Christmas Eve 1979
"It's a mess in here." Katniss sighed as she surveyed the stacked boxes in the living room of their newly purchased 1920s-era house.
"At least the kitchen is set up," Peeta reminded her. "We won't go hungry."
Katniss eyed her husband's robust baker's body. She liked the extra few pounds Peeta carried because it made snuggling next him all the more cozy. As if reading her mind, he wrapped his strong arm around her waist and drew her close, kissing the side of her head.
"But we still have so much to put away," she murmured, cursing the fact that they didn't have a stick of furniture in the place for canoodling on.
They were supposed to move into the house two weeks earlier, but the escrow had been delayed — something to do with misplaced paperwork — so they'd put a halt on the delivery of the sofa, dining table, and bedroom set they'd ordered. Katniss had suggested they wait until the new furniture arrived, or at least move over the lumpy mattress they'd been sleeping on in their most recent apartment, but Peeta said it was a waste of time and money to bring anything that would be discarded once the new furnishings were delivered. He was insistent that they could manage fine without furniture for a few days at least. "It will be like camping."
Katniss knew her husband had never been camping, but she agreed to rough it for a few days.
Now as he surveyed the boxes, he frowned. "How did we accumulate all this stuff? Neither of us had much more than a suitcase of clothes when we got married and moved into that furnished apartment over Effie's and Haymitch's garage."
Our first place together. Katniss smiled as she thought of that small, yet comfortable abode. "We had our first Christmas there. I remember, your dad showed up on Christmas morning bearing gifts. He was our personal Santa Claus."
That holiday had a special glow around it in Katniss' memory although it seemed like the remembrance of it had gone extremely fuzzy over the years. Something else besides her father-in-law's surprise appearance had made it unique, but for the life of her she couldn't remember what it had been. Her face darkened. "I sure miss your dad. He'd be so happy to know we've bought this house." She turned her body around to give her husband a consoling hug.
Peeta's head dropped onto her shoulder. "I miss him, too. Still I like to think he's with us in spirit. Here we are five Christmas' later, moving into a place we never could have afforded without the money he left us." He lifted his head and gave Katniss a tender look. He fingered a tendril of her hair that stood along side the side of her face, and set it behind her ear. Then he leaned forward to kiss her full on the lips.
I hope we never lose the passion we have for each other, she thought as she gave way to the sensations Peeta's kiss stirred within her.
Afterwards, Katniss spoke. "It's good we didn't have any special plans for Christmas this year because we'll be spending tomorrow trying to find homes for all of our stuff."
Peeta nodded. "How about I get started on dinner," he suggested, changing the subject. "Maybe you can figure out what box contains our bedding. Set up a cozy nest in front of the fireplace. After dinner, I'll make a fire."
Cuddling in front of a fire sounds like a romantic way to spend Christmas Eve.
Katniss raised her hand to her forehead to give Peeta a mock salute. "Aye, aye, Captain Stubing," she joked referencing The Love Boat, a cheesy show they watched every Saturday night on their tiny black and white t.v. I'll get right on it." She kissed the end of his nose and watched her husband weave past the boxes and in the direction of the the kitchen.
"Love exciting and new
Come Aboard. We're expecting you.
Love, life's sweetest reward.
Let it flow, it flows back to you."
She sang the show's theme song softly as her eyes scanned the room. They soon landed on a pile of boxes labeled Bedroom. In a short time, she's set up a makeshift bed in front of the fireplace, with layers of blankets surrounded by pillows to soften the hardwood floors. As she sat down on top of the nest to test it for comfort, an idea came. There's no reason I can't do a little Christmas decorating. I could set out some ornaments on the mantle and hang our stockings, as well.
They'd agreed not to purchase each other elaborate Christmas gifts — only inexpensive items that could be stuffed into a stocking — because the down payment on the house and cost of the new furniture had come close to wiping out their savings — but Katniss had cheated and gotten Peeta a Sony walkman so he could listen to music while he worked. And I can borrow it when I go jogging.
By the time she'd finished decorating, Peeta was calling out from the kitchen, "Dinner's ready."
They ate tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches at the orange formica island in the kitchen. "It was nice of the previous owner to leave these chairs behind," Peeta said, referring to the hard plastic stools with the high backs that sat in front of the island.
"It is," Katniss agreed. "But maybe they couldn't use them in their new house."
Peeta set down his spoon. "Don't you just love this kitchen? It's the best room in the house."
