Chapter 7

[ August 1st. Katniss 4 months/ 13 weeks Preggers]

Katniss stood, staring at herself in the mirror in her bedroom. She could see her midsection had grown. This morning Peeta had said it was the size of a lemon according to his book.

Peeta was working in the bakery. He was getting time in now to take off when the pregnancy got closer to the end and the baby came.

She was getting dressed to go to brunch with Annie. She awoke to a text from her asking to do brunch.

Katniss put on a short yellow sundress and flip flops. She walks down stairs where the steps end in the bakery's kitchen. Ben and James are busy working around the kitchen. Ben looks up from mixing a bowl of green icing.

"Good morning Mrs. Mellark." Ben says with a smile.

"Good morning, Ben." Katniss says.

"Morning, Mrs. Mellark." James says, shutting the oven. "Fresh batch of cheese buns just went in, should be ready soon."

"Thank you, James." Katniss says. She quietly points to the store front door, a silent question that the boys understood and nodded. They knew she was asking if her husband was working the front.

She thanks them and heads out to the storefront. Her husband is there at the register talking to Annie. Annie notices her and waves politely making Peeta turn to see Katniss. Seeing her made his eyes light up and his smile widen.

"Morning, love." Peeta says, pulling Katniss into his arms. They share a sweet chaste kiss. She says hi to Annie and they take a seat at one of the storefront windows.

"How have you been?" Annie asks.

"Tired. Sick. Bored." Katniss says half joking. "Peeta wants to paint the nursery but he's still working so we are waiting to start that. We finished moving in upstairs. I don't know what to do now."

"I know how you feel about being bored. Finn has been down by the docks. I don't know what to do with myself this summer. I start teaching in August but I can't do lesson plans till they let me know what grade I'm teaching."

"Have you heard anything on Jo?"

"She's 6 months now. Oh! That reminds me" Annie reaches into her purse and pulls out an envelope. "Here is your invitation to her gender reveal party. I just saw her last night when she gave me mine. I told her I was seeing you this morning."

Annie hands a white envelope over to Katniss. She opens it to find a tie dye baby pink and baby blue card paper. The card reads…"Hawthorne baby gender reveal party Saturday August 10th at 1pm." Katniss can tell that Posy, Gale's youngest sister must have made these.

"This is exciting." Katniss says.

"I may just have to trick Finn into getting me pregnant." Annie jokes.

"Join the club all your friends are doing it." Katniss jokes back.

"Finnick wants to wait a year after we get married. He hasn't given any indication of getting married soon."

"Give him time." Katniss tells Annie.

"Who needs time?" Peeta asked setting a plate of cheese bund down with a coffee for Annie and milk for Katniss.

"Finnick. Hasn't asked Annie to marry him yet and she's feeling left behind by her friends." Katniss explains.

"Everyone is getting married and having babies. Finnick seems to be in no rush or interest. I want to start our life together." Annie says.

"Kat is right. Give him time. He might be saving money for a ring." Peeta says.

"His family is rich. He's set up for life. You're his best friend, Peet, what's he planning? You have to know something." Annie desperately accuses.

Peeta smiles. "I know what he's planning but I can't tell you. All I can say is that you need to be patient. " He winks and walks back to the counter.

"At least now I know he's thinking about it." Annie says.

XXXX

"Katniss we gotta get going!" Peeta calls from the hall as he walks into their bedroom.

He finds Katniss looking in the mirror. Her belly prominent in the blue dress she's wearing. He walks over behind her, settling his hands on her hips.

"Is that what I think it is?" He asks.

"If you think it's a baby bump then yeah." Peeta's hands find her bump and hold it, feeling where their baby is growing.

Katniss turns in his arms. She grabs his blue tie to straighten it before pushing it back against his pink shirt.

They leave for the Hawthorn's ranch that is just outside the city. Walking in, they see the house decorated in pink and blue.

An hour into the party starting they all gathered in the backyard to reveal the sex of Johana and Gale's baby. Jo and Gale gathered in front of everyone with a black balloon that had blue or pink confetti.

On the count of three they pop the balloon. The room is filled with screams of joy and the happy couple has big smiles, pulling each other in for a sweet kiss. Blue confetti falls all around them to the ground.