Chapter 28-
Katniss's POV
TWO MONTHS LATER-
Five days after our day in 12, Annie, Finn and Wendy got back onto the train and headed back to 4. It was sad to see them go, but we know that they were going to return back to 12 for the birth of the second Hawthorne child. Twelve days after that, I was admitted to the District 12 Hospital with extreme abdominal stomach pains. I was injected with something to bring my stomach to the correct size it should for the growing rate of my child. It was identified that our baby was growing at an astronomical rate. It was said that my due date was brought closer by a month at the growing rate. It's unknown if that will be the case as the due date grows nearer.
The pain I felt was excruciating from the baby's movements. Then when the kicking came, it was something I had never experienced. I could feel the multiple injections as Leevy and other nurses pushed in the injections all at once. I remember crying out and wanting the pain to stop. Peeta wasn't allowed by my side as all this occurred. He was forced out of the restricted area I was taken too as he was not allowed access. Peeta was in the waiting room for hours as he awaited to be able to return to my side. All I wanted was for him to be at my side as everything painful things were being done to me. I wanted him to hold my hand and tell me in his deep, throaty voice that everything was going to be okay and it was all for the best. But, it never happened. I just laid in pain hoping to God our baby and I were going to make it through the night, also from all the procedures being performed on us. I know Peeta was hoping exactly the same things.
I woke up two days after first being admitted, Peeta by my side. He told me that the procedure was a success, my stomach stretching out to the correct size for the baby's growth rate. They fed me some vitamins and minerals through more injections which would help the baby. With other injections Peeta approved of being done as well, though they have been currently unknown to me. That afternoon after I woke up, Leevy performed an ultrasound. All good things came from that ultrasound. My oldest friend said my stomach would now continue to grow with the baby's growth. The baby was extremely healthy and may possible start slowly down it's growing, but that's still undetermined at this early stage. And since the baby has been growing at an abnormal rate compared to others we know, it's genitalia was formed. Peeta and I decided that we wanted to find out what I was carrying, what was going to be the gender of our newest Mellark. So, we got Leevy to tell us.
"Congratulations, Katniss and Peeta! You are having a very healthy and big bouncing baby boy!"
At that moment when we found out I was carrying a little boy, I was filled with joy. Any worries about myself and Peeta having to raise a boy after our late sons, Hunter and Ash, all flowed from me. I was only consumed with happiness and the possibility to start over. I know that Peeta, Willow and myself are going to make this little boy the most loved and most grateful of all children in the world. I cry as I look at my little boy on the screen. I cry at the little boy who I already love so much. I just never realised because I was so caught up in fear of him dying like Hunter and Ash did so tragically. My little boy who I know will be safe under the protection of Peeta and myself. Safe and loved dearly by our little girl who will soon be a big sister again to another little brother. I know she was once upset about getting another sibling, that we were replacing Hunter and Ash. But, I know that once she sees him for the first time, she will instantly fall in love. As I did for Prim, I can feel that is how Willow will love her little brother instantly just as I did.
When I got home a couple of days later, we showed Willow the video and the pictures of her baby brother. She was in awe watching him, it made Peeta and I so relieved. When we told her she was getting another brother, she wasn't angry like she was before. She was overjoyed. She must have had the same kind of epiphany that I had now knowing that she has a little baby brother on the way. She started jumping up and down, saying all the things that they are going to do together. She even came up and for the first time, she placed her hands on my stomach. She even started talking to her little brother, her hands pressing softly as my stomach was still sore from being stretched using medical procedures. I started crying at just feeling her little hands upon my stomach, finally and officially accepting her little brother. Peeta wrapped an arm around me and pressed a kiss on Willow's fore head, placing a hand on my stomach also. It was relief and happiness that I fell asleep to that night, the weight of now knowing that Willow has accepted the baby. I couldn't feel more relieved.
We started painting and setting up the other bedroom a month later. Peeta and I didn't dare to touch Hunter and Ash's room. It's kind of like Prim's room in the house across the road, the memories of them being in there is still fresh in our minds. Eventually we will probably empty the room and use it for something else which could be of use, but considering that we have another spare room for the new baby, we should be fine for the time being. So, the room will stay locked, the key hidden so we can't stumble upon it unless we absolutely needed it. In the meantime, we continued to think of ways to make the new baby's room different to the boys room. Within a few days, all of Peeta's wood work skills came in handy. He built yet another crib, curving more intricate designs into it just like Hunter's and Ash's cribs. Making everything out of darker wood unlike Hunter's and Ash's which were lighter. We even considered mahogany, but we went for a darker wood. In order to make this little critter growing within me something to look and think about without thinking about our deceased sons.
