Author's note: This chapter quite a bit longer than previous chapters. But it has some really great (awkward) interactions. There's also mention of constellations. If you know constellations and I mentioned some that wouldn't be in the sky over North America in December, please correct me.
Many thanks to my beta JavisTG. Go read her stuff!
Happy reading!
Chapter Twelve
Katniss followed Prim out to her car. Sam and Becca had excitedly talked about their morning and were now crowded around Gale on the couch showing him the arrow tips they'd found on sale.
"I need to tell you something." Katniss slipped into the passenger seat and waited for Prim to get in the other side.
"Okay, tell me then." Prim twisted in her seat.
Katniss stared out the window toward the house. "Gale and I… We decided to divorce."
Prim let out a gasp and gripped Katniss's hand. "Are you okay?"
"I will be." Katniss patted her hand. "We both have soulmates."
"No way." Prim's eyes were wide. "Who? Anyone I know?"
"Peeta Mellark. Callie's dad. You know Becca's bestie."
Prim's mouth opened and closed so many times Katniss thought she looked like a fish out of water.
Katniss took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "His is Madge Undersee."
"That asshole." Prim started for the door and Katniss pulled her back inside the car. "What?"
Katniss let go of her hand. "The girls don't know yet."
"Madge has been around for a while." Prim fumed "How long as he known? How long have you known? You would have told me."
Katniss took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. "He's known for about five years. I found out about Peeta when I met him a few months ago. I just found out about Madge yesterday." Tears sprang to her eyes. "How do I tell my girls?"
Prim let out a comforting sound pulled her close. "Come on, now. This will be okay. You're a tough person, Katniss." After a few soothing pats, Prim pulled back and asked, "Do you need somewhere to stay? We have an extra bed at our place."
Katniss wiped her eyes. "Thanks, but Gale's moved to the spare room until we work things out."
"If that's going to work for you." Prim nodded. "Just let me know if something changes. Rory and I won't mind. We can even have the girls for a bit."
Katniss nodded. "We appreciate it." She moved to get out of the car.
"I love you." Prim called after her.
"I love you too." Katniss called back.
Gale was in the kitchen with the girls eating an afternoon snack.
Katniss leaned in and whispered, "Let's rip off the Band-Aid."
He nodded and wiped his hands. "Girls, finish your snack and then come into the living room." He placed a hand on Katniss's lower back to guide her out of the room.
"I told Prim." Katniss said.
"I figured." Gale rubbed his hands together. "What happens next? After we tell the girls, I mean?"
"Tell us what?" Sam asked from behind them.
This is it. "Okay, girls, have a seat." Katniss said, a tremor in her voice. "Daddy and I have something very important to tell you."
"Are you pregnant?" Sam asked, barely hiding her frustration at the though.
Gale laughed nervously. "No, thank goodness." He held out his hand to Katniss. "But things are about to change."
Katniss slid her hand into his. "We want you to know that we love you very much. And we love each other very much. But we decided that we don't want to be married anymore."
Sam burst into tears. "No."
"Baby, it's okay." Gale said as soothingly as possible. "It's for the best. Mama and I want each other happy and that can't happen with us married anymore."
"Did I do something wrong?" Sam asked.
"No, baby. You didn't cause this." Katniss held out her arm and Sam curled onto her lap. Katniss let go of Gale's hand and held her tightly. "I love you, Sam-Sam. I love you so much. None of this is your fault. Okay?"
"Okay." Sam mumbled into her mother's shoulder.
"Becca?" Gale said. "What are you thinking, baby?"
"Does this mean we'll have two houses? My friend Olivia's parents got not-married and now Olivia has two rooms and lots and lots of toys. She says her Mommy and Daddy buy her affection, but she doesn't know what that means, just that her grandma always talks about it."
Gale patted his knee and waited for Becca to climb on his lap. "For now, we're still going to live together. I'm moving into the guest room to sleep. I'll still be here for bedtime and breakfast. But I'll move out eventually. We're just not to that point yet." He kissed Becca's temple. "We're always going to be a family, but it'll be a different kind of family."
Katniss looked over Sam's head to Gale and Becca. She gave Sam a little squeeze. "How about we watch a movie?"
Sam shot up off her mother's lap. "No, I don't want to watch a movie. This is the worst day ever!" She ran up the stairs, slamming the door to her room.
Becca looked between her parents. "How do you get not-married?"
