Epilogue
Katniss
I'm standing in front of a mirror. But who is the girl I'm looking at? It can't be me. The girl in the mirror is beautiful. She's wearing a long beauteous white dress with a long white bridal vail going from her head down her back and down on the floor. She has a tiara holding her veil steady and on place. She has makeup but not too much, her long dark hair is elegantly curled in beautiful curls, reaching down her shoulders.
I jerk when I hear a knock on the door. "Come in", I say, not able to take my eyes off myself in the mirror. In the mirror I see the door open and Haymitch comes in. Is it time already? I feel myself getting even more nervous.
"It's time", he says smiling at me.
"Already?" I ask nervously, turning around.
Haymitch nods at me. "I hope you're ready", he says as he takes my hand.
I hook my arm around his arm and we walk out of the room. I mean I am ready. It's been three years since Peeta asked me to be his wife. We didn't feel like we were in a hurry. We had a lot to deal with, but now, three years later when everything is going so great, we knew it was time to get married.
Haymitch and I arrive beside my bridesmaids at the entrance to the hall in the church. Peeta is already in there. As are all the guests, since I am the bride and walk the isle with Haymitch who's giving me away. My maid of honor is Prim, and my braidsmaids are Annie, Madge, Delly and Johanna. Peeta's groomsmen are his dad, brothers, Gale and Finnick. My four year old daughter Elyon, seven year old Tiara and five year old Flynn are my flower girls and boy.
"There you are", Annie says.
"Have you told Peeta?" Madge asks.
I shake my head.
"I'm gonna during the reception though, I promise", I say.
"You better", Prim says. "You don't want to make the same mistake twice".
"I'm not gonna", I say but that's the last thing any of us can utter, becasue after that we hear the music start.
My braidsmaids hooks their arms around the arms of Peeta's groomsmen. The first once to walk out is Prim and Peeta's father. Then Adam and Delly, after them Damien and Johanna. Then we've got Annie and Finnick, and lastly Madge and Gale. After them, Thresh who carries the pillow with mine and Peeta's rings on.
A few seconds after Thresh, Tiara, Flynn and Elyon, raises their flower bouquets, which they hold with both their hands. Elyon walks last and she starts walkning slowly to the music and her light pink fluttery dress dances around her legs. She's tall and slim and her dark hair is reaching down her shoulders in elegant curls. Her eyes are glistening and a smile covers her pretty face.
"You ready sweetheart?" Haymitch asks, reaching me his arm.
"As ready as I'll ever be", I answer as I hook my arm through his again.
And so we start to walk down the isle. Haymitch keeps my arm in a steady grip around his, assuring me that he's not going to let me fall. My legs are shaky and weak becasue I'm so nervous, and I feel a bit sick. This is so scary. In a few minutes I am going to be a mrs and not a miss.
We slowly walk up to Peeta and the priest. "Who gives this woman to this man?" The priest asks.
"I do", Haymitch says, smiling as he puts my hand in Peeta's warm and big one. Now my hand is where it belongs, my hand is at its home now.
Peeta smiles at me and we turn towards the priest.
"Dearly Beloved, we are gathered here today in the presence of these witnesses, to join Katniss and Peeta in matrimony commended to be honorable among all; and therefore is not to be entered into lightly but reverently, passionately, lovingly and solemnly. Into this - these two persons present now come to be joined. If any person can show just cause why they may not be joined together - let them speak now or forever hold their peace". For a second I get very nervous and think that someone's going to speak up. But everyone remains silent and so the priest goes on. "Marrige, the word scares a lot of people, thinking that now everything will be different. A lot of things will not be different, but a few things in life will be, such as changing last name, why does everything have to be different from before? A couple gets married to celebrate with each other and with their friends and families, their love for each other, and that is what has brought us here today, this afternoon in this sunny summer month of July; Love. Love has brought these two people together", the priest says and I can feel in my bones how true this is. "Love. Love can be simple and it can be hard. But at moments like this, love is nothing but beautiful, these two people has brought you all here, because they want you all to witness their step into a new part of their love, they want to show you their love for each other and they want to share it with you, and I can feel in the atmosphere in this room, that there is nothing else but love surrounding us here today". Peeta and I glance at each other and smile. The priset is so right, did he come up with this all by himself? "We are now going to hear the vows", the priest says.
Peeta is first and I see Finnick hand him a note. Peeta takes it, unfolds it and tears it apart into million pieces. "Katniss, I've told you this so many times I've lost count, but for everyone else... I've known that I love you since we went to high school, since you first looked me into my eyes, since I first heard you sing. And the thought of that I couldn't make you mine hurt me deep into my soul", Peeta says and I can hear that he's fighting his tears. "But now we're standing here and I just can't believe we do, with our friends, our families... Our beautiful daughter, sharing this moment and I promise you that I will do everything for you, to make you feel loved and to alway be by your side no matter what, because I love you and nothing can or will ever change the fact that I do, and that's why I'm standing here today, in front of our friends and families".