In the start of this month, July, aside from my stomach growing bigger as the months go by, the Victors' Village became a permanent home for one of our friend's oldest caregivers. Riv, Jo's oldest and most reliable friend boarded a train and came to Jo's side for the remainder of her pregnancy and a few months into the little girl's life. Jo was extremely happy. Apparently she wasn't expecting for Riv to come over from 7. She kept ringing her up and telling her the details about the pregnancy over the phone, but apparently it just made Riv want to come even more. So, she got on a train and came to 12. I'm not sure if Riv also coming into the picture for the hardest time during the pregnancy was anything easier for Gale. He had just gotten better at dealing with Jo and her hormones.
Now adding Riv into the mix, it'll be super stressful, I bet. I talked to Gale about it, but apparently Riv is more here to help with the pregnancy than anything. So, she is not being as extreme as she was back in 7. I think it became something good for Jo. Jo was very happy when she came here to 12, almost like a daughter is when her mother comes. I know that Riv is somewhat of a mother figure to Jo, but it's weird seeing Jo act like how she does with Riv around. Jo loved her very much and everyone can see that. Now, it's been two weeks of Riv being here and Jo has been so happy. And if Jo is happy, the whole Village is happy. Apart from that, nothing else extreme has happened since then.
Sky has been getting better. She is now able to move her arms and she is almost ready to start her physical therapy for her legs. As soon as Sky is moving around the best she can, Harrison will be leaving for 10. It's going to be sad to see him go. We've all grown to love having Harrison around, he's pretty much family now. Effie has told me on numerous occasions lately that he never leaves her side, still to this day. He falls asleep every night at her side, holding her hands with his head resting against the bed. Effie checks in on her all the time, making sure that she is okay and sometimes just staying by her side because there is nothing else in the world she would rather be doing. Effie tells me her pains of watching her daughter in pain as she does her physical therapy, the pain she sees when Sky is sleeping, all that pain. I cannot tell you another time I have seen Effie so vulnerable. It makes me upset knowing how upset she can get from it, even more from Haymitch. Haymitch and Effie are so lucky to have each other, they are each other's rock. They are what they need to survive, what they need when they are upset, everything. I relate when I think about Peeta and all the things that he has done for me in the past, I know definitely that he is my rock. He always has, always will be. Nothing he can do or what I could do could actually change that.
It's a dark night in the middle of July, it's hot and sticky. I cannot sleep in anything less than a singlet and panties or a nightgown, I sleep tonight in a nightgown. Peeta and I cannot even cuddle up because we are so sweaty and sticky that being pressed up against each other is just uncomfortable. It's nights like this that I wish we had some kind of cooling other than the breeze coming in from the open windows. I also wish that I haven't grown to need Peeta's warmth surrounding me in order to sleep because I cannot so anything but wish that he was. So, I have not been able to sleep properly and the baby has also been making that hard with the still constant need to get up vomiting throughout the night. So, I have been running on like no sleep throughout the days and nights. I don't even know the last time I got a good night's sleep. Possibly when I was in hospital from our son's extreme growing patterns, yet I cannot exactly pinpoint when. All I know is that I am extremely looking forward to a cold night soon. I never thought that I would think those words, but here I am thinking those words.
I'm awoken by a scream. I jolt awake, not actually being in a deep sleep in the start. I jump up from the bed and I go running towards the screaming that continues to be called out through the house. I find myself at Indigo's door and I run in without a second thought. I hear Peeta's hurried steps behind me. I get to her bed and I watch little Indigo thrashing around in her bed. I start calling out her name, but she continues to thrash around and cry out in pain. I notice that Peeta is also doing the same thing beside me, we exchange looks and we can kind of guess what she could be dreaming about. She has to be dreaming about something from living with the horrible adoptive parents of herself and Sky. She keeps screaming, 'Stop!'. I breaks my heart to hear her like this and if this is as deep as one of my old nightmares and like the ones that Peeta also gets, I know that it will be hard to get her out of this.