"It is." The old colonial was in a perfect location for them — close to the bakery Peeta managed and the school where Katniss taught kindergarten — but at nearly sixty, it was showing its age. Only the kitchen had been updated. It featured appliances in a fashionable shade of brown, lacquered orange cabinets, patterned wallpaper, and of course the island that could be used for prep work. It even had a dishwasher.
However, the other parts of the house were sadly showing neglect. Most things could be fixed with a simple coat of paint and the hardwood floors could be covered up with shag carpeting, but it was the bathroom that nearly caused Katniss to pass on purchasing the room featured its original decor — hexagon floor tiles, a plain white tub with porcelain faucet handles, and a sink bolted to the wall like in a public toilet. Without a vanity, there wasn't any storage. When Katniss first saw it, she couldn't help but think about how utilitarian it looked. Their realtor had suggested a colorful shower curtain would improve its appearance.
Katniss shook her head — It needs to be renovated completely. She gave Peeta a desperate look. "We'll get it remodeled," he mumbled. But his eyes quickly flitted away. He's in love with the kitchen, she thought.
But after looking the house over from top to bottom they both agreed it was what they'd been looking for — a well-built structure, located in a good neighborhood, and most importantly within their budget. Katniss agreed with Peeta to make an offer which was quickly accepted. However after all the unexpected costs were added onto the bill, things like hidden escrow fees and property taxes they hadn't anticipated, plus the cost of new furniture, it became obvious that it would be a long time before they could even begin to think about remodeling their ugly bathroom.
They made quick work cleaning up after dinner, with Katniss especially appreciative of the dishwasher.
"It's been a long day. Why don't you take a bath, Katniss, while I start the fire."
That sounds so nice. But I think I'll shower instead. The less time I have to spend in that bathroom, the better. She'd disinfected the room completely that afternoon, so she knew it was clean but the thought of relaxing in that space left her on edge. For a moment she wished they were back in their old place even though the bathroom had moldy wallpaper and carpet that gave off a funny smell when it got wet.
"Thanks," she said, knowing Peeta meant well. The warm shower washed the dust off. She combed out her long hair deciding not to braid it until later. Peeta likes it flowing free.
When she returned to living room fifteen minutes later dressed in her nightgown, Peeta had a fire going. "Why don't you shower now," she said. "I'll make us some hot chocolate."
"Sounds great."
She went back into the kitchen appreciating its modernity. She was pouring the warmed cocoa into mugs when Peeta came into the kitchen wearing blue plaid pajamas. His head was wet and jostled from the shower, giving him a cherubic appearance. He's so cute.
They each took their mug into the living room to sit on their nest of a bed in front of the fire. Peeta tapped his mug against hers and made a toast "Here's to our first Christmas in this house. Hopefully we'll have many more to celebrate, with kids even." His cheeks turned pink as he lifted the mug to his lips.
Katniss smiled, noting his comment. Lately, Peeta had been hinting about having kids. They'd been married five years now. We could start trying soon. But I'd really like that bathroom to be updated first. If we have a baby we'll never get the money to fix it up. She wondered if that thought meant she wasn't ready for a child, yet. However, the idea of spending hours in that room bathing a child, potty-training him or her — well, I'm not going to dwell on it right now and ruin my Christmas.
As they sipped their chocolate, Katniss and Peeta talked quietly about unpacking the boxes, and what color to paint the two extra bedrooms they now had. When they finished, Peeta took their mugs to the kitchen. Katniss laid down on her side against a large pillow and stared into the fire.
"You look like a vision — with your hair spread out like that, " Peeta said, when he returned. In its damp state, her hair had formed into natural waves.
"I know," she whispered as Peeta lay down facing her, his back to the fire. He reached for her cheek, holding it in place as he pressed his mouth gently to hers. She opened her mouth slightly to deepen the kiss. Peeta carefully moved his body so that it was over hers. His hand ran through the hair at the nape of her neck, and then his lips were on her neck.
Katniss' mind began to empty, to go to that place where the world was shut out and only she and Peeta existed. Her eyes closed.
Boom! A loud crash sounded.
Katniss startled upward causing her head to hit Peeta's chin. Her eyes flew open as Peeta grimaced in pain. A stream of shouts and a blast of warm air brushed past her.
Immediately Peeta shoved her backwards away from the fireplace screen which had fallen forward onto the tile hearth. He grabbed a pillow to stomp out the sparks that had flown onto the edge of their blanket nest.
What caused the crash and the screen to topple over? Has an animal fallen down the chimney? A terrifying thought flew into Katniss' head. Is our new house going to burn down?
