I'm in the car, heading home. Everyone is going home next week. Mama says it takes eight to ten weeks for your uterus to go completely back to normal. I'm pissed off, because I always thought it was two. That's two months!
When we all arrive at the restaurant, I know something isn't right.
There isn't a person in sight.
It's five something. We're normally packed, especially at dinner time!
Peeta opens his mouth to ask me something, but I cut him off. "Did you close us today?" I ask.
"No, I was just about to ask you the same thing." He says. Our family is with us.
"We had everyone working today…" he walks to the kitchen and I follow him with Hallie in my arms.
"Oh my goodness!" Miranda gasps when she sees Hal.
"Wait, where is everyone?" I ask.
All of them furrow their eyebrows. "You sent down a letter from upstairs from your cousin to close the restaurant for the day, remember?"
I start shaking my head.
"No I didn't." I say.
"Yeah you did, see? It's even in your handwriting." Macy hands me a piece of paper. I shift Hallie in my arms and read it, instantly recognizing the perfectly straight handwriting, the kind that's really tall and big with the swirly S and A and G, as my own. And when I see the letter Z with the line through it, I know that whoever wrote this really knows my handwriting.
I just wanted to let you guys know that you need to keep the restaurant closed to anyone that isn't a teenager that was one of my students, I realized that it's going to be a hassle to have customers here during the study group. Have them prove that I was their teacher and then let them in.
-Katniss
"Katniss, that is your handwriting…" Peeta trails off.
"But I didn't write it, I swear to god!" I exclaim. He sighs.
"Okay…" he says.
'And what does my students have anything to do with this?" I ask.
"Beats me." he says. I frown and walk back to the front. There is only three other people that know my handwriting well enough to do this because their handwriting is the exact ame as mine, and it's Johanna, Prim and Annie.
"Did one of your three write this?" I say. They all three read it over my shoulder.
"No…" Jo says.
"Me either." Prim and Annie say together.
That's when I notice it.
The words "Ms. Everdeen" are erased.
One of my students wrote this.
I look around for any one of them but don't find them.
"This doesn't make sense." I say. I head upstairs, and Peeta follows me, both of us stopping when we get up there. All of my students are there, and the guy that fired me, and another man I don't know.
What the hell?
"Um…" I begin.
'Can we talk to you? Please?" Marshal demands. I look to Peeta. He takes Hallie from me.
"I'll be upstairs, come on guys!" he says to me before hollering for my family. They all come upstairs, confused a bit, and then they disappear. Johanna doesn't.
"Hey! Marshal!" she high fives him.
"Hey Johanna," he grins. Johanna shoots me a weird look and then goes upstairs. She leaves the door open a crack, and I know it's because she wants to be able to eavesdrop.
"Did one of you write this note-"
"I did. We all know what your handwriting looks like we worked really hard to make is close. Was it good?" Olive asks. She doesn't have her kid with her
"Yeah…what's all of this about…?" I ask.
"You and teaching." Marshal says. They're all sitting around. I raise my eyebrows.
'I can't teach anymore, you guys know that." I say.
"Actually, Ms. Everdeen-"
"It's Mellark, now, actually." I blurt, cutting off the man that fired me.
"Sorry, Mellark," he corrects himself. "Anyways…we looked into it. We were wrong for firing you." I fight rolling my eyes. "You see…these kids came into the school board and they said that every teacher at their high school are married, in a relationship or pregnant. It was wrong of us to fire you." I cross my arms and say nothing. "And we want you to take your job back, but at Eleanor Roosevelt High School." He says, "That's the same place all of your old student's go. You would teach Algebra One. It's only September so the year just started last month..." he says. I grit my teeth for a long time, thinking.
I miss teaching so much. "Obviously it would be after Maternity Leave." The man I don't know. "Hello, I'm Boggs, principle of Eleanor Roosevelt." He says as he sticks out his hand. I shake it, hesitating.
I'm not about to give in just because everyone wants me to.
"Why should I? You just fire me and then expect me to-"
"Sorry, I forgot my phone." Peeta says. He walks past me and I hear him mutter "Don't be rude to them, you've missed teaching, remember that." He disappears downstairs, and I know he didn't forget his phone.
"Why should I?" I ask. I'm honestly irritated. They fire me and then have the nerve to ask me to come back.
"Because we need you Ms. Everdeen, can we still call you that?" Parker asks.
"Yeah…why? Why do you need me? There are tons of other math teachers out there."
"But you make math fun, and your funny and nice and understand and your pretty and have better style than any teacher out there and you really help us to understand!" Ruth begs.
"Mrs. Mellark, please understand you don't need to give us an answer right now. Whenever you want, even if it's in July, come and give us the answer. We'll have your classes with a substitute for all the time you're not there. If you give us an answer, the sub leaves and you get your classes." Boggs says. "And we have another position for a teen living teacher, so if you have anyone that would like it, let us know." He says.
