Chapter 48
When my eyes open the first thing I notice is sunshine seeping through my windows. It's way too bright in my room for it to be morning. I sit up and rub my eyes before squinting at the clock. It's almost noon! I slept all morning and no one woke me up! I fly out of bed and downstairs to the kitchen.
"Were you planning to let me sleep forever?"
Mabel turns around and gives me a tiny smile. "I figured you needed your rest after yesterday. Are you hungry? I can make you something."
"No. I'm going to get dressed and go find Gale." I tell her as I turn to head back to my room. I can't believe I wasted a whole morning sleeping when I could've been with Gale.
"Your new clothing parcel arrived this morning. It's in the front hallway. I didn't want to disturb you by bringing it in this morning." She calls after me.
Normally, I would care less about the parcel of clothing that arrives routinely for me but this time I actually do want to see what it holds. I'd sent a request for more items with ruffles after finding out how much they drove Gale wild. I wasn't sure if my Capitol shopper would heed my request or not but I hoped she would. I drag the parcel up to my room and open it excitedly. Inside I find a slew of new outfits, pajamas, shoes and accessories. I start opening the dresses first and I'm delighted to discover several have ruffles. I open the pajamas next and see a variety of ruffles there as well. I guess my shopper was excited that I was finally showing some interest in her fashions and when I'd sent word about liking the ruffled nightgown and asked for more things like it she really went all out for me. I know it's going to be cruel to Gale for me to prance around in short, ruffled dresses but it'll be cruel in the best kind of way. It's like our own private secret joke and it reminds him of how much he wanted to kiss me in the meadow that night.
I quickly shower and slip into one of the new outfits. The dress I pick is a bright coral color. It's strapless and fitted to my body until it reaches slightly below my hips where it becomes tiers of ruffles that stop several inches above my knees. It's far more provocative than my dresses usually are but still not overly revealing. The coordinating accessories include a necklace that looks like a piece of silver cut into the shape of a small heart and then been hammered for a textured effect. It's on a strand of glass beads that match the beading on the coordinating t-strap sandals. Once I'm fully dressed, I look in the mirror and I love what I see. This dress is perfect on me!
Before heading to Gale's I stop in my garden and pick a fresh eggplant for Posy. Gale said she still won't let anyone near hers and it's starting to rot. I'm hoping Gale can switch it out with this new one without her noticing. Perhaps he can do it while she sleeps or something. Eggplant in tow, I begin the walk towards the Seam but I don't get far before I run into Rory Hawthorne.
"Hey Madge!" He says as he waves.
"Hey! Is Gale at home? I was on my way to your house just now."
"Yeah, he just got back."
I know he means from the woods and the Hob without him having to say it. "Okay, thanks! I'll see you later at the viewing!" I call back to him before hurrying towards their house. I can't wait to see Gale! I don't know what it is but something about having finally stood firm to my father and Mabel about being with Gale just makes me want to be with him even more. I feel like I haven't seen him in ages and though I enjoyed my good nights sleep I must admit I kind of missed our moonlight rendezvous in the woods.
I knock on the door and wait impatiently for him to answer. I knock again and wait even more impatiently. Finally, Gale pokes his head around the side of the house. He's shirtless and dripping wet causing my heart rate to pick up at the mere sight of him. I have to bite my lip to keep from smiling too big.
"Hi." Is all I say.
He doesn't say a word, just comes up to the porch, grabs me around the waist and picks me off my feet as he presses his lips to mine. When he finally sets me back down on my feet, he opens the door behind him and leads me inside.
"Damn it Madge." He says before pulling me against him and kissing me passionately. "Ruffles? You had to wear ruffles?"
"Got it just for you." I flirt as he kisses down my jaw and onto my neck.
"God I missed you last night." He says.
"Is your family home?"
"No." He says with a raised eyebrow, picking me up and heading towards the bedroom.
"Wait, for Posy." I say holding out the eggplant I've been clutching.
He smiles and puts it on the table before continuing on to the bedroom. "You look so beautiful. So amazingly beautiful." He says as his lips trail along my jaw and his hands clutch the ruffles at my hips.
"You aren't looking so bad yourself Hawthorne." I say as I drag one fingertip down his bare, wet chest to his stomach and leave my finger lingering on the edge of his waistband.