Gale smoothed his hand over Becca's hair. "We go to the courthouse and fill out some papers and a judge signs them."
Becca nodded thoughtfully. Then she glanced at her mother. "Mama, are you sad?"
Katniss leaned over and kissed her temple. "I am. Because sometimes when things change, it's sad."
"Are you sad, Daddy?" Becca asked, turning her big grey eyes up to her father's face.
"I'm very sad, Becs." Gale continued to smooth his hand over her hair. "Like Mama said, things are changing. It's scary. But you and your sister are the most important thing to us. So we're going to do our best to make sure you feel safe and not sad."
"I'm not sad." Becca said. "You said you won't go anywhere. My friend Olivia is sad when she has to leave her mommy's to go to her daddy's. But I don't have to leave anywhere." She wrapped her little arms around his neck and kissed his cheek. "I love you, Daddy." She climbed off his lap and held out her arms to Katniss. "I love you, Mama."
Katniss gathered her up in a tight hug. "I love you, Becca."
Becca left the room leaving Katniss and Gale alone once more.
Gale stood. "I'll go talk to Sam. Unless you want to."
Katniss shrugged. "She's as stubborn as the rest of us. I doubt she'll even listen. But you should try." She looked at her hands. "We didn't tell them about the soulmates. That's probably going to be worse."
"It is." Gale rubbed his face.
She reached out and patted his hand. "I want to get Peeta and Madge here together. Lay out our boundaries."
He nodded. "That's probably a good idea."
She gave him a questioning look. "So what are they? Other than being alone?"
"I don't know. But I think that's the most important." Gale gave her a look that begged her to understand. "I don't want you to be with Peeta by yourself, without the girls or at least his daughter there. And I know you wouldn't feel comfortable for me to be alone with Madge."
"I wouldn't." She rubbed at a knot forming in her shoulders. "I think you're more nervous about Peeta than I ever will be about Madge."
"I don't know him well enough."
"He's been here, Gale." She fought hard to keep her voice from rising. "You've spent time with him."
"Not enough." He stood. "Katniss, I want us to do this right. More than anything, I don't want anyone to get the wrong idea. For our daughters' sake as much as our own."
"Okay. Then I don't ever want you behind a closed door with Madge. If you go to her office or she stops by your shop the door stays wide open." Katniss gave him a hard look. "Are we clear?"
"Crystal." Gale left the room.
Katniss stared after him. She could tell he wanted to fight and she felt it in herself. But it wouldn't help anything right now.
Peeta's phone rang as they were walking out of the bakery. He saw Katniss's name and stopped. "I'll be in in a bit, Dad." He answered the phone and walked around to the side of the bakery. "Hello?"
"Hi." Katniss said, letting the small word come out in a long sigh.
"Everything okay?"
"Getting there. We told Sam and Becca about the divorce. Sam isn't talking to us. Gale and I both tried."
"She'll be okay." Peeta assured her. "It's going to take a while, but she'll grow to understand."
"Maybe." Katniss sounded skeptical. "We haven't told them the soulmate news yet. Didn't think it would help matters."
"Probably not."
She took a deep breath and the sound let him know she was ready to move on to something else. "Have you told Callie?"
"Not yet. But I did just tell my dad. He's cautiously supportive." Peeta chuckled.
"Good." Katniss paused. "So Gale and I want you to come to supper tomorrow. Madge will be there too."
"Madge? That Gale's soulmate?"
"Yeah. So you and Callie want to come?"
"I'd love to. And I'm sure Cal would enjoy spending time with Becca." It was his turn to pause. "You want to come meet my folks?"
She laughed. "I guess I should."
"Let me talk to them. I'd like to have you and the girls over here soon." After their farewells, Peeta hung up the phone and walked inside the house.
"Daddy!" Callie called and threw herself into his arms.
Peeta laughed and lifted her up, spinning her around. He kissed her cheek. "Oh, Callie, I love you." He kissed her again. "I need to tell you something, sweetie." They sat together on the couch. "You know how Finnick and Annie are soulmates? You remember us talking about that and what it means?"
Callie nodded.
"Well, Daddy found his soulmate." Peeta said slowly. "And we're going to start spending more time with her and her family to get to know them better."
Callie's brow furrowed as she thought about it. "Are you going to marry yours? Like Finnick and Annie did?"