"Why in the hell would you light a fire on Christmas Eve?" A familiar voice spoke. Katniss looked up to see a man dressed in a Santa Claus suit. She rubbed her eyes.
I must be dreaming.
"Haymitch, is that you?" Peeta asked.
Haymitch? Our old landlord? The idea was so preposterous that she knew it had to be a dream — one of those weird ones that connected different parts of your personal history into a story more bewildering than any creative writer could concoct. She closed her eyes. I want to go back to the sexy part of this dream. But when she opened them, Santa was still there. She looked to her husband. Peeta appeared stunned.
Katniss turned back to their visitor whose face was red with fury "Of course, it's me. Who did you expect? Now where's the sink? I need to run my hands under some cool water."
"This way," Peeta said, nearly tripping over the tangled blankets when he stood up. He led Haymitch to the kitchen. Katniss got up and hurried after them, wincing at the ashes that their guest was leaving on the floor in his wake. This better be a dream. I don't want to clean up this mess.
"NIce kitchen— very colorful," Haymitch said as he held his red hands under the cool water from the faucet. "I knew I shouldn't have taken off my gloves."
"What are you doing here?" Peeta asked.
Haymitch snorted. "My job. I'm wondering what you're doing here."
"We moved in today," Katniss announced
Haymitch turned off the faucet. "Ah, that explains it. The address change was made too late. I'll have to speak to Darius about that."
Peeta shook his head. "Darius? Who's he? And why are you dressed like that and falling down our chimney. You're lucky you didn't catch on fire."
"That's the beauty of flame-retardant suit."
Tired of Haymitch's nonsensical remarks, Katniss interrupted. "But what are you doing here?"
Haymitch rolled his eyes. "Do I have to spell everything out for the both of you? I'm Santa Claus. The big man himself."
Katniss exchanged a worried look with Peeta. This is insane. Her husband nodded in agreement.
Could Haymitch have lost his mind? And why would he turn up now? They hadn't seen their former landlord since they'd moved out of his garage apartment over four years ago.
Haymitch lifted his hands to his mouth and blew on them. Blisters disappeared in front of their eyes. His palms appeared pale and unscathed.
Weird.
He stretched out his arms and opened and closed his fists. "That's what I was afraid of. The tumble maneuver I did to avoid the flames caused some nerve damage."
"Let me drive you to the hospital," Peeta offered.
This is the weirdest Christmas Eve ever — who goes to the hospital with Santa Claus on Christmas Eve?
Haymitch chuckled. "Not necessary. But you could do me another favor."
Peeta raised an eyebrow. "Okay…"
"Put on this suit and take over my job for the night."
"Your job? Doing what?"
"Do I have to spell everything out for you, son. Drive my sleigh and deliver toys tonight."
Katniss frowned. She pinched her arm so hard that a small mark appeared. She blinked several times and commanded herself to wake up. But the scene in front of her didn't change.
"This isn't funny," Peeta said.
"You don't believe me. Step outside and look up on your roof."
There's something on our roof. That's all we need for the roof to catch fire or collapse. Katniss raced out of the kitchen, into the living room. She flung open the front door and dashed outside onto the lawn in her nightgown and bare feet. The temperature was near freezing. She was shivering as she looked at the roof. Her heart raced at the sight in front of her. A red sleigh sat on the roof line and eight reindeer were attached. The reindeer weren't actually on the roof, though, they were simply floating in the air. But that sleigh. How much did it weight? The last thing we need is for the roof to be weakened.
"Peeta," she shouted. "You've got to see this."
Peeta and Haymitch were soon at her side. Peeta wrapped an arm around her, pulling her close, but it did little to warm her. "I can't believe it," he said. He rubbed his eyes. "I think I'm dreaming."
"Well dreamer, I can assure you it's real. I do need you to fill in for me tonight," Haymitch said.
Peeta ran his free hand across the back of his neck. "I don't think I know how. I've never directed a team of animals."
Is he considering it? The idea scared Katniss but the remembrance that it has to be a dream, right? made the decision easy. A person can't get injured in a dream. It's all about the adventure.
"It's not that hard," Katniss said. "I drove a team of horses one summer when I was a kid."
"You never told me about that," Peeta said, turning to face her.
Her eyes's narrowed and she gave him a sly side glance. "You don't know everything about me, Mellark."
Peeta leaned forward to kiss the top of her head.
"Haven't you two gotten past that stage already?" Haymitch scoffed. "Okay, Katniss can drive. But Peeta should deliver the gifts. That's how it's been done traditionally."
Haymitch looked them over. "So can I count on the both of you to get the job done?"
