OMG my face is turning red from a PM I just received a couple days ago, you guys are amazing I can't believe I was nominated for a energize W.I.P. award, that has never happened to me before. I am so touched and honored that one of you nominated me I wish I knew who you were so I can thank you for all your support on this story. I don't know what to say about this, I really do got a good group of people Reading and supporting me on this. Keep the good reviews coming, I haven't had as many and I really wanna hear from you and you won't be sorry. Much Love to you all.
Chapter 29 Secrets
Haymitch was really going to ring my neck for putting on this birthday party for him. Once we were alone he was going to let me have it good, but in the meantime I watched him examine the streamers, balloon and the large amounts of smiling guests. He shot Avara a pleading look, but she merely smiled and shut the door behind him. There was no escaping; Haymitch was stuck here with a room full of people that loved him. He deserved this wheather he liked it or not, it was so much better than being locked away in his house drowning himself in a bottle of booze each birthday. He walked through the living room greeting everyone around him, boy was he shocked when he finally saw Effie and my prep team. He raised an eyebrow and started giving them twenty questions to answer. Effie whispered something in his ear that caused his face to become hard, Haymitch's gray eyes settled on me for a split second and he nodded his head in agreement. What the hell were they talking about over there? Did it have something to do with what Flavius had said earlier, 'things are starting to heat up in the capitol' What did he mean by that? It was going to drive me insane until I knew what was going on; traveling my ass; my prep team did not like to travel they liked to stay in there home and play dress-up, eat and gossip; that is what they used to be doing. I didn't know what kind of new rules President Paylor was enforcing, but I knew one thing no more hunger games, no more suffering, no more getting treated like animals. Haymitch entered the kitchen and Avara made him sit down at the head of the table, he glared in my direction and I merely smiled, winked at him and blew him kisses. I could tell he wanted to wipe the smile right off my face. I can hear the lecture now, 'Birthday's are for children, Katniss", 'I"m a grown man, Katniss' Oh yes the lecture was coming when Haymitch got ahold of me in private, but that wasn't until later on in the evening right now was all about the party and celebrating Haymitch's birthday. We all took our places at the table and gorged ourselves with the huge cake Peeta had been frosting earlier in the day. I took my place next to Haymitch and he folded his hands on the table and glared at me, I knew what was coming.
"Didn't I say no party" He hiss in a deep tone of voice.
I shrug at him, "I can't help myself sometimes"
"Your going to pay" His voice was a little softer and much more playful.
"Bring it on old timer" I challenged.
"Me and you, outside, after the party, snowball fight"
"Accepted" I grinned.
"Haymitch darling I hope you like the decorations" Avara smiled.
"I love them dear" He replied and leaned over to peck her, she was sitting on his right side and I was sitting on his left. Effie rolled her eyes as a puckering sound filled the room. She cleared her throat, raised her glass, "A toast is in order" We all joined her and lifting our glasses full of either juice, water or in Gale and Delly's case whine.
"To Haymitch" Effie grinned and everyone one said 'to Haymitch' as the guzzled down there beverage.
"To you old timer" I whispered in his ear before sipping my glass of water, I obviously wasn't going to drink the whine that Gale had brought for this special occasion. I was pregnant and tonight when everyone left and Peeta and I were alone; would be the night I tell him. I was done lying to him, there was no more denying it, I was pregnant with his baby and there was no changing that. I just hoped Peeta wouldn't be too mad at me for not telling him sooner. Oh well I was going to tell him today and hopefully he would be happy that I told him about it.
"Bite me" He mumbled back.
"Don't tempt me" I grinned.
It wasn't much of a birthday party just a cake and a little dancing nothing to major and I failed to fine Haymitch the perfect birthday present. Oh well I guess getting people together for his special day was enough. When it was all over, my prep team decided to leave and occupy one of the vacant houses next door to Peeta's home. My mother had to go into the hospital, Effie stuck around wanting to talk with Haymitch in private, Delly remained here sipping tea with Avara and Rory took the kids home while Gale stayed behind. I was so glad and happy that he decided to accept me and not kick me out of his life just because I was deeply in love. I guess Hazelle and Rory were right he needed time and that was what I gave him, I just hope he kept his promise to Peeta and not fight with him anymore for my sake. So far so good, he did not cause any trouble today or the day before for that matter. I sat on the couch and rubbed my stomach, it was full of cake, pumpkin rolls, cheese buns and just about every sweet Peeta had baked today. The fire felt warm against my face and when the couch dipped down and Peeta took his seat beside me I removed my hands from my stomach and looked into his memorizing blue eyes.
"Stomach still upset?" He questioned.
"Yeah" I mumbled this was it my chance in telling him everything that I have been keeping from him for the past few days. I was a couple weeks along, not very far in the pregnancy, My heart pounded in my chest and my stomach turned and did flip flops, my palms became sweaty and my breath was ragged and heavy.
"Are you alright?" Peeta asks me.
"There is something you should know" I gulp.
"Yes?" His eyes are full of curiosity and he has his arm around my shoulders, while I snuggle close to him; between his body heat and the heat from the fireplace it was impossible for me to become cold. I lifted my head off his chest and kissed him quickly on the mouth before hopping off the couch and bringing him up with me. I wanted us to be alone when I tell the news about our baby and since Avara, Delly and Gale were in the kitchen sipping their beverages I felt as if they were going to listen in on our conversation. I was just about to lead Peeta upstairs to our bedroom, but Haymitch and Effie came down the stairs. Haymitch had a grim look on his face, he rubbed his temples as if trying to sooth a headache. What was discussed in that room?
"I need a drink" Haymitch said and stalked into the kitchen. I raised my eyebrow, let go of Peeta's hand and turned to Effie who was adjusting her pink suit.