Peeta shrugged. "I don't know. She's got a husband right now."
"What's her name?"
"Well, this one will definitely make you happy." He leaned in. "It's Becca's mama."
Her eyes widened. "Really?"
Peeta nodded. "And we're having supper over there tomorrow. Do you think you'd like that?"
Callie nodded and ran into the kitchen yelling, "Grandma, guess what?"
Peeta took out his phone and sent a text to Katniss. Told Callie. She's excited.
Katniss responded just a moment later. About to attempt to tell our girls. *fingers crossed*
Peeta typed out his reply. Good luck. Then he wandered into the kitchen to see Callie sitting on her grandfather's lap jabbering on about the news.
Cara paused in her work and looked toward Peeta. "Is it true?"
Peeta nodded. "Yeah."
"Hm." Cara turned back to the stove.
"I really want you to meet her and her daughters." Peeta took a seat across from his father. "Cal and I are eating supper there tomorrow. Maybe they can come Sunday or Monday?"
Cara nodded. "I don't see why not."
"She's married." Conrad said.
Peeta gently lifted Callie off Conrad's lap. "Go to your room for a bit, Cal-pal."
"But I want to be here." Callie whined.
"Your room, Calliope." Peeta said.
Callie huffed and shuffled her feet out of the room.
Peeta sat back. "She is married. But she's getting a divorce. Her husband has a soulmate, too."
"She leaving her husband for you?" Cara asked.
"Definitely not." Peeta looked to his father's conflicted face. "Whatever happens, we're not jumping into anything. We're friends now. That's it."
Conrad stood. "How much longer, babe?"
"About ten minutes." Cara said.
Conrad nodded. "I'm going to rest my eyes." He walked into the next room and stretched out on the couch.
Cara said softly, "Sometimes talk of divorce brings up a lot of painful memories."
"I know." Peeta looked toward the living room. "Brings a lot up for all of us."
Cara tapped the spoon on the side of the pot and stepped in front of Peeta. "I met my soulmate when I was ten, did I ever tell you?"
Peeta shook his head. "No, what happened?"
Cara sat down and rested her hand on top of Peeta's on the table. "She was my best friend and we did everything together. We were always sleeping over at each other's houses and sneaking out when we got a little older." She swallowed. "But we had a falling out, and our bond couldn't keep us together."
"Did you ever make up with her?" Peeta asked.
"I tried a time or two, but we were both alternately busy. Then she passed away from cancer." Cara swiped at her eye.
"I'm so sorry, Cara."
She waved her hand. "It was years ago. About the time I met your father." She smiled nostalgically. "We helped heal each other."
Peeta patted Cara's hand. "Thank you for telling me. I can't even imagine how that would be. Katniss and I seem to have a pretty strong bond. I don't know if it's normal or not."
"I haven't experienced a whole lot of soulmates in my years, but some do seem stronger than others." Cara got up and pressed a kiss to Peeta's forehead before returning to supper.
Peeta watched her a moment before he went up to get Callie ready to eat.
"I don't know, Gale." Madge said as she paced from one room to the other, the phone pressed firmly to her ear. "What are Sam and Becca going to think?"
Gale sighed on the other end. "I don't know, Madge. They're still processing everything. It's a lot."
"Did Sam ever come out of her room?" Madge sat on the edge of her mattress.
"Only long enough to get food." Gale went silent.
"Well, maybe she'll get used to the idea." She suggested.
"You're holding off from suggesting therapy." He said softly.
She snorted. "You know me too well, Gale."
There was silence on the phone for several breaths.
Madge finally broke it saying, "Just keep trying to talk to her. And I'll see you at supper tomorrow night."
"I'll see you then, Madge."
Gale hung up first. Madge looked at the phone for a minute before she moved to plug it into the charger. She didn't have the chance to tell him she loved him. Maybe it was okay that she didn't this time. Gale and Katniss were going through a lot and she didn't need to complicate things.
"I love you, Gale." She said as she looked toward her phone. Then she turned to her freezer and pulled out a TV dinner.
Katniss knocked on Sam's bedroom door for what seemed the millionth time. "Come on, baby. Madge and Peeta will be here soon and I want you to sit with us and talk."
"I'm not coming out." Sam yelled. "You and Daddy can do what you want with your life and I'll do what I want with mine."
"And you want to be locked in a small room for the rest of your life?" Katniss countered. "Just come out for food and a little bit of exercise?"
