Chapter 49
(Madge POV)
Drew spends all morning working on the computer and jotting things down in files then he has me transfer the file folders to various other departments so I spend most of the morning walking all over the place. And as much as I'd love to sneak a peek at those file folders, they're all sealed shut so I can't. I can tell that Drew is still annoyed that I asked him to get Martin added to the rescue list because he doesn't even attempt any small talk which is actually nice. At lunch, he doesn't go to the dining hall but asks me to bring his lunch back when I'm finished with mine.
I head to the dining hall feeling a little uncomfortable because it's my first time to come here alone to eat. I ate alone back home in the school lunch room many times but there it didn't bother me for some reason. Here, it makes me feel as if everyone is staring at me. I find a seat at an empty table in the corner and sit down to eat my lunch. I didn't have dinner or breakfast so I'm starving and it's a good thing because this lunch is not very appetizing. It's some sort of deli style meat that I can't identify on bread and a packet of raisins. I attempt to eat the sandwich but can't stomach the meat, whatever it is. I eat the bread and raisins instead, even though I'm not a fan of raisins and then take my tray to the return dishes window where I also pick up Drew's lunch to take back to him. As I head back to work, my stomach growls loudly on the elevator and I know my cheeks blush bright pink at the sound. I hear a muffled snicker behind me but don't turn to look back, knowing it'll only further my embarrassment. I really hope dinner is good tonight, whatever it is. I really miss Bethany's cooking, that's for sure.
Wen Drew pulls his lunch out, he examines the sandwich and frowns before sniffing the deli meat.
"I couldn't figure out what it was either." I tell him from my chair in the corner.
"Did you eat it?" He asks as he pokes it with his finger.
I shake my head.
I watch as he takes a bite then immediately spits it into his napkin and tosses it in the trash. "Well it's not edible." He says, taking a long drink of water.
I laugh because he's right but also because it shows how the two of us have been greatly spoiled in the way we've eaten growing up. I really wish Gale had been at lunch so maybe he could've told me what that meat actually was. I'm also curious if he would've eaten it. Since Drew seems to have slightly lightened up, I decide to broach the topic of Martin again.
"Drew, I really wish you'd consider asking them to rescue Martin. I carry a lot of guilt for him ending up as an avox and it would mean a lot to me if you were able to help him." I say with as much kindness in my voice as possible.
"Madge, please don't ask me to do this." He says, frustration all over his face.
"I wouldn't ask if it didn't matter so much to me. I know it would be awkward for you to have him here but you wouldn't have to interact with him. You could each go your separate ways but at least he'd have a chance at a better life than he currently has."
"How would Gale feel about your perfect match being rescued at your request?" He asks me.
I hadn't considered what Gale would think at all. I really don't think he would care. "I'm sure he wouldn't care but it isn't about what Gale would think. It's about me wanting to help someone who isn't going to have anyone else helping him, ever. Martin needs us to do this for him, Drew." I plead.
"And what happens when he reports me for what I did to him?"
"How do you know that he'll do that?"
He gives me a look. "Seriously? You think he wouldn't do that? I've known him my entire life and I assure you, he would."
"He didn't try to argue it with the Capitol when you initially did it. And although he warned me not to trust you, he refused to give me any details."
"He didn't have a chance to argue it with the Capitol because he was caught completely off guard and by the time he figured out it was me who did it, it was too late to argue anything. And he probably didn't tell you details because he wasn't sure you'd believe him outright."
"And what if he does report you? Do they punish people here for past crimes?"
"They can if they want. I'm not sure if they would or not."
"Can you just think about it? Like really, really think about how much this would mean to me if you were to rescue him?" I say, practically begging now. I'm hoping that playing up how much this means to me will tug at his heart strings a little in my favor.
He studies my face and I can tell he's thinking about it. I offer up my best pleading smile. "I'll see what I can do." He finally tells me after a long silence.
A thankful smile spreads across my face. "Thank you so much!" I exclaim.
He just nods a tiny bit and then turns back to his work. He doesn't want to do this at all and I know he's only doing it for me but I don't care, I'm just so happy that he might be able to arrange for Martin to be rescued.
When I head home at the end of my shift, I'm still smiling and feeling very optimistic. I find Gale napping on my bed when I get home. I should probably let him sleep but I wake him up instead, leaning over and kissing his cheek.
"Hey pretty girl." He says with a smile and a yawn as he wakes.
"Hi!"
"I've got a present for you." He says, sitting up and reaching to get something off the shelf.
"A present? Why?" I ask, surprised at the gesture.
"Just cause I love you." He says as he hands me a small bottle.
I look down at it and almost shriek when I see it's conditioner for my hair. "Oh my gosh, where did you get this?"
"They give it out at the Apothecary department. I had to do a little flirting to get it because it's on a needs only distribution but I figured you wouldn't mind me turning on the charm if it was to get this for you." He tells me.
"I don't mind at all!" I tell him, pressing my lips to his. And I mean it, I really don't care that he got a little flirty in order to get this. He's sort of naturally charming anyway and I completely trust him.
