.
"Yeah, yeah she's good. She came down to the bakery the other day with the twins. Their nice kids! Nothing like either Johanna or Gale!" He says.
I sigh. "Peeta, their both lovely people so their kids are bound to be lovely too."
He rolls his eyes. "Yeah. Really lovely."
"Stop it. Don't be so unreasonable."
"Oh, I'm the one being unreasonable. She tried to kill you and he tried to rape-"
"Peeta!" I scold and he quickly shuts up remembering Laila's in the backseat. She pokes her head around Peeta's seat.
"What happened? What happened daddy?" She asks
"Oh, nothing sweetie." I say shooting Peeta an evil glance.
"Mom, you can tell me! Please! What happened?" She pleads.
Luckily I have gotten very good at the whole 'stretch the true' lying to kids. When Laila was younger, she would ask questions like, 'What were those noises coming from your room last night mommy?'
And I'd say, 'Oh we were just watching a movie,' or 'daddy was just messing around. I'm sorry we woke you.' When she got older, we had to be a bit quieter though. She would ask us questions like, 'How did Finns dad die?' and, 'Why does dad have those weird fits sometimes?' I just say, 'Let's not talk about it,' or, 'Sometimes daddy gets angry and just has to calm down.' I can say, 'Oh, he was eaten by a pack of rabid, screaming lizard mutts while we were on a mission to kill the president of Panem.' And I definitely cant say, 'When the Capitol was evil, they took daddy away and hurt him, tortured him, interrogated him and scared him so much that he forgot he loved me and he wanted to kill me.'
So I just say,
"You know daddy and Gale don't get on. We just had an argument once and daddy got annoyed at him."
She nods and carries on looking out of the window.
About ten minutes later we pull on the curb near where Haymitch is. I get out of the car and walk round to Laila.
We then walk up to greet Haymitch.
"Grandpa!" Laila says, running to hug him.
"Hey sweetie. My, you are a stunner." He says retuning her hug.
He loves her so much. You can see it in his eyes every time he sees her. She absolutely worships the ground he walks on as well.
"Don't you think it's a little too grown up?" I say.
He rolls his eyes. "The things your mother used to wear when I was her mentor! She spent half of the Quarter Quell waltzing around in only her underwear!"
This makes her laugh.
"Laila!" Someone calls from behind us.
I turn around and see Finn, looking as handsome as ever walking up to us.
He's a good kid. Looks identical to Finnick. He doesn't care though, what he looks like. In that way he is more like Annie.
"Finn." Laila says, walking over to greet him.
Haymitch sighs as she leaves his grasp. "Loves me then leaves me." He says.
I laugh breathily and go over to greet the others.
"Annie!" I say, giving her a kiss on the cheek.
"Katniss, you look beautiful!" she says.
"Thank you. You know, Laila has a bit of a thing for your son." I say quietly.
"Really? Well he'll be happy to hear that. Laila this, Laila that, it's all he can talk about! The other day he said to me, 'When is your next mental check up? I want to go stay at the Mellark's!'" This makes me laugh. Annie was diagnosed with Schizophrenia when Finn was one. He stays at our house sometimes when she has check ups at the mental hospital.
"Aw. Well, he is one good-looking kid. Good genes." I say.
"She's a beauty as well, you must be so proud."
We both look at them, laughing, flirting, chatting and don't mention how weird it would be if the dated, or got married and had kids.
Peeta comes walking over, talking to Haymitch. He gives Johanna a hug and just nods 'hey' to Gale.
"Annie!" He says, giving her a hug.
I turn around and se both Gale and Johanna.
"Hey Catnip!" gale says and I hug both of them in separate arms.
"How you doing?" Johanna says un-interestedly.
"Oh, I'm good. You guys? How are the twins?"
Johanna huffs. "When does it get easy Katniss?" We all laugh. "Never. I'm still finding it hard."
Gale and Johanna got married about eight years ago, when thy found out Johanna was pregnant with twins. They seem happy, and I feel happy for them.
"Well, shall we go then?" Peeta says ushering us all towards the concert hall.
"Yep lets go. Laila!" I turn around and call for Laila. She comes running up in her too high heels.
Laila take Peeta's hand and I take the other one. We walk down the street in a line behind the others.
"So Laila." Peeta says. "Finn seems to like you a lot." I can feel the smile on her face.
"I hope so. I mean… um… really?" She says. I laugh because that is the worse covers up I've ever heard.
"Ah my baby girl." Peeta says and kisses her head.
I rest my head on his shoulder and he kisses it. Finn keeps peering behind his shoulder, trying to catch a glimpse of Laila. If any other boy were to be this flirty with my daughter, I would mind. But because it's Finn, it's okay. He is such a nice guy and no one is good enough for my daughter, except maybe him. I respect him a lot. It must be hard to have never met your dad and to have to support your schizophrenic mother.
"Just don't get pregnant Laila. Okay?" Peeta says.
"Dad!" She says shocked.
"What? I don't want you to make the same mistake we did." He says.
"Oh, so you're saying I was a mistake?"
"No! No, I'm just saying a baby's hard work. Your still a virgin right?"
She sighs in embarrassment.
"Yes dad."
He laughs. "That's my girl."
He then kisses my cheek and I turn my face so our lips are touching. His teeth gently bite my bottom lip and I groan quietly.
"Ewe!" Laila says looking at us disgustedly. "Can you guys not make-out in public. Please?"
Peeta and I both laugh and stop kissing.
"I love you Mellark." I whisper into his ear as we walk.
Right now, I feel like the luckiest person in the world. Because of Peeta, I have the most beautiful daughter. I have the best life I could ever have wished for. Because of Peeta, I am whole again.
THE END!