"And what would be wrong with that?" Sam shot back.
Katniss laughed. "Well, it sounds a lot like prison to me."
After a few more seconds, the door slowly opened. "Will it make you happy if I come out for supper?"
"It would." Katniss reached out and brushed her finger down Sam's cheek. "You look just like your dad."
"I'm prettier than Dad." Sam said with a smirk.
Katniss laughed. "You are." She leaned in and kissed her daughter's forehead. "Can I tell you a secret?"
Sam nodded.
Katniss pushed the door open a little more and asked, "Can I come in?"
Sam moved back and sat on her bed.
Katniss joined her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "My mom, your Grandma Everdeen, she had this sickness called depression."
"You've talked about it before." Sam said. "That she was sad a lot and stayed in bed sometimes."
Katniss nodded and combed her fingers through Sam's hair. "I was about your age and it hit her pretty hard for a long time. Several months. And I had to grow up real fast. I took care of Prim and myself because my dad was working." She swallowed. "I want you to know this because I don't ever want you to feel like that. If you ever feel like you're not being treated like a kid your age, I want you to tell us, okay? Your dad and I might get distracted with all that's going on." She gave Sam a squeeze. "But we will always try to put you and Becca before all of that. So talk to me, okay?"
"Is it okay that I'm mad?" Sam asked in a small voice.
"Of course it is." Katniss leaned her head against her daughter's. "It's perfectly fine to feel mad or sad about all this."
Sam looked up at her mother. "Do I have to talk if I go down there?"
"No. But we would appreciate it if you are kind to our guests. Madge and Peeta are going to be around a lot more. We want everyone comfortable."
"What if I'm not comfortable?" Sam asked.
"You tell us and we'll figure out how to fix it." Katniss kissed her temple. "You only have to come down long enough for supper if that's all you want."
"Thanks, Mom."
Katniss stood. "Any time. I love you, Sam-Sam."
"Love you too, Mom." Sam said with a smile. The first since she'd come home the day before.
Becca called, "Callie's here!"
"I'll let you know when supper's ready." Katniss said as she stepped toward the door. "Unless you decide to come down sooner."
"We'll see." Sam said. "You can leave the door open, though." She picked up a book from beside her bed and opened it up.
Katniss walked to the landing and looked toward the door where Becca had thrown it open and was calling out to Callie. The line had returned. It felt like Katniss was reeling him in.
Callie hoped up the steps. The girls embraced and then ran to the back of the house.
"Get your coat, Becca." Gale called after them.
Becca ran back for her coat and then hurried out the back door dragging it behind her.
Gale walked over and held out his hand. "Hi there, Peeta."
"Hey, Gale. Good to see you." Peeta's smile gave just the hint of his dimples. He looked up as Katniss came down the stairs. "Katniss." He breathed.
Katniss held out her hand and Peeta took it, both of them letting out a sigh of relief as the charge rode up their arms.
"Madge is here." Gale said, stepping away from the awkward moment.
Katniss stepped back from Peeta. "Welcome to my home. Can I take your coat?"
"Uh, yeah." He handed her a box and then started to slip out of his coat. "I brought a pie. It's apple." He passed his coat to her.
"Thanks. Sam loves apple pie." She turned and looked up at the top of the stairs and called, "Peeta brought an apple pie. Still feels warm."
At a glance from Katniss, Peeta responded, "Yeah, just pulled it out of the oven before I came over."
Sam poked her head out of the door. "Can we have pie for supper?"
"Unfortunately, I put a lasagna in the oven nearly a half hour ago, so you're out of luck." Katniss grinned. "But pie for dessert if you eat the rest of your supper."
Sam huffed. "Fine." She made her way slowly down the stairs. "Hi, Peeta." She paused and looked out the open front door to see Gale and Madge holding hands outside.
They were standing close together, Gale in short sleeves and Madge bundled up in a coat. Their breaths came out in puffs in the chilly air.
Katniss called out, "You freeze to death and I get everything."
Gale looked over and grinned before pulling Madge toward the house. He leaned close to Katniss and murmured, "I'm planning on giving it all to you anyway." He shut the door and indicated Madge. "Peeta, I'd like you to meet Madge Undersee. Madge, this is Peeta Mellark."