"What did you say to him?" I demanded an answer.
"Nothing important dear" Effie was lying to me I could see it in her eyes and by the way she stood in front of me in an awkward position. My anger flared up, I suddenly snapped at her louder than I actually meant to.
"Just tell me what the hell is going on!" I snapped.
Effie snapped back, "I told you nothing!"
"Don't give me that. Flavius slipped and said things were heating back up in the capitol, Now what is going on?"
"Flavius rambles, You know them... they ramble aimlessly"
"Please tell me Effie" My voice was a little softer now, " What is going on in the capitol? What is Paylor doing?" Effie's eyes wandered towards Haymitch and she shot him a questionable look as if she should tell me what she told him in the study room. The same study room that President Snow and I had over very first conversation. I saw Haymitch shake his head in Effie's direction.
"Nothing" She said turning her gaze back to me.
"Liars"
I threw my hands up in the air, started to cry and rushed up the steps with Peeta trailing behind me. I knew it was nothing to get upset about, but my hormones were ragging because of the forming baby inside of me. I entered our bedroom and nearly slammed the door in Peeta's face, but he was quick and slipped in before the door slammed shut. I tossed myself on the bed and cried. Effie was lying to me, my whole prep team was lying to me, there was no way in hell they were just traveling around the districts and happened to stop in district 12 for Haymitch's party. No something was going on and I was going to find out what. My prep team were still like children and I had ways in making children talk. Peeta sat on the end of the bed, with his hands folded.
"Kat, maybe your being paranoid" Peeta suggested.
"No, I'm not!" I snap at him, "Effie told Haymitch something important, something he don't want me knowing and Flavius said something earlier about things heating up in the capitol"
"Could mean a million things" Peeta says calmly.
"Something is going on Peeta" My mind started racing to the night he stabbed me with the kitchen knife and then told me all about going back to the capitol to find a cure for his hijacking and if there was something wrong with the capitol I didn't want him going back there. If Effie and my prep team knew something then I was going to force them to tell me; even if I had to scare them a small bit. Maybe it was just me, I was pregnant and sometimes pregnant women's hormones took off like a rocket ship.
"Honey I think you should let it go. Whatever Effie had to say it was between her and Haymitch. For all we know she could of been trying to seduce him in the study, could be trying to break Avara and him up. You don't know, besides if something is wrong in the capitol it's none of our business"
"But your going back!" I yelled him a reminder.
Peeta sighed, "I was hoping you wouldn't bring that up"
"How can I not? "I frown and dip my body under the covers, "Your going to leave me after we get married"
"Only for a bit" Peeta says.
"Your episodes have subsided?" I questioned.
Peeta shook his head, "Not a bit" Of course I have no knowledge of any of this because he slips away when one starts to plague his mind, slips away to Haymitch's house and the two of them battle it out and wait for it to pass. The less knowledgeable I am, the safer I'll be. Safety should be my first priority especially now since I was pregnant, but my first priority was to help him, bring him back from these horrible images. He didn't need a cure... he needed me. I put that issue aside and sat upright in bed, Peeta kicked off his shoes and was in the process of sliding onto his side of the bed. I had to tell him about the baby; like right now.
"I need to tell you something"
"Good or bad?" He question.
"Both" I mutter.
"Is it serious?"
"Yes"
He looked a little scared now like I was going to tell him I no longer wanted to be with him, so I just blurted it out without giving him a chance to open his mouth or even allow one word to spill from it, "I'm pregnant" there it was those two words that were going to change our lives forever.
"You...Your what?"
Did I have to say it again? "I'm pregnant Peeta, I found out a couple days ago. I wanted to tell you when you asked me at the bakery, but I couldn't I had to be sure"
"Your..." His smile grew wider and I felt him wrap his arms around my waist and crush me softly against his chest softly and hugged the life out of me, "My god your amazing, my god"
"Your not mad at me?"
"God no I.. oh god I love you, Katniss...I love you so much" Peeta kissed me quickly and then placed his hands against my belly, "I love you baby" He rubbed my tummy gently. " I love you, Katniss"
"Peeta we are going to be a mom and dad" I cry tears of joy instead of sorrow and soon the conversation with Effie escaped my mind and all that mattered was this man that was currently kissing me, rubbing my belly and telling Me how amazing I was. I was 22 years old and pregnant; it seemed a bit to young to get pregnant and start a family, that was an issue with me. Even though the savage capitol members were gone I still didn't want to bring a baby into the world, in a way the world that was once North America was still a horrible place. I knew this place used to be called North America because in text books at school it tells us what it used to be like before the chaos spread through the world, before Panem rose up out of the ashes and before the capitol became vile and cruel.
"We're having a baby" Peeta yelled out, I wouldn't be surprise if the guests downstairs heard his big mouth, "We're having a baby" He repeated.
"Yes, We are" I smiled, tears of joy ran down my face.
A huge weight has been lifted off my chest, Peeta was so happy I don't think I have ever seen a more happier human being. He kissed me over and over again, told me how amazing I was, rubbed the spot where our child was forming and told me he wanted to marry me ASAP, but I wanted to wait until the warm weather before we got married. My life was going in a wonderful direction I was pregnant, engaged, had my best friend back in my life, had my mother and all my old friends by my side, nothing could go wrong, but then again all this seemed to good to be true, I would be lucky if I did get my happy ending.
"I love you" I tell him as he untangles himself from me and slides off the bed to stretch out his muscles. He had a huge smile on his face and he probably felt like he could take on the entire world.
"I wanna tell everyone...right now" He says, "I wanna blurt it out for all of Panem to hear...for real this time...it is really, really real." He chuckles.
To be continued...