"What's going on with Sky, Daddy?" I hear Willow say from the doorway.
Peeta and I look over to the doorway, seeing little Willow in her pyjamas holding onto her sea turtle from Annie and Mum. She has a very worried look on her face and it looks like she could almost burst into tears. I nudge Peeta and he gets up from the bed and goes over to Willow, picking her up and assuring her that everything is going to be okay whilst walking her back in the direction of her room. I turn my attention back to Indigo now that I know that Willow is going to be okay in the hands of her father. Indigo continues to thrash around and I do the only thing that I can possibly think to do in a situation like this. I jump into her bed and I lift her out from the covers and I take her onto my arms and start to rock her back and forth, saying her name and whispering things that could possibly bring her from this horrible dream she is trapped in.
A few minutes pass, her eyes fly open and she comes to the realisation about where she is. She starts crying, burying her head into my shoulder and holding onto me tightly. I hold her for what seems like forever when I realise that she isn't crying anymore. I pull her back from my body and I look down into her eyes, brushing back her hair.
"Do you want to talk about it? I know that it's better to talk about it then keep it all bottled up." I suggest.
She shakes her head.
"Do you want to talk to Peeta about it?"
She shakes her head again.
I let out a sigh and I let my head drop as I try and think about the things that we could possibly do to make her able to go back to sleep or at least happier. My mind sorts through some ideas, but they all wouldn't work for a ten year old or they wouldn't do anything for her. I run out of ideas and I look back down to her and her eyes are looking distant with tears dropping down onto her cheeks.
"What do you want, Indigo?" I ask, brushing her tears away and running my fingers through her hair.
"I want Mummy… I mean, Mandy."
I look over at the door and conveniently Peeta stands there. I look at him with wide eyes, telepathically asking him to help me. He nods his head at me and then he pipes up,
"Do you want to me to call Mandy and Wayne and ask if they can come over here?"
Indigo turns her head and she nods into my chest before turning her head back and wrapping her arms around me tighter. I bring my hand up to her head, running my fingers over her hair. I look over at Peeta with worry and concern in my eyes, I watch his eyes as they also reflect the same things. He nods his head a few times, obviously just realising that Indi nodded her head. He takes off down the hall and I listen to his loud footsteps as he descends down the stairs. I look over at the clock which sits on the wall, I squint and read it in the dimly lit room with the moon and the light on in the hallway being my source of light. The clock reads 1:51am. I sigh at the thought of how late it is, or early. I know that Indigo asked for Mandy, but I can't help but feel guilty that Peeta is calling them and waking them up. But, after all that has happened between Indigo, Mandy and Wayne in the past few weeks, I think that Mandy and Wayne would do anything for Indigo.
As I hear Peeta's voice softly downstairs through the different materials holding our house together, I start to think back to all the things which have happened with Mandy, Wayne and Indigo since Annie, my mother and Finn went back to 4. Indigo started spending heaps more time with them, going over to their house for the day, going into the bakery with Peeta and helping Mandy and Peeta with the cooking in the kitchen, small things like that. I know that it made Indigo happy when she hung out with them. It made Wayne and Mandy even more happy. Mandy always look so much more excited and ecstatic when she sees Indigo. Also when I have talked to her on and off when walking into the bakery, she tells me that Wayne and herself are so much better than they were before. They actually act like a couple and it couldn't be more of a triumph knowing that I helped save a marriage and a life of a child which is soon to be theirs. After talking to Wayne and Mandy more on the subject on adoption, they are so excited and they just want to get it over and done with.
So, Peeta and I got into contact with Beetee and we asked him to start looking into adoption agencies and to see where we could get it all finalised, even if we have never done anything like this before. After hearing the story, he gladly accepted and he got onto it right away. We still are forever grateful for Beetee finding out that Celestia was the one who donated the money to keep our little Ash with us that little bit longer. We still keep in contact with her, we send her letters, sometimes even call. She plans on coming to 12 maybe before our little boy is born or after. She has just taken some high-class job under the careful watch and supervision of Paylor and Plutarch in the Governing House. She's said she is extremely happy about being offered the job and that she is happy that they are going to give her a chance even if her Grandfather was a complete psycho, to put it plaining. So, to sum that up, we are in the process of seeing if Indigo can be adopted by Mandy and Wayne. All that we have to get is the okay by Beetee and the Government who will make the final decision, then Mandy and Wayne will ask Indigo if she wants to be their daughter officially.