"You hungry? Wanna head to dinner?"
"Yes but I want to tell you something first. I asked Drew for a favor today."
His face goes flat. "What sort of favor?"
"He's helping arrange the rescue of the tributes and apparently several informants as well. I asked him to see if he could get Martin rescued too."
He's quiet for a minute and then asks "Is he gonna do it?"
"It took a lot of persuading but he finally agreed to see if they would add him to the list. I'm hoping they will."
"And Drew was willing to bring him here?"
"Not really. He's actually afraid of it I think but I told him that it would mean a lot to me if he tried."
"I'd like to meet him if he does get rescued, see who this guy is that was a perfect match for you."
"Gale, I'm not wanting to rescue him for the sake of having my perfect match here. I just feel like he deserves a shot at a decent life after what Drew did to him. And I feel like I owe him for how he warned me about Drew."
"I know and I totally understand where you're coming from. It's just that whole perfect match thing that makes me a little nervous. I don't want to bring in competition that's been proven to be perfect for you is all." He admits with a half smile.
"He's not my perfect match in reality. He and I were just a Capitol match based on Capitol terms. Gale, you are my perfect match, you are who I want." I tell him.
(Gale POV)
When she tells me I'm her perfect match I can't help but pull her onto the bed with me and make us just a little late for dinner. I wasn't jealous that she wanted to rescue Martin, just a tiny bit nervous that he is supposedly her perfect match and the guy she was truly supposed to marry. That sort of thing would probably make any boyfriend feel uneasy. I mean, I knew she wasn't bringing him here under any sort of romantic notion but he'd still be here and what if they got to know one another and suddenly she fell in love with him? But she reminded me that his title of perfect match was created by the Capitol for their purposes and not so much to do with who would actually be best suited to her desires. And it was good to see that even though she's been through so many hard changes in her life lately that the kindness within her was still as strong as ever. And I know that asking Drew for a favor wasn't easy for her to do so I know this matters a lot to her.
After, on our way to dinner, I hear her stomach growl which makes me think she didn't eat today. "Did you not eat today?" I ask as we line up for our food trays.
"I ate some but not much." She says avoiding my gaze.
"How come?"
"I tried but that sandwich was not good. I'm not even sure what it was really. Did you eat it?" She asks with a laugh.
"Yeah, I ate it. It's bologna." I tell her, now laughing back. I imagine that's something she's never seen until now. I'd actually only seen it because of my work at the butcher shop. It's not bad and I actually liked it but she clearly didn't.
"What animal does bologna come from?" She asks with a weary look on her face.
I try to stifle my laughter and say "Usually a blend of beef and pork and chicken." I don't add that it's made from leftover parts ground up together because I'm afraid she'll gag.
"Hmm." Is all she says and I can see her clearly recalling how much she didn't like it. Dinner ends up being a mix of vegetables with chicken. I smile when I see corn is part of the meal because I know it's from the corn I helped harvest this morning.
"I helped pick this." I tell her as I start eating.
She smiles and takes a bite. "Well it sure beats the bologna!"
We laugh and I watch as she eats all of her dinner extremely fast. She must've been starving. I want to ask if she ate breakfast but I have a feeling she doesn't want me to bug her about it. And I'm pretty sure she didn't. Which means she basically has only eaten raisins since lunchtime yesterday. She's got to do better than that. I know it isn't what she's familiar with but she can't let herself skip meals like this, not when food is given to her freely like it is here in 13. I also kind of hate to know that she's wasting food that someone else could be eating.
"Want the rest of mine?" I ask as I push my plate towards her, half my dinner still on it. I'm hungry and want to eat it but I already know she won't eat again until at least lunch tomorrow and her body isn't used to going without the way that mine is.
She pushes it back towards me. "You need to eat it."
I push it back to her, knowing i can be just as stubborn about this. "I don't want it. And it shouldn't go to waste. You eat it. I'm still satisfied from that delicious bologna we had at lunch." I say, teasing about the bologna at the end.
"Gale..." She starts and I give her a look so she stops. Then I wait with a smile on my face as she picks up her fork and finishes off the rest of my meal. Seeing her eat all that assures me she did not eat breakfast. I'm gonna have to do something about that. We have zero control over what we eat here and I dread the day when not a single meal will appeal to her.
After we return out trays, I head up to spend a little time with my family and she heads to shower and use her new conditioner. I smile and watch as she darts off towards the elevator to her floor, so much enthusiasm in her step. I love how excited she is about having the conditioner and selfishly, I can't wait to see her gorgeous hair falling around her shoulders again instead of knotted up on her head. And as much as she hated the dresses she always wore, I have to admit I miss seeing her in them. She's still beautiful no matter what she's wearing, even in her baggy grey uniform she's stunning, but the way she dazzled in those dresses was incomparable. I wonder if she misses them at all yet? Then I shake my head and smile to myself because I know she doesn't miss them at all. She always hated them.