None of this is real. "Sure," Katniss agreed. The cold air invigorated her. Might as well have some fun.
"Okay, we'll go for it," Peeta agreed.
They quickly went inside. Katniss found Peeta's bathrobe and handed it to Haymitch. "Change out of your suit in the bathroom. You can put this on."
Meanwhile, Katniss went into her bedroom and put on the clothes she'd worn earlier that day, jeans, a shirt, and sneakers. She put her winter coat over her clothes, quickly braided her still wet hair and tucked it under a red wool cap.
When she returned to the living room, Haymitch was wearing Peeta's bathrobe and helping Peeta into the red jacket he'd been wearing. Peeta had already put on the red pants trimmed with white fur. They fit his body like a glove.
"How can that outfit fit Peeta so well?" Katniss exclaimed. "You both have completely different body types." Peeta was stocky, but fit, while Haymitch was slump-shouldered and potbellied.
"The fabric is the latest technology," Haymitch said. "It conforms the wearer's body type."
"You mean it's spandex?" Katniss queried.
"A lot more advanced than that," Haymitch replied. "This stuff is military grade. It's bullet proof."
Katniss' mouth fell open. "Someone might shoot at Peeta?" She gave her husband an alarmed look, but apparently he hadn't heard because he seemed fascinated by the costume.
Peeta ran his right hand down his left sleeve. "I need to check this out in the bathroom mirror." He left the room.
"Don't worry, no one will shoot him," Haymitch said. "I guarantee it."
But how can you be sure?
"That your only bathroom in this house?" Haymitch continued.
Katniss sighed. "Yes. I know it's old-fashioned looking, but it works." She stuck her hands in her coat pockets. Where are my gloves? "We plan to remodel it."
Haymitch rubbed his bearded chin. "You know that particular style used to be the height of fashion. And not that long ago, either. But I suppose you've got some ideas for how to update it."
She smiled. "Avocado green fixtures and some colorful tile on the floor. A big vanity with plenty of storage space. Those hexagon tiles are original to the house. I hate them."
Peeta bounded into the room interrupting their conversation. "This outfit gives me energy." He looked toward Katniss. "We better hit the road… I mean the sky."
"How will we get up to roof?" Katniss asked. "We don't have a ladder, yet."
"Haven't you ever read Clement Moore's The Night Before Christmas?" Haymitch asked. "I told him to put it in there." He quoted, "And laying a finger aside of his nose, and giving a nod up the chimney he rose."
"Okay then," Peeta walked close to the fireplace which appeared to be immaculately cleaned of all evidence of their fire. He crouched down in front of it and put his finger to the side of his nose. A loud whoosh sounded, and Peeta disappeared.
Katniss' heart pounded. "Where did he go?"
"He's on the roof," Haymitch explained.
"But you never gave us any instructions. Where do we go? What do we do?"
"There's an on-board navigation system which explains the deliveries. And the reindeer know exactly where to go."
"Okay, I guess we'll figure it out." I sure have a fantastic imagination to dream all this up. Maybe I should write a book. Katniss crouched in front of the fireplace. She laid her finger aside her nose. "See you later," she said and with that she felt her body compress and move upwards. It was a strange sensation.
When she got onto the roof, Peeta was already seated inside the sleigh touching what appeared to be a miniature television screen attached to the dashboard. Names appeared on it in neon light. "Hey, I was wondering if you changed your mind. I've been waiting a long while. If you took any longer I was going to get out of the sleigh and straighten out our t.v. antenna. It's bent."
"It's been less than a minute," Katniss said. "Slide over," she joined her husband on the soft leather cushion seat. She was immediately warmed. It's almost as if the heat is coming from inside the cushion. The reins to the sleigh were wrapped a hook on the dashboard. Katniss' eyes followed the leather straps ahead to see the floating reindeer.
"Well, I guess we better be off, " Peeta said. He looked toward Katniss as if waiting for her to take charge. "So how do you get them to go?"
Katniss reached for the reins, taking a strap into each hand. "Giddy up" she called. Nothing happened. She shook the straps, so they would vibrate on the animals' backs. "Giddy up."
One of the reindeer snorted, a blast of wind whooshed past them, and without even realizing they'd flown they were sitting on the roof of their next door neighbor.
"Well, that was weird," Peeta said.
Katniss held the reins loosely. "You better hurry up. I have a feeling this is going to take all night."
Peeta turned around in his seat to reach for the black sack that sat in a built-in box. He began to lift it, but then set it back and reached inside. He pulled out a baseball bat and glove. "Must be a boy who lives next door."