Heavy footsteps cloud my thoughts and I am brought back to my senses in time to see Peeta walk into the door. He comes over to the bed and he kneels down next to the bed, placing a gentle hand of Indigo's back.
"Mandy and Wayne are coming as quickly as they can." He announces.
I feel Indigo's head nod against my chest and I hear her sigh deeply. I press a kiss onto her head and I keep smoothing down her hair and soothing her in whatever way I can possibly think of. Peeta lays his unoccupied hand onto my thigh and he rubs it in a comforting way. I look up at him and he closes his hands and rests his elbow onto my knee, placing his hand on his fore head and rubbing out the creases forming. I take one hand from Indigo and I place it in Peeta's hair, running my thumb across his fore head.
We sit in silence for a little while, knowing that soon enough everything is going to be okay. I feel the baby move inside me and it makes me bite my lip at how sudden it is. I take a deep breath and I let it pass. I have come to love the baby moving around inside, it makes me think about the fact that the baby is moving at all and showing signs that he is alive and healthy within my womb. I want to pat my stomach to try and settle him, but I know that I should be putting all my attention towards Indigo and not for something that I don't really need to do. Peeta looks up at me and I ask,
"Is Willow asleep?"
He nods his head. I feel Indigo's head move in my chest and she looks over at Peeta.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake everyone up." She whispers.
"Indigo, you're absolutely fine. We never get much sleep either from our nightmares from the Games and everything else surrounding it. You're okay. Willow was just worried about you and why you were screaming." Peeta explains.
"I'm sorry I scared Willow."
"She'll be fine. She's asleep now anyways."
"I feel guilty…" She sighs.
"Don't. You have done nothing wrong at all. Nothing at all. Katniss and I understand completely."
She doesn't say anything else. She just buries her head back into Katniss's chest.
The sound of voices outside of the house is what brings us to our senses. Peeta gets up from the ground and he goes downstairs to open the door.
"Mandy and Wayne are here." I whisper into her hear.
"I guessed. Who else would be walking around the Victors' Village at this time?"
I think over that and I know exactly who.
"Haymitch. He would before when he used to be drunk out of his brain. I remember waking before the Quarter Quell to him stumbling and yelling out at this time and even later. Jo could have even done that too. Before she the Quell and before she met Gale."
I get a little chuckle from her, but them it comes silent aside from the quite muttering which happens from the level beneath us. I hear pairs of feet stumbling up the stairs and running down the hallway before Mandy comes running into the room. Her hair is wild and in a messy bun atop of her head. She wears a long-sleeved white shirt which comes past her hips with three-quarter length leggings and slip on shoes. She looks extremely worried and concerned as she looks at myself who stills holds onto Indigo. Indigo turns her head over and she sees Mandy. Mandy's face drops even more as she looks at Indigo for the first time. Wayne and Peeta come in behind her before she can utter a single word.
Wayne's brown hair, dishevelled atop of his head, his green eyes- dark in this light- showing the same concern that Mandy's are. He goes to grab onto Mandy's arm when she steps forward and she comes over to the bed. Indigo turns around in my arms, looking at Mandy before squirming out of them. Mandy opens up her arms and she wraps them around her, I hear a whimper and I can only guess that Indigo has started to cry again. Mandy leans down, pressing a kiss to Indigo's head. I hear her choke out a sob and Wayne is instantly at their side. I rub all three of their backs before I walk away and out the door to Peeta. I wrap my arm around his waist and he wraps his arm around my shoulders. We head downstairs and I sit at the table while Peeta turns on the kettle. I can tell that we probably won't be getting much more sleep tonight. I run my hands over my hair and I come across my hair tie holding in my braid which is a complete mess. I pull it out and I run my fingers through my untangling it.
I pull my hair over my shoulder and I play with the ends as Peeta comes over to the table. He rubs his hands over my shoulders and I let out a sigh. I throw my head back and let it rest against Peeta's stomach which is now covered with a shirt. His fingers trail up my neck and he starts running his fingers through my hair and rubbing my temples. My eyes fall shut and I take deep breaths.