With that he pushes us back and onto the bed behind us. My hands are desperate for more of him and they quickly undo the button and zipper of his pants, shoving them off of him. His lips and tongue against my neck increase in ferocity and I moan slightly in pleasure. His hands pull my necklace off and I kick off my sandals. I tangle my hands in his hair as he kisses further down my neck and onto my collarbone. His hands reach behind my back and slowly undo the zipper. I help push the dress off, wanting to feel our bodies against each other. He brings his face back up to mine and breaths "I love you" before he takes my face in his hands and kisses me. I wrap my legs around him and we roll over on the bed so that I'm sitting, straddling him. He groans loudly and tightens his grip on my body as he looks up at me. I'm about to completely lose myself with him when suddenly the bedroom door bursts open and Vick rushes in.
"Get Out!" Gale yells and throws a pillow at him. Vick stands there staring for a moment before running from the room.
"Oh my God, Gale!" I scramble to find my clothes, completely mortified that his little brother just saw us like this and just saw me naked.
"I'm so sorry." He says as he searches for his own pants.
We dress quickly and collect ourselves as best we can before we walk out of the bedroom. I know I must been ten shades deep of red with total embarrassment. We quickly find that it thankfully isn't the whole Hawthorne family but rather just Vick. I relax a little in knowing that his Mother hadn't caught us but I'm still mortified that Vick saw us.
"I didn't know Madge was here." Vick says with a tearful voice. "I heard you making noises and I thought you'd gotten hurt hunting or something." He doesn't look up but I know he's crying. I feel awful and I give Gale a look, begging him to take it easy on the poor kid.
"Vick, it's okay. I didn't mean to yell at you. You just surprised us is all." Gale says as he sits down next to Vick. I hang back and let them have a moment.
"You aren't mad?" Vick asks as he finally looks up.
"No, We aren't mad. But you should probably knock if the door is closed from now on, okay?"
Vick nods and hugs Gale. I smile at him to send him the message that I'm not mad either. In all honesty it really is our own fault. We were being careless and shouldn't be doing that here anyway. Gale and I go back outside and after he sits on the front step, I place myself on his lap and lean against his chest.
"Sorry about that."
"It's okay. We should've been more careful about where we were anyway."
"Poor kid's gonna be ruined now."
"Ruined? How is seeing me naked going to ruin him?"
"Well, in a few years when he's our age and he starts taking an interest in girls he's gonna be mighty disappointed when he finds out they aren't as gorgeous as you."
I roll my eyes and Gale laughs. "I'm being serious. He's ruined forever now and it's all your fault. You're the first girl he's ever seen and no other girl will ever measure up now." He reiterates with a flirty smile.
"You're awful Gale. Just plain awful. But I love you anyway."
"So I guess things went okay last night with your father?"
"Yeah, Mabel had already gotten there and filled him in on the conversation she had with me. He didn't really give me any new information or anything. But I did make it clear that I intend to publicly be with you and that there isn't anything he can do about that."
"And how'd that go over?" He asks looking a little scared.
"He just warned me that I needed to keep up my image and set a good example. And he worries that I'll be heartbroken over you when it comes time for me to marry Mr. Crane."
"Madge, I mean it when I say I won't let that happen to you. I'll run with you if we have too. I'll do whatever it takes to keep you safe."
"Let's just not talk about that right now. Right now, all I want is to savor being able to be with you anytime I want."
"School's out in a week you know. That'll give us a lot more time together." He says as he runs his fingers through my hair.
"And that makes me very, very happy. Do you know what I want to do?" I tell him with a smile and a quick kiss.
"What?"
"I want to go to the lake again. But not just for a quick swim, I want to spend the entire day there. Just me and you, all day."
"I think I can make that happen." He says with a smile. "You know, I did miss you last night. As exhausting as our late nights were getting, it was nice having alone time together."
"I know. I slept more consecutive hours than I have in quite awhile but I'd have traded it all for a few hours awake in your arms."
"Well maybe we need to make late night trips to the woods still. Not every night of course, but occasionally we still can you know."
"Definitely."
We sit on his step in our comfortable silence until we have to head into town for the viewing. I notice a few heads turn our way when we arrive holding hands, finally looking like the full-fledged couple that we are. I don't care though. I'm too happy being with Gale to care.
