I remain frozen for an immeasurable amount of time before gaining some sense of clarity
"I- no- I don't know" I stammer idiotically
"That's odd"
"Yes, I'll have to ask my father about it. Here are your pillows" I say quickly picking them up and shoving them at him
"Oh thanks"
"It's late, we should probably get some sleep"
"You're right" Cato stands and stretches then collects bed linens, the pillows and the warming pan from the floor "goodnight Mad Madge"
"Crazy Cousin Cato" I tip my head and let my lips curl up in a smile.
I wake later than usual the next morning and scare myself half to death when I find Cato in the kitchen
"I'd forgotten you were here" I tell him clutching my hands to my chest "how did you sleep?"
"Sorry to have startled you" he smirks "and very well thank you, yourself?"
"Fine, thank you"
"Would you like some breakfast? I hope you don't mind, I wanted to have it ready by the time you woke"
"That's very nice of you, thank you" Cato smiles at me over his shoulder and continues to push scrambled eggs around a frying pan with a wooden spoon "I- I was going to visit my friends at the bakery today, would you- would you like to come?"
"I'd like that" he smiles at me again and moves the eggs over to two plates "I had a friend before I went away to school, I wonder if you know him, Darius? Boggs?"
"Yes I know him, his father is the sheriff now"
"Really?" I nod
"We could go and see him this afternoon if you'd like" I offer before really thinking about it. My father had threatened Darius just days ago and here I am planning to actively seek him out
"That would be great" Cato grins again and sets a plate in front of me on the counter. A knot forms in my stomach as I realize it's too late to take back the offer
"Thank you"
"So who are these friends of yours? It would be nice to familiarize myself with the people in town again"
"The Mellark's, they've always owned the bakery"
"Yes I remember, I couldn't tell you how many bakeries I went to in search of cookies half as good as theirs. Would you believe it, not one place in the city even came close"
"I find that very easy to believe, Peeta's oatmeal raisin cookies are like nothing else I've ever tasted"
"Peeta?"
"He's the youngest of Mr. Mellark's three sons, then there's Rye and Bannock"
"Their names sound familiar, 3 blonde brothers weren't they?"
"That's them"
"What time did you want to visit?"
"I'll just get dressed and then I'm ready when you are" I wash our plates quickly, eager to get to the bakery and take the stairs two at a time with minor protest from my shins.
Just like yesterday Rye hugs me for at least a minute when I first walk in to the bakery. Peeta is waiting with him today and pulls me into his arms before I'm completely free of Rye
"Peeta, Rye, this is Cato, my cousin, he's just returned from school in the city"
"Yes, I think I remember you" Rye says as he shakes Cato's hand, Peeta tips his head "the city must be very different?"
"Yes but I'm glad to be home"
"Cato has a preference for Mellark's cookies" I explain
"Most do" Rye jokes "any type in particular?" he asks moving around the counter
"Mad Madge here suggested oatmeal raisin" I blush at the nickname and Rye bags up Cato's cookies
"On us" he says pressing the bag to Cato "just make sure you share them with Mad Madge" he teases
"We told dad you stopped by" Peeta adds "he said to tell you sorry he missed you yesterday and that he couldn't be here today because he's delivering out of town but he'll be sure to stick around tomorrow if you're still going to come by?"
"Oh yes, I'd like to see him, I'll be here. Now tell me everything I've missed, starting with how you and Delly came to be?" Peeta snorts and Rye scratches the back of his head, making the rest of us laugh.
We stay at the bakery until mid-afternoon and I can't remember the last time I felt this ... safe. I dread the day my father returns but resolve to make the most of this time.
Reluctantly, we leave the bakery for the jailhouse down the street. I point out the general store when we pass it and the barbers
"I remember most of it but what's down there? Wasn't it the blacksmith's workshop?" Cato asks pointing to the newest, biggest building in town
"That's the saloon and much to my father's dismay, cat house. The workshop is still there but the blacksmith - Hunter Hawthorne, he died a few years ago. His family still lives there, they rent the house off Haymitch Abbernathy. Some drunk with more money than he knows what to do with, he's the one who built the saloon. My father tried to stop it when he learnt he was whoring women out but never got his way" those few months were particularly painful because my father was continuously angry. I suspect Mr. Abbernathy is paying my father to keep quiet
"A whorehouse in little old Panem?" Cato muses "and right under the sheriffs nose?" he chuckles having noticed just how close the two buildings are
"I don't think it's as scandalous as it seems. Abbernathy takes in the girls who have nowhere else to go, I don't think they're forced into anything"
"What happened to the clinic? There was a lady doctor wasn't there?"
"Yes" I confirm sadly "Evelyn Everdeen, she's still a healer but her husband Archer was killed in the same fire as Mr. Hawthorne, she and her two daughters live with the Hawthorne's now"
"I'm sad to hear that"
"Yes, Hunter Hawthorne left behind four children"
"Four? I only remember one"
"Gale? He'd be sixteen now, you'd have been in the same early school class"
"Yeah Gale sounds right. Tell me, what else have I missed?"
"Not much else, Darius' father became sheriff, a rich alcoholic built a cathouse, Beetee - do you remember Beetee?" Cato nods
"He run the telegraph office?"
"Yes, well he got married"
"Married? Wasn't he a little ..." Cato makes a gesture for crazy and I stifle a laugh
"Yes but his new wife Wiress has what he's missing. They're really quite adorable, finishing each other's sentences and such. I met them on their wedding day and I've heard them in the store once or twice. Here we are" I say gesturing to the jailhouse "Darius should be here"
"You aren't coming in?" I hesitate, remembering my father's threats
"I- of course" I straighten my back and take the few steps up to the door.
"Miss Undersee" Darius stands and looks at me in disbelief
"Afternoon Mr. Boggs"
"Oh Darius please, what can I do for you?"
"Actually -" I gesture to Cato who steps forward and shakes Darius' hand
"This your fellow Miss Undersee?" Darius asks teasingly, I flush and Cato chuckles
"Charming" he scoffs "I'm gone a little while and you forget all about me" Darius' brow furrows as he looks at Cato again then a spark of recognition lights up his eyes
"Well I'll be damned"
"Hello old friend" Cato chuckles as Darius embraces him with one arm
"Cato, how long has it been?"
"A little over ten years"
"Ten years?! Really? That long?"
"That long"
"Are you back for good? I'd like to catch up, perhaps a drink at Abbernathy's?"
"Great" Cato agrees enthusiastically "but" Cato looks back at me "I can't, I'm staying with Madge" at this Darius' eyebrows shoot up
"I'm his cousin" I inform him quickly
"Oh I see" Darius laughs
"But you should go Cato"
"I really shouldn't, I'm sorry Darius I'm spending this week with Madge" a smile finds its way to my face when he doesn't say the words bitterly, he sounds almost excited
"Of course you should, we'll have dinner with your mother then you can go and meet Darius" I tell him not quite firmly
"I can't just leave you on your own"
"I'll be fine for a few hours" I argue
"I don't know"
"He'll meet you there" I tell Darius who smirks.