"The only thing… The only thing I cannot stop pondering is, what… What could she have been dreaming about? If she has been through as many things as Sky has, it leaves so many possibilities open. I just… It's hard on me with my nightmares! She's almost been through as much as we have! I just… I cannot even… I just…" I stutter.
"I know."
"She's only a little girl!" I exclaim, my eyes fly open and they lock straight with Peeta.
He looks at me sadly, all I can concentrate on his how dark his blue eyes are at this stage in time. I make the connection that Wayne's were darker than they usually were as well. Maybe it's the situation that has messed with our systems and made their eyes that darker colour. His eyes are always beautiful to me, so it doesn't matter what situation it could be in.
"Katniss, I know she is. She is a very strong little girl and we all love her so much. But, you have just gotta think that she doesn't want to tell us because she doesn't want to have to relive it in another sense. You get what I mean?"
"Yeah, obviously. But, I know better than anyone that talking about it actually helps. Why wouldn't she tell us? She knows that she can tell us anything."
"Maybe she doesn't want to talk about it because she knows we haven't been in a situation like what she has been in. The only person that has been close to what she has is Sky. And if she wants to talk to her about it, I know that Sky will help her at the touch of a button. I know them. Every little girl and little boy in this Village and others are extremely strong and we will help them in whatever ways they want. But, sometimes you just don't need to talk about it to others. Alright? You know that as well as anyone also."
Why does Peeta have to been so smart? I don't understand how he managed to get such a beautiful sense of words and everything like that. He is just something that everyone in the world needs. He compliments everyone and everything. He is just amazing. But, the thought of him using his words for others in the world makes me feel sick. I don't want people using him for his words or anything like that. Peeta is mine and his words are mine and are for those we love around us. God, I just love him so much. I reach up and I stroke his chin, running my fingers over his jawline.
"Stop being so much smarter than me, Peeta. I don't appreciate it." I mumble.
His lips curl up and he leans over and presses his lips to my fingers.
"It comes with watching you since I was five years old." He retorts nicely.
I smile and then I shut my eyes again. I run my hand down my stomach before I press it onto the table and lift myself up from it. I place a hand on my waist as I walk to the backdoor. I unlock it and step outside.
A hot and quite pleasant breeze hits me as I walk out from the hot house. I sit myself down onto the back steps, looking out into the night. I let out a deep breath and I take in the fresh air out here. I've only ever sat here at night before the Quell. After the Games when I couldn't find anything which would make me calm down from my horrific nightmares. Coming out here and just breathing and looking out past the stars made me extremely calm and I could just sit out here and watch the trees swaying through the first big whiffs of wind of the day. When I say out here, I mean at my old house. I wouldn't break into Peeta's house just to come and sit on his back steps when I had some of my own. It's just, being here is more home than anything I have ever had before. Peeta is my home and he is the thing which makes me calm, cool and collected, in the end anyways.
There is so sound of anything awake outside of our home except us. There is so sound of anyone else awake and that is always good knowing that people are sleeping when they are supposed to. Not saying anything like I am ungrateful that Indigo woke us all up, I am grateful. I know how hard it is to deal with nightmares alone and how much I need someone I love there talking me out of it and making me come back to my sense. Even if our situations are different- meaning what the nightmares could be like- we are similar in the way that we need and want someone to be there and help us out. Even if at some times, it doesn't seem like it. I am always in gratitude towards Peeta as he helps me through whatever time that I need him for. And I know that I am the same towards him.
The door behind me swings open and Peeta's heavy footsteps walks up to me and I feel his warm body sit next to me. He places a hand upon my thigh, I take it in my hands and I interlock our fingers together. I lay my head down onto his shoulder, taking a deep breath, He moves his hand which sits between my hand, pressing it to my stomach. I feel movement within my stomach instantly. Peeta has always had that kind of effect on our children as they grow within me. I don't know what it is, maybe just knowing that it's its father's touch. I do know that he hasn't been as active when Peeta touches my stomach. The biggest effect was with Willow and everyone knows how much she loves her Daddy. This son seems to react mostly when I touch him. I do not understand the things which happen like this. I just do not know what the foetus inside me is actually thinking or anything like that. He could feel a deeper connection with me than with his father, who knows? I know I don't.
