I don't know why I'm nervous. I've been trading with Peeta's father for years now, so it's not like I'm meeting him for the first time. It's his mother that I must be dreading. Everyone in District 12 calls her a witch, even Peeta doesn't deny it. I only hope that I don't loss my cool around her.
"Katniss, something's bugging you isn't it?" He stops walking and looks me in the eyes, when I try to duck my head he forces my chin up with his fingers.
"Is this about earlier? Katniss you aren't just some girl from the Seam. You're Katniss Everdeen, Victor of the 74th Hunger Games." He kisses me and I feel the stress seep from my pores.
We stand outside of the bakery and I don't want to go in, I want to grab Peeta and run back to our house in the Victor's Village or into the woods to my father's lake house. "It will be fine Katniss. Everyone will love you." I roll my eyes and Peeta just laughs.
We walk in and I can't help the moan that escapes my lips at the heavenly smell. Peeta wraps an arm around me and kisses my cheek.
"Should I be jealous of the buns Katniss?" I giggle and try in vain to swat Peeta away from me.
"You have no competition Mr. Mellark." Peeta smiles and whispers in my ear.
"Good Mrs. Mellark."
Peeta's father walks over and hug first Peeta then me. "Who would have guess District 12 has not one but two Victors in a Game and one is my son and the other the beautiful Ms. Katniss Everdeen." I blush and try to hide my face in Peeta's chest.
"Hope you kids are hungry. I put something special together for you." Peeta laughs and gives me a light squeeze.
"You could just feed Katniss the cheese buns and she'd be happy." I feel my blush rise again and I lightly hit Peeta on the arm.
"Well I've always known about Katniss' taste for them. I use to trade her father a rabbit for them." I smile because I remember my father bringing them home to me, he was always so excited about it. Peeta smiles and kisses my forehead.
"Rabbit is one of Peeta's favourite meat, but he likes your squirrel best." We both laugh and remembering a conversation on the train. We sit at the counter and Peeta hands me a bun. I take a huge bite that fills my cheeks.
"Manners Katniss." Peeta's impersonation of Effie is almost flawless. I swallow and retort,
"You're a Victor now. You must start like one." We both laugh and then we're called to the back by Peeta's father.
A small table is set with three chairs and I breath a sigh of relief. Good I won't have to face her today. We sit down to a simple dinner of ham, potatos, and beans...but I know for Peeta's father this is quite a costly meal. The conversations is light mostly stories about Peeta's childhood and his fascination with me.
"Thank you for dinner Mr. Mellark, it was wonderful." I laugh on the inside. Effie would be proud.
"Please call me Steven, your family now Katniss." I smile and see how Peeta's face lights up. "Before you two head off I have a gift for you." He walks into the back and returns with a foot long fork made of some kind of intricately weaved metal.
He hands it to me and I turn it over in my hands a few times. Then I notice the blush on Peeta's face.
"You know what this is?" He nods his head.
"It's a bread fork Katniss. There not usually this nice when they're used for baking, this one is for toasting."
"It's tradition in a bakers family that a father passes it on to his oldest son. This one is special, Peeta will be the first to use this one." I see a mixture of happiness and sadness on his face, and I remember Peeta saying that his father once wanted to marry my mother so he must of had this made for them.
We stand at the door saying our good byes, Peeta promising to come by in the morning to help. His father tells him to take a few days to settle in he can handle the work himself. We invite him to come by anytime for dinner or for a visit.
As we walk home Peeta holds the fork in one hand and me in the other. I feel sad for his father, who I believe still loves my mother. But I am happy that Peeta and I will be able to bring some happiness to him.
"We don't have to do it right away Katniss. Father just wanted to give us a present to celebrate our victory."
He doesn't want to rush me or maybe he is trying to give me time to run for my little home in the Seam never to return to the Victor's Village.
"I'm not running Peeta. I want to be here with you and nothing with change that."
This makes him smile because it's the truth. "I love you Katniss."
I stop and kiss him gently on the lips. "I love you too and tomorrow I'll go hunting and find us some rabbit and squirrel."