"Is that all for this house, then?"Katniss asked.
Peeta fished around inside the bag. "I guess so. It's empty now."
"Well that's an efficient system. At least we'll deliver the right things to the right house."
Peeta stepped out of the sleigh. "I'll just be a minute."
"Be careful," Katniss warned as she watch her husband walk along the roofline. Peeta reached the chimney and jumping down it, disappeared from her view.
Katniss sat on the roof studying the reindeer. How do they float like that? She thought about the boy that lived next door to them. How old is he? She hoped that that there were plenty of children in the neighborhood when she and Peeta started their family. It would be nice for their children to have playmates. She looked down onto their street. It was lined with trees and filled with older homes all built around the same time so it had a cohesive look to it. It looks nice from the air she decided.
Her hands grew cold. I should have looked for my gloves before we left. She blew on them for a moment, then set them on the warm seat cushion. Where is Peeta? How long does it take to put a glove and bat under the tree? Did he get stuck in the chimney? Maybe he forgot how to get back up. A sudden urge to get out of the sleigh and investigate took over. She looped the reins around the hook where she'd first found them.
Carefully, she walked along the roofline to the chimney. She stuck her head down inside it and called, "Peeta." When she didn't get an answer she climbed atop the brick structure and carefully made her way inside. I hope I don't get stuck, she though as she inched her way down the flue.
There may have been some magic going on, though because she immediately found herself sitting in the hearth. Across the room stood a lighted tree with the bat and glove beneath it. An empty plate and glass was set on the coffee table. If Peeta ate the food, where is he?
She looked around the living room. Hey this looks to be our same floor plan. She headed for the kitchen. "It's not as nice as ours," Peeta said when he caught sight of her. He was standing in the center surveying it. The room was painted pink, the cabinets were pink, and the appliances a boring white.
"It's not," Katniss agreed. A sudden thought hit her. "I wonder what their bathroom looks like."
"Let's check it out," Peeta said.
A curious feeling came over Katniss. "We'd better be quiet. Don't want our new neighbors to find us walking through their house in the middle of the night."
"Doesn't matter. We're in costume."
"You are, but I'm not."
But she wondered if her husband even heard her as he was down the hallway ahead of her. The bathroom door stood open.
Katniss had to stifle a scream as she took in the small room. Instead of plain white, the room featured bright blue wallpaper and blue fixtures. The floor wasn't tile, but carpet with a bright mosaic pattern. A couple of shelves were placed over the toilet where toiletries were artfully displayed in glass jars. Blue fluffy towels hung over wall racks. It's so stylish.
For a moment she wanted to strip down and luxuriate in a bubble bath in that beautiful blue tub. Oh why did we buy a house with such an ugly, old-fashioned-looking bathroom.
"I love this bathroom," Katniss whispered. "We need to do something like this to ours."
"It's nice," Peeta agreed, speaking in his regular voice level. "But we better get going. We have a busy night ahead of us."
Katniss put her finger over her lips to remind Peeta to keep his voice down.
As they walked down the short hallway to return to the living room, Katniss glanced at the photo display on the walls that she'd ignored in her rush to see the bathroom. These family photos told the story of the owners' lives. A color wedding photo of a handsome copper-haired man wearing a dark tuxedo while his lovely brunette-haired wife looked at him adoringly from beneath her lacy veil. Further along the wall, the woman appeared to be expecting. Her husband's hand rested casually on her rounded belly as he exchanged a secretive look with his wife. The next photo showed the man holding his infant son and giving his wife an adoring gaze. The rest of the photos showed their little boy growing up — playing in the sand at the beach, swimming in a pool, riding a bike. They look like a nice family.
"Hurry up, honey," Peeta said, again using his normal speaking voice. Katniss flashed him a panicked look, again placing a finger across her lips. Are you trying to wake our neighbors up?
Peeta shook his head. "I don't think they can't wake up while we're inside the house," he explained. "Either that or these people sleep like the dead. I made an awful racket when I came down the chimney."
"Maybe they've already called the police and are hiding in the closet waiting for them to arrive," Katniss whispered. Still she thought Peeta might be onto something, But no matter, they had a busy night ahead. They had to leave now. Katniss crawled into the hearth and put her finger aside her nose and whoosh she found herself on the roof in no time; Peeta soon followed. "Onto the next house."
The next stop was only a few doors down from their own. Several children lived in this house. So many that Peeta couldn't carry the items from the sack in his hands. "Better just take it with me."