"Teen Living?" I repeat. "I've never heard of it."
"It's the class where you have to take care of the baby…" he trails off.
"Oh! Home Ec!" I say. "Or at least that's what it was called for me." I say.
"Right…well…when you decide yes or no, come to the office and ask to speak with me." he dabs at his forehead with a cloth.
"Wait, Ms. Everdeen," Olive begins. "We're all failing. All of us. I know I wasn't going to go back to school, but I did. That's beside the point. We're failing. My grades were so much better when you were our teacher. Please Ms. Everdeen, I'm begging you. Come back." Peeta's back, and heads for the door. 'Wait!" Olive says. He turns around. "You're her husband, right?" she demands.
"Yes…" he says.
"Will you be mad if she comes back? Back to teaching?" Olive demands. Peeta takes a deep breath. His eyes linger on mine, and I can see conflict in them.
PEETA'S POV
She's looking at me like she wants the answer. There's over a hundred something kids in here, and my wife, and two others. They all want the answer, but in Katniss's eyes, she wants the answer, and she's practically screaming at me not to say the wrong thing.
God, why did I have to be dragged into this?
"Um…I…I…"
KATNISS'S POV
Peeta doesn't stutter. Ever. He always has a way with words. That is when I know he doesn't want to admit the answer. I know it's because of me. He can tell I want the right answer. He just doesn't know what it is.
"Just tell the truth, you're going to be telling me later anyways, whether you like it or not." I say.
"Fine…" he sighs. "No…I don't care if she goes back." He says. "Just…not too soon, she just had Hallie yesterday, for goodness sakes." He says.
"Good." Olive says. "That's really all…"
"We're gonna go." Boggs says. They all start to file out, leaving Peeta and I alone. "Oh, and Mrs. Ever-Mellark?" The principle comes up behind me again.
"Yes?" I ask.
"If need be, you can bring your daughter to work with you." he says. I raise my eyebrows.
"Every day?" I ask.
"Yes." He walks away again.
"You need to be resting." Peeta grabs my hand and pulls me upstairs, pushing me down on the couch.
I know everyone overheard. "Can I have your-" he tugs off his shirt before I even finishes the sentence and hands it to me. I really need to think right now. I llay down and put his shirt over my face.
"She wants you, Katniss." Peeta says after a while.
"Don't wake her up Peeta!" Mrs. Mellark scolds.
"She's not asleep," Peeta snaps. I move the shirt and take Hallie from him. She isn't hungry. I lay her on my chest and make sure she can breathe. She lays on me, in between my chest on her belly. She's crying, but I know she isn't hungry. There's always a cry when she's hungry and this isn't the cry. This is the Mama cry. She has a Mama cry and a Daddy cry. Peeta and I agreed on that last night. She keeps whimpering though. I put one hand on her butt and rub and pat her back with the other.
I cover my face again.
"Is she okay?" Johanna whispers. Peeta sighs.
"She's just thinking." He says. I hear a loud burp and then warm liquid starts to trail down my shoulder. I remove the shirt.
"Really?" I say. She does it again, and I sit up. Peeta looks at me, and the throw up, and then he takes Hallie.
"Go and take a shower, I'll take care of her."
…..s…..
I stand under the hot spray for a long time, just thinking.
Is going back to teaching a good idea? I can remember the stress and the nights I came home crying, or was up all night grading.
I don't want to have to deal with that, because I'm married now, and I have a kid now. I can't be doing that.
But I know Peeta will help me, right?
Would someone be there? I wouldn't be able to do it on my own, especially with a newborn.
But she wouldn't be newborn.
There is no way in hell I would be going back to work as a fatass.
When I hit size zero, I'll go give Boggs my answer, but not until then.
I need to talk to the family about this. They may be pains in the asses, but when something comes up, they're going to be there for you, and right now, I need them.
I dry my body off and stare at myself in the mirror. I open up the bathroom door and then remember I'm completely naked.
"Babe?" I call.
"Yeah?" Peeta calls.
He knows what he's called. It's either "Peeta" or "baby" or "babe".
"Come here a sec?" I ask. He walks down the hall to me.
"Yes?" he asks.
"I forgot my clothes…and the towel can't fit around me…" I mumble.
"Want me to get you clothes?" he asks.
"Please," I smile.
"So your naked?" he asks, waggling his eyebrows at me playfully, trying to see around the door. I swat my hand at him, laughing.
"Just go get me some clothes, you needy boy." I say.