Madge held out her hand. "Nice to meet you, Peeta." The two shook hands and she shed her coat, passing it to Katniss's outstretched hand. "Wait, Mellark? Like Mellark and Sons Bakery?"
Peeta nodded, a huge smile on his face. "Yep. I'm the youngest 'and Sons.'"
"He brought an apple pie." Sam said. Katniss was happy to see that the scowl was dropping from her face.
"Is that right?" Gale asked. "If those cookies you brought the last time were any indication, we're in for a treat."
"Oh, yeah." Madge said. "I go in the bakery once a week to pick up the croissants. They're so flaky. I eat off them all week."
"My brother Graham does those most of the time." Peeta said. "I usually do the sweets."
Katniss put the coats on a hook inside the closet door and then invited everyone into the kitchen. "The lasagna should be done by now."
Gale kissed the top of Sam's head. "Go tell Becca and Callie to come in and wash up."
"Yes, sir." She took a step and then turned back and wrapped her arms around him. "I love you, Dad." She hurried out of the house, calling for the girls to come inside.
Katniss pulled the pan out of the oven and noticing how her hands shook. She quickly sat it on the stovetop before anyone else saw. "Gale, will you get the salad out of the fridge?"
The girls came running in, shedding their coats on the way to the downstairs bathroom to wash their hands.
"Callie, is that where that goes?" Peeta asked her retreating form.
Callie stopped in her tracks and turned slowly. "That's what Becca did."
"Well, you're a guest here. Just because the host is doing it, doesn't always mean it's okay for you to." Peeta looked up nervously at everyone else.
"Rebecca?" Gale called.
"What?" Becca called from the other room.
Gale heaved a sigh. "Get your coat off the floor. You know better."
"Sorry, Daddy." Becca came back in the room drying her hands on the front of her shirt.
"There's a towel in there." Katniss commented as she took down the plates.
"It fell in the toilet." Becca picked up her coat and Callie's and brought them into the front room.
Katniss looked around the door frame to see her drop them by the front door. "At least they're not in the way." She said under her breath.
"What can I do?" Peeta asked.
"Just have a seat." Gale said as he sat the salad bowl in the middle of the table. "Katniss got everything else ready this afternoon. Nervous for some reason." He sent Katniss an encouraging smile.
"Yeah, I wonder why." Katniss chuckled and sat the lasagna on the table.
"So what do you do, Madge?" Peeta asked as he took a seat beside Callie.
"I'm Head of Social Media at Hawthorne Sporting Goods." She explained, sitting opposite him. "I'm in charge of the website and the Facebook page."
"Always taking pictures." Gale added. He finished sitting out the silverware and sat down beside Madge. He looked to Katniss for assurance before he got too comfortable.
Katniss gave him a small nod. "Help yourselves." She sat a pitcher of water in the middle of the table after filling the three girls' glasses and her own. The last seat available was between Gale and Sam as Becca had claimed the seat between Peeta and Madge.
Becca looked up at Peeta and asked, "Will you marry my mom soon so that Callie and me can be sisters?"
There were nervous laughs all around the table. Except for Sam who slammed her fist on the table.
"Mom and Dad are still married." Sam said through clenched teeth.
"I was just asking a question." Becca argued.
"A dumb one." Sam said, still glaring at her sister.
Katniss patted her hand. "It's okay, baby."
Sam jerked her hand away. "It's not! This is stupid." She got up and ran from the room.
Katniss moved to get up. "I'll be right back."
Gale placed his hand on Katniss's arm. "I'll try again."
There was an awkward silence as everyone finished filling their plates. Katniss put a little food on the plates to either side of her before filling her own.
"She said she wants to eat in her room." Gale sad as he came back in. He picked up her plate and glass and left again.
"I'm sorry." Peeta said, his brow creased in worry.
"It's not your fault." Katniss said.
Gale came back in and resumed his seat. "I thought you'd said something magical to her earlier."
Katniss shook her head. "I just told her about my mom. I thought it would help her a bit."
"Which part about your mom?" Gale asked as he poured ranch on his salad. "Because I doubt stories of depression are what she needs."
"I told her about what it did to me. I didn't put the rest on her." Katniss stabbed angrily at a leaf of lettuce.
"Sorry." Gale said softly.
"It's fine." Katniss mumbled. She looked over to see Peeta with his head bent down talking to the girls beside him. Madge sat pushing food around on her plate.
"Do you get breaks, Peeta, this time of year?" Gale asked.