"I could go and help you," she offered. It was boring being the driver. Besides she was curious about seeing the inside of all the houses in her neighborhood. It could give me decorating ideas.
"Okay," Peeta agreed. "But no looking around the entire house, It's going to take us forever if you do that."
"I can be quick."
"No, Katniss." Peeta insisted. "It's wrong."
Begrudgingly she agreed to his terms. While technically she knew it was nosy to be walking through houses while the owners were asleep, still they'd been touring house for the past six months with a realtor. But those owners wanted us to look at their homes. These people are asleep and have no idea that their neighbors are walking through their house.
Fortunately for her, the living room of that house was heavily decorated with family photos. Katniss studied them as Peeta set out gifts under the tree — sports equipment, books, a paintbox, coloring books, a couple of dolls, and even an entire dollhouse.
"I can't believe all that was in the sack," Peeta exclaimed when he'd emptied it. "It wasn't heavy."
"Well it's magical obviously," Katniss said, dismissively. "Look at this photo," she called to him. Peeta walked closer to eye the large family photo. The parents, a tall, dark-haired man and smiling woman with strawberry blonde hair, were in the center. Around them were five children all appearing to be under the age of seven. One boy and four sisters. The boy looked to the be the oldest and Katniss wondered if he was friends with the child who received the baseball bat and glove.
"That looks like Diamond Head in the background," Peeta said as he studied the photo. "I wonder if they're a military family that was stationed there. It would cost a small fortune to take that many people to Oahu for a vacation."
"True," Katniss agreed. She and Peeta had traveled to the Hawaiian island of Oahu and visited Diamond Head on their first wedding anniversary.
Peeta put his arm around Katniss' waist and squeezed her close. "It brings back good memories, doesn't it."
"It does." It had been the best vacation they'd ever taken as a married couple. Probably because Peeta's father had paid for it and spared no expense. Ever since they'd been married, they'd never had the discretionary income to pay for a more than a couple of nights at a budget hotel. That's because we've been saving for the house. Of course now we need to start saving for that bathroom remodel.
Peeta removed his arm and walked toward the fireplace. "Come on Kat. Time to go."
xxxxxxxx
"This is taking forever," Katniss said after they visited the fifth house on their side of the block. We haven't even gotten to the houses on the other side of the street.
"I think it would go faster if you stayed in the sleigh and I went in alone," Peeta suggested.
This time Katniss agreed. Going into all those houses bringing gifts for children had left her yearning for something she couldn't quite define. Am I ready to become a mother?
So while Peeta climbed down the chimney at the house at the end of the block, Katniss sat in the sleigh and noticed a button on the dash. It look to be right above a concealed box— almost like the glovebox in their car. Curious, she pushed it. The opening sprang forward and out. A steaming cup of hot chocolate, topped with a dollop of whipping cream, appeared.
That's neat. Katniss reached for it and took a sip. Just the perfect temperature. As she swallowed a lingering warmth appeared in the back of her throat. I feel so cozy.
Love exciting and new, come aboard. We're expecting you, she sang to herself. She took a couple more sips. The drink was causing her entire body to relax. A crazy idea came over her. This sleigh is like a boat in the sky and Peeta and I are having a romantic adventure. Maybe I can turn this dream back to sexy after all. And if it's not a dream, maybe we can start our family right here, right now, in Santa's sleigh.
At that moment her sweetheart appeared at her side. She grabbed at his waist to pinch the flesh against his ribs. So much to cuddle. "You're back soon," she said, missing Peeta's lips to give him a kiss on the side of his face. "Here, try this." She gave him a seductive look as she handed the mug to him.
Peeta's eyebrows rose. Taking the mug, he took a long swallow. "This is probably the best hot chocolate I've ever tasted. I wonder what's in it."
"I think it's Baileys Irish Cream," Katniss giggled.
"Where did you get it?"
"Out of there," she said, pointing to the opening in the dashboard.
"Put it back, Katniss. You can't be driving this sleigh under the influence."
He's right. Already her head was clearing, and logic was reappearing. There's not enough room in this sleigh to make a baby. Anyway, it's too cold to remove our clothes.
"Okay, boss." Once the drink was returned to its holder, Katniss grabbed the reins and shouted for the reindeer to take off.
Over the next several hours they eventually made their way around their entire town. Occasionally Katniss would join Peeta inside of a house, generally when the families were larger and there were a lot of toys in the sack. It went quicker when there was another person to help unload it. Katniss eventually lost track of where they were, until they landed on a roof that looked familiar.