Peeta keeps his hand upon my stomach and he places a kiss on my head. We continue to look out to the darkness surrounding us. The birds as well as the sounds of a summer night are peaceful and they could lull me to sleep.
"Do you know what, Peeta?" I say into the darkness.
"What, Katniss?"
"We should sleep out here. It's nice and quiet. It's not extremely hot out here like it is in the bedroom. Why don't we have a camp out here on the back veranda tomorrow night. We might actually get some shut-eye." I suggest.
I can almost hear the ticking going around in his head. I can almost hear the wheels ticking around in his mind about my newest suggestion. I cannot tell if it is such a good suggestion or not, but if he doesn't like the idea, I'll just come out here alone. I know that Willow and Indigo would love to have a camp out here.
"I think that sounds like a good idea." He finally answers, whispering each word in my ear.
I look back at him and I smile. He gives a smirk back before he presses a kiss to my lips. He kisses my cheek before I move my head back to rest against his bicep.
We sit for a few minutes more when the door behind us slightly creaks open. Peeta and I turn back instantly and I see Wayne standing before us. He stands in the spot with the door open and pressed against his shoulder. He runs a hand through his hair before looks back down to us. I can see something in his eye, but I cannot pinpoint what it could be about. I think that it could be about Indigo, the timing would be perfect for whatever he is thinking and if it was about Indigo.
"Wayne? What is it?" I ask.
"Can we talk over a drink please?" His voice sounds somewhat pained, his talking in monotone.
Peeta gets up and then pulls me up with him.
"Yeah, sure."
When sitting with a hot green tea, he begins.
"Beetee called this morning when Mandy was at the bakery. He said that he managed to find someone to help with the adoption."
My eyes bug out.
"Really? That's great!" I exclaim.
"Wow, congratulations! Now, all you need to do is to ask Indigo if she wants to be your child." Peeta states.
"Thank you. Yeah, I know Mandy would really want to ask straight away if I told her…"
"Wait! You haven't said to her that you have got conformation?" I interrupt.
He nods his head. Peeta and I look to each other, eyes narrowed before we look back to Wayne.
"Why not?"
"There a slight change in the agreement that we had offered, apparently with the company that we have been accepted with."
"What is it, Wayne?"
He takes a deep breath, letting all his frustrations out before he lets them out completely.
"There is apparently now a huge fee that we have to pay. And we won't be able to pay it unless we save for a year."
I look at him and I instantly feel for him. The agreement was no fee as that should be illegal, but apparently not. The agreement was that we would sign her off along with the Abernathy's as they were first to say they were going to claim custody of her for the time being before Sky's accident, before letting them sign it and then it being processed and accepted. It was simple. This obviously complicates things. Not everyone around us is made of money like we are. Johanna and Gale have winnings from the Games. Haymitch and Effie has theirs. Annie and my mother have both the amount I give to my mother every month and then Annie's winnings too. And then Peeta and I are even more wealthy than everyone else as we have two lots of winnings between us. Except for the three lots of monthly money that we give to Thresh, Rue and my family. We are always missing out on remembering that's others don't have the wealth that we do.
I look over to Peeta and I find he is already looking this way. I look back to Wayne and I instantly say,
"Don't even think about it. Peeta and I are instantly willing. We have too much money…"
"No! Mandy and I would not accept your money."
"Well, we have too much money waiting there to be used. We may as well give it to someone that will appreciate it for the rest of their life and not just for a short amount of time."
"I can't think about you doing that. You've already done for much for her, to get her to this point."
"Yes, we have. And we will be more than willing to do that for her. Indigo is like a sister to Willow. If she understood this kind of thing, she would be begging us to pay for it. We want to do this for you, I don't want you guys to miss out on the things which you want more in the world. Let us pay for whatever you cannot, because then you will get the happiness that you deserve."
Wayne smiles and he nods his head.
"Thank you, Katniss, Peeta."
We both nod our heads at him and Peeta grabs my hand on the table.
Wayne brings his hands to his face and he rubs his eyes, taking a deep breath. Wayne chuckles, letting his hands drop from his face onto the table. He has his eyes closed with a wide smile across his face. When he opens his eyes, there is a shine over his eyes, tears.
"Wayne…" I start.