"Yes ma'am." He says. He walks across the hall. "This okay?" he holds up a lacy bra. I flick him off, and he starts laughing, and then I do, too. "How about this?" he holds up nothing, clearly suggesting that I wear nothing. I keep glaring at him, and he can't stop laughing. "Or this?" he holds up a thong. I sigh loudly.
"Get me some clothes before I beat your ass!" I hiss.
"Well you'd have to be in front of me in order for you to do that, and your naked, so-"
"I'll be less irritated when I'm back to size zero, not get me some clothes!"
"You look fine in what your wearing." He insists. "I'm not getting you clothes. He shuts the door to the bedroom and walks back to the living room.
"Peeeeeetttaa!" I whine. "Please?" I beg.
"What are you going to do for me if I get you clothes?" he asks from the living room.
What could be possibly want? I chew on my bottom lip for a moment.
"We can make out." I say.
"When?" he demands.
"Get your ass over here! You know I hate doing this! Just come here!" I complain. He walks back over to me. "Get me clothes and we can make out." I say. He hesitates.
"Fine." He walks across the hall to the bedroom and gets me underwear, no bra, his t-shirt that cuts low and sweats. "Here," he says. Then he stands in front of me, as if he's expecting something.
Everyone is silent, most of them watching from down the hall. They can't see me because the door is covering me. I smirk a little. "Sike!" I say loudly, slamming the door and locking it in his face.
"Hey!" he complains. I'm laughing so hard as I put a pad in the underwear and pull on my clothes, blow drying my hair and then stare at myself in the mirror, disgusted.
Just eight more weeks or so.
Just two months and you get your size zero back. I press my ear to the door to make sure he's not there, and then stick my head down the hall to make sure he's not near. I know he's going to attack, and when he does that, he wins.
I double and triple check again, and then dart across the hall to the bedroom, locking the door behind me as I put my dirty clothes in the hamper. I open the door and creep down the hall, peeking into the living room.
He doesn't attack me, thank god.
"Okay, I need some help." I say.
"Ah, I was waiting for it." Johanna says. I sit down on the couch.
"I don't now what to do. I want to teach again but when I did last time, I was so stressed. I has grading papers all night and I would come home hysterical. I was living off of 5-hour energy for almost a week. I don't know if I can do that again. Not with Hallie." I say.
"You wouldn't be alone. You were up all night last time because Olive didn't show up. And you'd have me to help you. How about we make a rule? No work after six at night." He suggests.
"If I have tests to grade-" I begin.
"Then I'll help you." he says.
"And I will." Annie says.
'Yeah kitty, we're here for you." Finn says.
"But don't do anything you don't want to do honey." Mama says.
"I want to do this." I mumble.
"Do it. But the second you have issues, just quit. It's not like we need the money anyways." Peeta says. It is true, but I'm not just going to quit, and he knows that. Everyone knows that. I don't give up that easily.
"Do me a favor, Kat?" Annie asks. I raise my eyebrows at her. "Tell Boggs I want to be the teen living class teacher for me?"
"Okay…I'm not going back until this is gone." I point to my stomach. "And I'm back in size zero." I add. Peeta sighs.
"You're not fat." He says.
"I didn't say I was fat Peeta." I mutter.
…s…
Three weeks later, I look to be five months when I'm zero months. We're at the park and Hallie is in her stroller. We're at central park and there is a ton of people here. He drops my hand.
"I wrote you a song." He says. I raise my eyebrows. "And I'm gonna sing it."
"Here?" I look around at the people nearby, some of them my students, who wave at me. I smile and wave back.
"Right here." He says confidentially.
"Is this embarrassing?" I ask nervously. He just smirks.
"I love you," he kisses me and pulls away. "Attention everyone! I have a song I'd like to sing to my wife here, if you're interested!" he shouts. My face begins to go hot from embarrassment when everyone stops what they're doing. I see a ton of my students are here, actually. We're in the middle of the park and this is really, really embarrassing.
Olive is here with her son and sister.
Everyone is staring at us.
"Peeta," I begin.
"YES DARLING?" he shouts.
"Peeta!" I whisper. Everyone raises their eyebrows.
He doesn't care.
I don't like where this is going.
"Peeta," I begin quietly again.
I really don't like where this is going.
Peeta looks around, and then he opens his mouth and begins to loudly sing.
I have always been a little shy
I've always been the quiet type till now
And I never let my feelings show
I never let anybody know
Just how much I was so deep in love
But now that you're in my arms
I'm gonna stand on a rooftop, climb up a mountaintop
Baby, scream and shout
I wanna sing it on the radio, show it on a video
Baby, leave no doubt
I want the whole world to know just what I'm all about
I love to love you out loud
My face is beat red. Johanna, Annie, Blight, Finn, Prim, Alex and Chase are on backup, well not Chase. They literally just popped out of bushes and then disappear until they have a part.