"Hey, isn't this our roof?" Peeta asked. "I recognize that bent antenna." He reached for the sack and opened it. "There's nothing inside. I guess the reindeer have brought us back home. I'm glad we're done. I'm so tired, Katniss."
"Me, too," she muttered. She was long past the relaxing effects of Haymitch's hot chocolate. Now she just wanted to go to sleep. Canoodling will have to wait until tomorrow.
They climbed out of the sleigh. "So long boys," Katniss called to the reindeer.
They made their way down the chimney, Katniss first and Peeta following to find themselves in their living room. She couldn't wait to drop to the floor and close her eyes. How in the heck does Santa, I mean Haymitch do this at his age?
"We're back," Peeta called out, not seeing Haymitch in their living room.
"Perfect timing," Haymitch said, rushing into the room. "I just finished up my business in the bathroom." He was wearing Peeta's bathrobe and it was falling open.
"I don't need to see that," Katniss said, averting her eyes. Or hear that. "I hope you turned on the overhead fan." Without a window, that fan would be a necessity.
Haymitch smirked. "Oh you mean…no, that's not what I did." He smiled. "I remodeled your bathroom."
Katniss' eyes opened wide. She remembered Haymitch's workshop under their garage apartment. She'd only seen it once, but had been quite impressed with his woodworking expertise. But how could he do it here? We don't have any tools.
"Come check it out."
Katniss reached for Peeta's hand. Together they followed Haymitch down the hallway. Katniss blinked twice when she looked inside. How is this possible?
The room was completely changed. Gone were the white tub, toilet and ugly sink, all replaced with avocado green fixtures and gold faucet handles. A green bath mat lay on the orange linoleum floor. The sink that had been bolted to the wall was now sunk into a wooden vanity with plenty of storage. It was topped by an orange counter that matched the orange in the flooring. Orange patterned paper along one wall finished it off.
"It looks like something out of a magazine," Katniss whispered, her hand covering her mouth in awe. "Thank you so much."
"This is fantastic," Peeta said.
"Great. Glad you like it. Now get out of that suit. I've got a job to finish."
They left Peeta inside to strip down, while Haymitch stood in the hallway with Katniss.
"You know the job offer is still available," he said.
The job. What job? But then she remembered that Haymitch had offered Peeta a job when they lived over his garage when they were first married.
"You want Peeta to be Santa Claus?" Katniss suddenly understood what Haymitch had proposed to them in such a confusing fashion five years earlier. It hadn't made any sense to them then, and when they'd told Peeta's dad about it he said it sounded as if Haymitch was hiding something from them.
The bathroom door opened and her husband stood in the doorway in his boxers and t-shirt. He handed Haymitch the suit.
"What's this about a job?" Peeta asked.
"I was just telling Katniss that the job I offered you five years ago is still available," Haymitch said. "You did great on tonight's trial run."
"Be Santa?" Peeta chuckled. "It was different, but I'm happy being a baker. I manage the shop now."
"But think of the happiness you could bring to people all over the world if you were Santa."
"Maybe for one day a year," Peeta said. "But I make everyone in town happy every single day with my baked goods. One of the secrets of happiness is continuous small treats, you know."
Haymitch frowned. "You have a good point. But I had to try at least."
He pushed past Peeta and went inside the bathroom to dress.
Katniss wrapped her arms around her husband. "Did we dream all this? Is it real, or not real?"
"Oh, it's real," he murmured as he pulled off her knit cap and buried his face into her still damp hair.
Haymitch exited the bathroom. "Thanks again for the remodel," Katniss said as she lifted her head.
"No problem. It was nice to do be able to design things on my own. Usually Effie bosses me around. She fancies herself expert on architectural design."
"How is she doing?" Peeta asked, his arms falling from Katniss' side.
"Oh, about the same. Trying out new recipes, coming up with new crafts. You know she was the one who came up with that idea for pet rocks a few years back?"
Katniss raised her eyebrows. "Really?"
Haymitch nodded. "I was surprised when that one took off. But it didn't last long. Kids today are more sophisticated. They want Star Wars crap and electronic games." He sighed. "The world sure has changed."
It sure has.
Haymitch headed toward the living room. They followed him. "I better get going. I've got a lot of time to make up."
"But… the nerves in your hands?" Katniss blurt out.
"Haven't you figured it out? That was just an excuse."
"Don't be a stranger," Peeta said, as Haymitch waved and disappeared up their chimney.
"I'm exhausted," Katniss moaned. She kicked off her shoes and fixed the blankets in front of their fireplace. Then she lay down atop them.