I try to fight back my tears but I just can't. They flow down my eyes and Annie tries to pass me a note but I just wave it away. "Peeta... My sweet dear Peeta I-I love you so much and nothing can change that", I say. "After we finished high school I didn't see you for years and I got on with my life, but when two certain people dragged me away to Spain five years ago..." I make a pause, letting Annie and Madge know I'm talking about them. "I met you again. We were twenty, now we're twenty five and so much has happened these past five years, so much, but also my love for you has grown so much, and I promise you that from this day forward I will never ever lie to you and I will alway love and cherish you until the day I die".
Peeta is looking me so deeply into my eyes, drying my tears with his thumb.
"Do you Peeta Tobias Connor Mellark, take Katniss Elizabeth Beatrice Everdeen as your wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish; from this day forward until death do you part?" The priest asks, turned towards Peeta.
"I do", Peeta says with so much certain in his voice that I don't doubt him even for one second, and I have to force myself not to smile like a big dork, which my face really want me to do right now.
"And do you Katniss Elizabeth Beatrice Everdeen, take Peeta Tobias Connor Mellark as your husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish; from this day forward until death do you part?" The priest asks turned to me.
"I do", I say, thinkining my voice will sound shaky, but to my surprise my voice is as steady as a rock, possibly even steadier.
"Now for the rings", the priest says and Thresh comes up to us with a pillow, on which the rings are on.
Peeta takes my ring, as he takes my left hand in his left and the ring in his right hand. "With this ring, I thee wed, and with it, I bestow upon thee all treasures of my mind, my heart and my hands", he says as he places the ring on my finger.
I take Peeta's ring and Thresh walks away. I take Peeta's left hand. "With this ring, I thee wed, and with it, I bestow upon thee all treasures of my mind, my heart and my hands", I say as I place the ring on his finger.
"I now, by the power vested in me by the State of Panem, I hereby pronounce you husband and wife, you may now kiss the bride", the priest says.
I laugh because this is the moment I've been waiting for. To become Katniss Mellark. And to share my first kiss with Peeta as a married couple. Peeta places his hands on my waist and pulls me close as he leans in and plants his lips onto mine.
My lips move in sync with his and I love this kiss so much. But all too soon Peeta pulls away, and I know that it's because we now have an audience.
"Friends and family", the priest says a bit louder. "I present to you for the first time Peeta and Katniss Mellark!"
Hearing it makes me even happier than I thought I already was.
I look out over the people and see how they are all applauding, crying and smiling.
Can this day get any better?
We're in the middle of the wedding reception. Everyone are having so much fun. Currently I'm dancing with Victoria and Katie, both of them are pregnant but Victoria is seven months and Katie is only four months pregnant. I love them so much, they're so kind and sweet, and they really fit with Adam and Damien. Prim, Annie, Madge, Delly and Johanna are glancing at me all the time. Prim is currently dancing with Rory, but she won't let her eyes slide off me even for a second, and I know why. "Do it!" She mouths at me across the room.
I sigh. "What's the matter Katniss?" Katie asks.
"Oh nothing, I just realized I have something to do", I say. I see the microphone up on stage. We put it there because people wanted to be able to give speeches whenever they felt like it, and now I have to make a speech. I walk up on stage and towards the mic. "Um... Peeta?" The music suddenly stops and everyone turns their eyes towards me. I spot Peeta in the audience. He's standing with Tiara, Flynn and Elyon, it's obvious that he was dancing with them. My heart melts at the thought of Peeta dancing with the children, with he's niece, nephew and daughter. "I have something to tell you", I say. He looks concerned but nods, so I take that as a sign to go on. "I have to tell you this. You deserve to know", I say and take a deep breath. "I'm... Pregnant".
He's eyes grows ten times as big and everyone gives away sounds of surprises. Peeta carries up Elyon and dart up on the stage, putting her down. "What?" He asks me.
"I'm pregnant", I say.
"You are?" He asks, putting Elyon down onto the stage floor.
"I am", I say.
Peeta looks at my stomach and then on my face, looking after traces of lies. "Oh my god", he says, and tears fall down he's eyes.
"Yey! I'm getting a brother!" Elyon yells happily as she jumps up and down, her curly hair bouncing up and down.
"We don't know that Elyon", I laugh.
"Yes I do know that!" She says and puts a small hand onto my stomach. "This is my little brother in there!"
Peeta carries her up with one arm and puts the other arm around me. Elyon puts her little hand onto Peeta's face and wipe his tears away. "Don't cry daddy, mommy is not sick", she says softly. "She'll be okay daddy, I promise".
"I know everything will be okay Elyon", Peeta says, smiling. "How can it not be when I have my girls and another baby on the way?"
"So you're happy... About this baby?" I ask.
"I'm beyond happy Katniss", he says. "You've blessed me with a beautiful daughter and now another baby, and I've got you that makes me beyond happy".
He gives me a kiss, a short one, since Elyon is here.
I hear applause and I just now remember that we're standing on a stage and everyone's watching us. But I don't care. I want everyone to know how much Peeta and I love each other.
No matter our past it all has worked out. And everything will be okay. It always turns out okay somehow. And right now things are great. Things are so great.
A/N: Okay so that was the end of this book. I really hope that you all enjoyed reading this book and will read more of my coming books.
Thank you for reading.