Peeta chuckled. "No, this is the busy season. We close Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day, but that's it. And I'll have a lot of extra hours for the next month. Lot of yule logs ordered for Christmas celebrations. And we do offer custom gingerbread houses. I do all the decorating. Well, me and my dad. My brothers never could get a steady enough hand for it. They stick to the baking."
"Can I come see the bakery?" Becca asked.
Peeta smiled down at her. "I'd like that. I'm sure my dad won't mind, but I'll talk to him." He looked up between Gale and Katniss. "As long as you don't mind, of course."
"Not at all." Katniss said.
"Don't mind." Gale added.
The rest of the meal passed in awkward small talk, but it wasn't completely horrible. Katniss kept looking up the stairs hoping Sam would change her mind and come back down, but it didn't happen.
After they were done eating, Gale offered to clear the table and Madge volunteered to help. Callie and Becca ran up to Becca's room.
Katniss asked, "Peeta, would you like to get some fresh air with me?"
"Katniss." Gale warned.
"You can see through the window." Katniss said. "And we can even leave the door open."
Gale considered it a moment and then said, "You don't have to leave the door open."
Katniss got their coats and she led Peeta onto the back porch.
"What's all that about?" Peeta asked as he leaned back over the railing to look up at the stars.
"We made a deal not to be alone with our soulmates until after the divorce is final." Katniss explained, leaning on the railing a few feet away. "Do you know the constellations?"
"Yeah." He lifted his hand and started pointed. "Cassiopeia, Cetus, Taurus." He chuckled and put his hands in his pockets. "I was a Boy Scout."
She was impressed. "A Boy Scout, huh?"
"Yeah, for a while. Never made Eagle, but I was close." He laughed. "What about you? Do you know them?"
She smiled and pointed. "Perseus, Eridanus, Draco, Ursa Major." She looked over to him. "My dad taught me. Sam and Becca don't really have the patience for it, but I taught them a few. The dippers, at least."
They looked up at the stars for a while longer in silence. Katniss glanced inside to see Madge and Gale laughing about something.
Peeta followed her gaze. "You can take your time. This isn't going to be easy."
Katniss shook her head. "It's not." She looked over. "What was your wife's name?"
"Alex." He said, a sad smile lifting one corner of his mouth.
"How do you think Alex would react to this?"
He thought a moment. "I think she would be supportive. I don't think divorce would be the first thing either of us thought of. I loved my wife. I loved her a lot. I'm still in mourning for her."
"I wouldn't expect it if she were still around. We could be friends." He pointed at the window. "But I'd have to for that. Look at them. I'm so clueless that I never noticed it before. I just assumed a few times they were having an affair. I'm not very…" She swallowed. "It takes me a while to get into the mood in the bedroom." She looked down.
"You don't have to tell me anything else." Peeta assured her.
Katniss glanced up. "Those dreams did something to me, Peeta. And I used him selfishly."
"That's not entirely your fault, Katniss." He assured her. "I had the same reaction. If I had a willing partner, I probably would have acted on it the same way." He slipped his hand into hers. "You can't blame yourself."
Katniss wiped at a tear. "Thanks."
Peeta squeezed her hand. "Any time." He looked down at his watch. "Cal and I should probably head out."
"Okay." She nodded and pushed off from the porch railing.
"Can you and your girls come over for supper at our place next?" He asked as they walked inside. "Monday?"
"I think we can do Monday." She opened the back door.
"Great." He walked to the stairs and called up to Callie.
Madge took that as her cue and made her farewells at the same time. "Thanks for the invite."
"Yeah, we should do it again eventually." Peeta said as he helped Callie into her coat.
"Should probably give Sam some time to get used to it, though." Katniss commented. She looked up the stairs to see Sam peering out of her room. "Gonna say bye?"
Sam responded by slamming her door.
"Well, there's that." Katniss said with a sigh.
Gale placed his hands on her shoulders and squeezed gently. "She'll be okay."
Everyone froze for a moment at the intimate gesture. Katniss stepped away, holding the door open as everyone left.
"That was so stressful." Gale said, flexing his fingers. "Sorry about, uh…"
Katniss shrugged. "I think it will be a while until that's no longer a natural response for you." She headed up the stairs. "I'm going to try again with Sam. Wanna start the bedtime routine with Becca?"
"I'm on it." Gale said as he followed her.