You keep bringing out the free in me
What you do to my heart just makes me melt
And I don't think I can resist
But I've never been one to kiss and tell
A love this true can't be subdued
So I'm gonna let out a yell
Baby, I want the whole world to see
Just how good your love looks on me
Baby, I love to love you out loud
Yeah, I love to love you out loud
He finishes the song and everyone starts cheering as he kisses me. "I love you, just saying." He whispers.
"I love you too. You're so embarrassing but I love you too." I mumble, hugging him. He smiles.
People just start walking away. This is the norm for New York City. My students are all laughing though. Peeta gets Hallie from her crib. She's wide awake and since it's not that cold outside, she's in baby pants and a onesie. It's pink and said "I'm cute, Mama's hot, Daddy's lucky"
I dressed her today, obviously. Peeta still hasn't noticed what it says. Someone taps my shoulder, and I turn around. It's a ton of my students.
"Can I see her?" Lauren asks. I hesitate.
"Okay," I take Hallie from Peeta. "Do you know how?" I ask.
"Yes, my sister had a baby last month." She smiles. She takes Hallie from me and positions her in her arms. "She's so cute! Guys, look at her outfit!" she exclaims. Everyone looks down at her outfit. Peeta peers over my shoulder and starts laughing when he sees it.
"Hey! When did you buy that?" he laughs and I smile.
"Um…I don't remember." I laugh. The kids start to pass around Hallie, and then she's passed back to me. She starts crying.
"Okay, lets head home." Peeta says.
…..s…..
I'm so happy that I scream bloody murder and start crying. Peeta comes racing into the room.
"What happened?" he asks. Hallie is asleep and her bedroom door is shut so I know she didn't hear because the rooms are soundproof. We keep on the baby monitor at all times. He is a good twenty feet from me. I run into his arms and kiss him senseless. I haven't let us make out. I shun him away whenever he tries because I always feel disgusting. The stitches are out. I pull away from him.
"Look at this!" I squeal, hopping down from him and unbuttoning my jeans and pulling them off.
"What?" he laughs. I show him the tag.
"ZERO PEETA! SIZE ZERO!" I scream. He laughs. "Do you know what this means?" I whisper.
I got my stiches out a month and two weeks ago. I'm back to normal, aside from my boobs.
"I hope I know what this means." He grins. I tug his shirt off.
"Size zero means I'm me again. And me again means kissing." I kiss him. "And kissing leads to sex." I smile evilly. "But let me call the pharmacy, I'm not ready for another baby yet." I say.
"Me either," he says. I call the pharmacy and get the pills ordered. Then I attack him, because I wasn't only starving myself.
….s…
When Hallie wakes later, we both get dressed. I'm so happy right now. I can lay on top of him again.
My jeans fit again.
I go all out in what I wear. I get white size zero extra skinny jeans and a hot red tank top that's skintight. I turn sideways in the mirror to see I'm tiny again. Then I pull on a lacy shirt over top of the tank top, and then I meet Peeta at the car. He's been waiting for ten minutes. He grins when I get in next to him with my sandals on that I haven't been able to fit in for forever. It's been eight weeks. Hallie is two months old. We stop by the pharmacy to get the pills and I take one right away. "Your not mad at me for starting these again, right?" I ask.
"Nope," he grins. He dials Johanna and Blight and Prim and Alex and tells them to meet up at Annie and Finn's, and then does the same forn Graham and Faith. We drive around the city to pass time, and when we get there, everyone is already there. I get Hallie from her carseat and walk in the house.
"I hve good news!" I say. Johanna takes Hallie right from me.
"And what's that?" Prim asks, trying to get Chase to stop crawling away from her as she changes his diaper. I unbutton my pants and take them off.
"Uh Kitty, what're you doing?" Finn laughs. I show Johanna the zero, and then everyone else, and they start cheering. I pull my jeans back on.
"Well you look great for just having a baby two months ago." Annie smiles. "Gimme my goddaughter." She steals Hallie from Johanna, who flicks her off.
"So Ann, what're you doing tomorrow?" I ask, starting to do cartwheels around their house because I couldn't do this for so long. Ten months, to be exact. It's November first. It's Sunday, tomorrow is Monday.
"Nothing, why?" she asks, laughing at me. I start to do backbends and rise up straight and do handstands back into the backbend.
"She must be good in bed." Graham jokes, earning a laugh from all of us except the babies and a nod and laugh from Peeta.
"Let's go get a job." I stand up straight.
"You want to go and get the job tomorrow?" she asks.
"Why not?" I demand.
"Good point. What time should I be there?" she asks.
"Well high school is different from middle school." I do a backhand spring. "And…I guess at nine. I'm not getting up at the asscrack of dawn to see if I'm getting a job." I say.
"Okay then." She smiles.