The viewing is not overly exciting today other than the fact that it's down to so few people now. Pretty soon it will be over and that's a good thing. The Career took out the large boy from 11 but it wasn't without a lot of effort. It's down to the final four now. The games will be over soon and then Katniss and Peeta can come home. I cannot wait to have my friend back home again. I have so much to tell her about and though Gale has kept me busy I have missed her a lot. I just hope they can make it to the end. I'm not really worried about the little red headed girl. She seems to have a strategy more of steering clear of danger than causing danger. It's the lone Career I'm concerned with. He's been training his whole life for this and he'll be out to get Peeta and Katniss.
After the viewing ends, I see Posy lugging around her eggplant. It makes me smile and I hope she likes her new eggplant just as much as the old one. There's such innocence about her and I love just watching her play. I should really look in my old things and see if I have any dolls she might like. I'm sure she's never had a fancy doll before and what little girl doesn't love dolls? I'll have to ask Gale though. He might not like it if I gave her something of value without asking him first. Gale and Posy walk me home and the little girl giggles when Gale kisses me goodbye.
Inside I find a note on the table from my father. He's gone to the Capitol again. Probably took the train out right after the viewing. It usually doesn't worry me when he goes but now that I know part of why he goes it makes my stomach a little unsettled. I wish I knew more about the things he was working on to try and get me out of this marriage mess.
It's Mabel's day off so there isn't a dinner plate prepared for me tonight. That just leaves the café. I sigh and go over to the phone to place an order. I already know who will bring it but at least now I don't have to pretend to be single. And I have a feeling that Tripp will be on his best behavior having not fully healed from his last encounter with Gale.
Sure enough, a little while later when my doorbell rings, it's Tripp holding my take-out tray of food. He smiles and hands me the tray. "Hi Madge, I'm guessing your father out of town again?"
"Yes, he's gone to the Capitol. Thanks for bringing my food over. I appreciate it."
He shrugs. "No problem, that's part of my job you know. So I uh, noticed you and Hawthorne are not such a secret anymore."
I smile and nod. "Yeah, no more secrets."
"Well, that's good. Couldn't have been much fun with things being the other way."
"Let's just say that this is a much better arrangement." I say with a laugh.
"Well, I gotta get back to the Café. Enjoy your dinner!" He says with a wink and then he turns and heads off.
The wink puzzles me for a bit but only until I open the lid on my take out tray. I ordered a club sandwich and chips but in my tray I find chicken kiev. It's not even on the menu! I don't know how to really feel about this because I don't know if this is his way of trying to win me over romantically or his version of a peace offering or what. I decide it must be just a nice gesture, nothing more. After all, I did agree to be his friend and friends do nice things for each other all the time. And for all I know, this was leftover from their own family dinner tonight.
After I've finished my delicious dinner I go up to our attic to search for my old dolls. I find a box labeled "Toys" and inside I feel like I hit the jackpot. I find three porcelain dolls with fancy lace trimmed dresses and silky hair tied with tiny velvet ribbons. And they look practically brand new. I wasn't much of a rough and tumble kid so it's likely that most of my old things could still pass for practically new. Posy will absolutely love these dolls! Oh how I hope Gale lets me give them to her!
After digging around in the dusty attic I go to take a bath and I've barely stuck one toe into the water when the doorbell rings. I sigh and throw on my robe, tying it as I hurry down the stairs. Before I open it, it occurs to me that it may be Tripp. He knows I'm here alone. Surely he wouldn't be trying to make a move on me again already? I take a deep breath in and pull the door open. Instead of finding Tripp, I find Gale.
"Mind if I come in?" He says with a devilish smirk.
I look at him funny because I'm surprised to see him at my house so late but gesture him inside.
"What are you doing here?" I ask excitedly as I stand on my tip toes to kiss him. "Not that I'm not happy to see you."
"The fence is on. That means you are home alone."
"Can you spend the night?" I ask, even more excitedly now.
"I think I might have too seeing as how you and I have some unfinished business from earlier today." He says as his hands grab my waist and his lips melt into mine.
A/N: So I realize this was mostly just a fluff chapter but I figured Madge and Gale deserved a little fluff in celebration of being public again. Also, in my last chapter I made a mistake with the head game maker's name. Thanks to Junebugz21 for pointing it out so I could go back and correct it! This story is nearing it's ending, only a few more chapters left but not to worry-there will be a sequel!