"I'm fine. I'm fine." He starts, a smile across his face as he wipes under his eyes.
"It's just… Ever since I was a child, I've always wanted children. That's one of the reasons that I became a teacher in the first place. I love kids and just being around them more made it somewhat better until I got one of my own. It's been my life-long dream, so when I find out that Mandy couldn't conceive, I was heartbroken. But, I love Mandy so much that I couldn't just leave her for that. I would never be so shallow for something that she had no control over. I love her so much and when we couldn't get any kind of conformation from adoption agencies, I just lost all hope of ever having a son or daughter. That's when Mandy and I almost broke up, because I couldn't imagine not having someone other than Mandy to love for all eternity. Then Mandy came home, a week after I took a trip to 6 to see my family without Mandy, she told me about Indigo. That night when she told me about Indigo, I had never been so happy in my life since meeting and marrying Mandy."
"Meeting Mandy in 6 was the best thing that ever happened to me. As soon as I met her, I saw my life fall into place, with her being the only thing that I needed in my life. I've loved her since we first went out, but as soon as I saw her, I just knew that my life was going to turn around from what it was before. But, when I heard that Indigo may be my daughter if everything goes right, I had never felt so happy in my life. I'd always wanted a daughter. When I first met her, it was kind of the same thing as what I saw with Mandy. I saw my life after that, with Indigo in it. I have been looking forward to the possibility of her becoming my daughter since Mandy first said that she could be. So, when we did get the clearance of being able to adopt her after everything we have found out about her, I was happy. I look at all the children that I work with in the school and it just made me want one even more. But, even with that job, it was hard trying to get the money for it. But, since you have just insisted on paying for that which we cannot, I am over the moon. The thing I have wanted for pretty much my whole life, I am now going to get with the woman I love. Thanks to you guys, if Indigo says 'yes', we will have a daughter. Finally."
I can only smile at Wayne. From what he has just said, it makes me happy that Peeta found Indigo in the house with her ex-adoptive family all those months ago. If Peeta never found her, then Wayne and Mandy's relationship would have gone down into the drain and nothing could have stopped that. Indigo is their ray of light, as they are to her. I can only begin to think about how Indi must think about Wayne and Mandy. Considering that she wanted only them when she woke up from a horrific nightmare, she must have large feelings towards them. Hopefully she likes, more hopefully love Mandy and Wayne enough to accept their offer for a proper adoption. I hope she does, because if not it will hurt Wayne and Mandy more than she could possibly know. But, I doubt that she will have anything against going with them, especially after an incident like this.
Peeta clears his throat and it makes me come back to my senses. I look at him and he turns his attention back to Wayne. Peeta has a smile on his face and he must be thinking over all the things that Wayne had said, that or something like what I was thinking. I cannot think about anything else which could be thought about this, but who knows what Peeta could be thinking. He has a mind like no other, an incredible golden tongue, so he could be thinking anything right now. He always seems to know what to say and how to say it.
"Wayne, I cannot even begin to think about what you have been through, without being able to conceive a child with Mandy. Katniss and I have been luckier than most. I cannot imagine where we would be today if it wasn't for Willow being conceived. The thought of not being able to conceive would be something I cannot imagine or begin too. But, the fact that we, Katniss and I, have been able to help you with getting a child, I feel something like… triumph. To have been able to bring a child back from a horrible place and to have a normal childhood for the first time, to then have you meet her and want to adopt her properly, it makes doing this even better than what I felt before."
Wayne nods his head, smile and then says,
"And you have no idea how happy that makes myself and definitely Mandy feel."
I reach over and take Wayne's hand which sits on the table and I give it a squeeze.
"Only the best for you guys." I remind him.
I let it go after he squeezes my hand back. I let my hand drift slowly into my lap when I feel a little kick in my stomach. I take a deep breath and hold my hand against my stomach, my thumbs rubbing against the little excavated skin. Wayne gets up and he heads towards places his mug into the sink. He walks past us, giving us both a squeeze on the shoulder before saying,
"I'm going to go and check in on them."
We both nod and he walks out of the kitchen.