Peeta put the fire screen in front of the fireplace opening, turned off the overhead light, and joined her on the floor. He pulled a blanket up over them and rested his arm across Katniss' middle."Did we really fly around in a sleigh and deliver presents to kids all over town?"
"You said we did. Now stop talking. I want to sleep."
xxxxxxxxxxx
The living room was sunny and bright when Katniss awoke on Christmas morning. What time is it? She stretched out her arms and realized Peeta wasn't beside her. She sat up slowly.
Why am I wearing all of my clothes? She could have sworn she'd put on a nightgown after her shower. Her muscles ached. It must be from lifting all those boxes yesterday and then sleeping on the hardwood floor.
She got up to look for Peeta. She found him in the kitchen. He was wearing his pajamas. His back was turned away from her as as he flipped a pancake in the frying pan. "Merry Christmas, sweetheart, I'm making breakfast," he said as she came up behind him. "Although I can't say I'm very hungry. I feel as if I was eating cookies all night long."
He turned slightly. "Why are you wearing your coat inside? The heat's on."
"For some reason I slept in it. You know, I can't remember what happened last night. It's all a blur. Were we drinking?"
"Only hot chocolate and you made it."
Katniss rubbed at her temple. "That's right. Okay, I'll be back soon. Just need to use the bathroom."
She made her way down the hallway and turned into the powder room, and then immediately stepped out again and into the hallway. "Do I have time for a bath?" she shouted.
"Yeah," Peeta called back. "I want to make cranberry puree to top the pancakes."
Yummy. Katniss stripped down and stepped into the green tub. Our bathroom is so stylish. It's the best room in the house.
THE END
AUTHOR'S NOTE: The Love Boat was a popular American television series that aired from 1977 to 1987. The series revolved around a cruise ship commanded by Captain Merrill Stubing and a few regular crew members as they interacted with passengers - played by various guest star actors for each episode. Each episode focused on the cruise ship guests finding love while on vacation.
The original Sony Walkman was released in 1979. It was a portable cassette player that allowed people to listen to the tape cassette of their choice while on the move. It originally cost $200.
Jogging (leisurely running) was something only athletes did, not the general public prior to the early 1970s. However jogging first came to the attention of the public in the later 1960s with the publication of Jogging: A Physical Fitness Program for All Ages by Bill Bowerman, running coach at the University of Oregon and future co-founder of Nike. The sport took off, and with the support of magazines such as Runner's World and The Runner, and books such as The Complete Book of Running by Jim Fixx, jogging came to be called running. In the mid-1980s, running became a big part of the lives of many Americans who competed in weekend road races at varying distances — ranging from 3 kilometers, 6 kilometers, half marathons (13.1 miles) and full marathons (26.2 miles). MTK4FUN was a serious runner back in those days and ran more than 100 races (including five marathons). She met Mr. MTK4FUN, a fellow runner, when she joined a running club.
Spandex, a synthetic fiber known for its elasticity, was invented by chemist Joseph Shivers in 1958. It was originally used for women's girdles and other undergarments. But girdles went out of fashion in the mid-1970s as a result of the Women's Liberation Movement. So designers began to utilize the fiber to make exercise clothing to support the growing fitness movement which included running and aerobics attire. Spandex is an anagram of "expands."
The rhyming poem/story we know as the The Night Before Christmas was originally titled A Visit From St. Nicholas. It was published in 1823, and written by Clement Clarke Moore. It is responsible for many of the ideas we have about Santa Claus from the mid-19th century to today.
Bailey's Irish Cream, was developed by Gilbey's of Ireland in 1971. It's an alcoholic beverage flavored with cream, cocoa, and Irish whiskey. It has an alcohol content of 17%.
The Pet Rock was a collectible toy sold in 1975. It was marketed like a live pet in a custom cardboard box, complete with straw and breathing holes. The fad lasted six months, ending after a short increase in sales during the Christmas season of 1975. The rocks were smooth stones that came from Mexico's Rosarito Beach. They sold for $4 each and were the brainchild of advertising executive Gary Dahl who became a millionaire due to the short-lived craze.
Star Wars was monumental in changing film marketing strategies. Before 1977, when the first movie was released, film studios depended on ticket sales to bring in the dollars. Lucasfilms decided to merchandize products connected to the film. George Lucas (creator of Star Wars) sold toy-merchandising rights to Kenner (a toy company) for a flat fee of $100,000. Alas, Lucas should have asked for more upfront because Kenner released action figures of the characters that made the company more than $100 million by the end of 1978.
Here's wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas and Happy 2021.