I go and put my mug on the sink too before Peeta gets up and we walk into the lounge room. He wraps an arm around me when we settle into the couch, rubbing my shoulder. My hand lands on my stomach, becoming more of an instinct now that my stomach has grown so much since it was before. It's still nothing like when I was carrying the twins, but it's still hard work carrying a child. But, it's so much of an achievement to know that I am carrying a happy and healthy baby within my womb. He makes me have some of the worst mood swings in the world, have the weirdest food craving, but I love him so much already and I haven't even seen what he looks like aside from an ultrasound. Willow has grown more towards the baby and it makes me happy knowing that he already is having a lasting and happy effect on everyone.
As soon as we seem to get comfortable on the couch, footsteps are descending down the stairs again. Wayne walks into the lounge and he has a soft smile on his face.
"What?" I ask.
"Mandy and Indigo are asleep." He announces.
I let a smile cross my face as well, knowing that Indigo is better from her nightmare. Hopefully she has said something about it to Mandy so she isn't holding it all in.
"Would it be alright to get some blankets so I could sleep on the floor? I don't think that Mandy would let us leave now." Wayne asks.
"Of course. We have a mattress that we can bring into the room as well." I continue.
"I can get the mattress if you get blankets and pillows with Katniss." Peeta offers.
His offer is more of a statement more than an offer, so I nod in agreement along with Wayne. Peeta gets up first and then helps me up from the couch.
Wayne and I head to the linen cupboard on the second floor and we walk into Indigo's room quietly. Peeta is sorting out the mattress on the floor, leaving a pathway between the bed and the mattress. Wayne takes the blankets from me and he sets up the bed, despite my quiet refusals. I look over to Indigo's bed and I see Indi's little mop of ginger hair laying against Mandy's chest. Mandy's arms are wrapped around her and she has one of her hands laying upon her head, keeping it on her chest. Mandy has a very peaceful expression planted on her face. I can tell how happy it must make Mandy and Wayne that Indigo asked for them, even if it was early in the morning. I look away from them and look back to Wayne who has now finished the bed. He looks over to the two in the bed also and he has a big smile on his face.
"For almost the whole five years Mandy and I have slept in the same bed, she's almost always got a slight frown on her face. I haven't seen her asleep and look peaceful for so long." Wayne mumbles.
I lay a hand on his shoulder and smile.
"We'll leave you alone now." I whisper, squeezing his shoulder.
"Treat this as you would your home. You're welcome to anything you find." Peeta states.
"Sure." Wayne chuckles softly.
"We'll see you later on." Peeta continues, taking my hand and heading towards the door.
"Night." Wayne replies.
I pull the door behind me, leaving it cracked.
I tell Peeta to go to bed and I venture into Willow's room just to check in on her. An old habit that I never will let go. I walk to her bed and I look her over, seeing that she is asleep. I run my hand through her hair and it startles her instantly. She looks up at me, sleepily. I can't leave myself to leave her alone in here tonight. So, I scoop her up in my arms and hush her from saying too much. I hold her on my shoulder and I balance myself. Willow is getting bigger and heavier for me, especially with the extra baby weight pulling me down even more. But, I will still pick her up, not matter how hard it truly gets. I walk out of her room and down into Peeta's and my room. I set her on the bed and she crawls into Peeta's arms instantly. Before I even get into the bed, Willow is asleep again. Peeta smiles at me and I crawl into bed and snuggling in behind Willow. I kiss her fore head and I wrap my arm around her and Peeta. Even with myself sweating from the hot weather surrounding us in the room, I fall asleep holding my two loves of my loves, with the growing one between us.
I finally updated! I know! I feel like a fraud for taking so long. But, I'm starting my first legitimate story for my best friend so I've been taking my time in writing this and the other. I have so many different stories and trying to keep them going is hard. But, this is the one I keep coming back to. I just love it so much. It's like my baby.
Anyways, next chapter will be in Mandy's POV. I know that people don't like the OOC's, but I love them and I like going through their characters. I've just figured out Wayne, so I've started that. Don't diss it straight away. I would appreciate people at least checking it out when I update it eventually, I feel writing those chapters it's like writing an actual story. It's my practice for becoming an actual writer and id appreciate it if people would read it and see how I make the different characters.
Please can I get some reviews. I don't get many these days and getting a review is like getting a kiss from Peeta, especially when it's a helpful review which answers how people felt about the chapter. So, reviews please!
everlark4ever75 xoxox
