Author's note: This is a Gadge chapter. But worry not, Everlarkers, the next two chapters are devoted to our favorite star-crossed lovers. For now, pause and give Gale and Madge a little attention. They deserve it.
Many thanks to my beta JavisTG!
Happy reading!
Chapter Twenty-One
The divorce would be final in just a couple more weeks. Gale had just dropped the girls with Katniss for her week and he was already lonely. He made a quick decision and called Madge.
"Do you want to go on a date?" He asked.
"The divorce isn't even final, Gale." She said anxiously. "Do you think it'll be okay?"
Gale laughed. "You were the one who offered to speed up the process."
"To rip off the band-aide. Not because I was desperate to be with you. I wanted the girls to be resettled sooner." Madge paused. "What if I come there and we cook together?"
"But we already do that." He said.
She sighed. "I guess I'm just nervous about people calling me a homewrecker."
"But you're not—"
"I kinda am." She paused. "When we touched and felt the spark, we should have sat down with Katniss and talked about all this. I shouldn't have let you put it off. I could have said something myself."
"But we didn't. So here we are, Madge." Gale leaned against the door into his apartment's tiny kitchen. "I like spending time with you. So you just want to come over? I'll go to the store and get some things and cook for you."
"Okay. Sure." He could hear the smile in her voice. "When do you want me there?"
"How about seven? It'll give me time to shove the girls' crap out of the way." He chuckled.
She laughed. "I'll be there. Want me to pick up some beer?"
"That chick beer you like or actual beer?" He asked with a grin as he walked into the living room to start gathering discarded socks and toys.
"What if we split the difference and I pick up that hard cider we both like?"
He heaved a long-suffering sigh. "Fine. Grilled steak sound okay?" He paused in the laundry room and glared at the pile of clothes he still needed to wash.
"Yes, yes, yes!" She laughed. "Make sure mine's well done."
Gale rolled his eyes. "You don't know good steak."
Madge laughed. "You have too much faith in the quality of steak at the Harps."
"The Harps, Madge?" He filled the washing machine. "Are you fifty?"
"Just channeling my former self." She laughed. "See you in a couple hours."
Gale finished with the laundry and hurried out the door to pick up groceries. He and Madge had been spending a lot of time together. Meals weren't ever anything special, but this time at the store, Gale made sure to pick up a few candles and a tablecloth.
Madge arrived just as he was putting on a fresh shirt. He smoothed his hand over his hair as he moved to open the door.
Madge stood on the outside with a six pack of Angry Orchard in one hand and a bottle of some cheap wine in the other. "The woman at the liquor store said this one is supposed to be sweet." She indicated the wine. "And it was like seven dollars, so decided, why not? It's supposed to be a date, right?"
Gale nodded and took the wine from her. "Yeah. A date." Did his voice waver or was he imagining things. He waved her inside. "The steaks should be just about done."
She hung her coat on the hook by the door. He gasped when he saw the little red dress she wore. It was a simple number, but it fit her perfectly and she wore it with confidence. He felt a little underdressed in his jeans and t-shirt. But the way she was looking at him said she appreciated him all the same.
Madge stepped closer and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Like what you see?"
Gale nodded just before he pressed his lips to hers. It was soft and short, but sent sparks through his whole body. He pressed his forehead to hers and let out a long breath.
"Will you be my girlfriend, Madge?" He asked softly.
She laughed and rubbed his arms. "Yes. But let's not make it Facebook official quite yet. I'm still nervous about the 'homewrecker' thing."
"You don't need to worry about that one." Gale assured her, holding her just a little tighter. "Katniss knows the truth. Everyone that matters knows." He brushed his lips over hers. "But I don't want it all over town right away either."
Madge stepped out of his arms. "Didn't you say the steak was almost done?" She picked up the six pack from the floor. "I'm starving."
Gale chuckled and led Madge into the kitchen. It was much smaller in this little apartment than they'd had in the house. It was still a lot to get used to, even though he'd been living here for over a month.
Madge sat the cider in the fridge and pulled out the bowl of salad. "This is for us, right?"
"Yes." Gale picked up a plate and stepped out the back door to take the steaks off the grill. "These should be perfect. Even if one of them is overcooked." He winked as he sat it on the table. "And I got ice cream for dessert. With strawberries and chocolate sauce."
She grinned. "Sounds delicious."
They filled their plates with salad and mashed potatoes and their steaks. Madge cleaned her plate while they talked sporadically. And then she went for more salad.
Gale finished off a second large helping of mashed potatoes.
They were mostly silent as they ate. For all their lifetimes, food had always been more important than conversation. This was something that hung on through this lifetime.
Gale pushed his plate away. "I remember when I first called on you. In our very first life together."
"You were there for my father. Your cows had been getting into his wheat." She slipped her fingers between his. "You tried to bargain for me in exchange for a few head of cattle to make up for it."
He kissed her knuckles. "I really just wanted you."
Madge sighed and finished off her glass of wine. "Let's get the cider and watch a movie." She headed for the fridge as Gale cleared the plates to the sink.
He turned and wrapped his arms around her from behind. "Will you come to bed with me?"
She turned in his arms. "I've eaten way too much to do anything sexy. And I want to." She placed a hand on his cheek. "Let's watch a movie and drink a couple of these." She held up the case. "And then we'll see how the mood strikes."
He nodded and stepped away.
"It's not a definite no, Gale. Okay?" She patted his chest. "Just relax and let our food settle a bit. I really don't want to get motion sickness"
Gale laughed and took her hand, leading her into the living room. He polished off two of the ciders before Madge had finished her first. He reached for a third, but stopped himself when he saw Madge was eyeing him.
"Do you want some ice cream?" He asked softly.
She shook her head. "No, I'm still pretty full from supper." She sat up and pressed a kiss to his lips. "Did you get whipped cream?"
He shook his head. "Never been much of a fan of it myself."
"Well, that's a shame." She slipped her hands under his shirt. "It'll just have to be the chocolate sauce then."
"What are you talking about, Madge?" His voice hitched.
"You still want to go to bed?" Madge pushed up Gale's shirt.
"Yeah."
"How about a slight detour to the kitchen?" She got up and made her way to the fridge to get the chocolate sauce. She appeared a moment later in the doorway. "It's easier to clean up on linoleum."
Gale chuckled and followed her to the floor of the kitchen as he pulled off his shirt and she removed her dress
Madge giggled as she dribbled a little of the sauce on Gale's shoulder. She leaned forward and licked the line up to his neck where she closed her mouth over his skin, sucking hard. Electricity shot through his body.
He moaned and gripped her waist tight. He pressed his body closer. "Madge, it's all so much."
She lifted her head. "All this time I've waited for you…"
He gently took hold of her face. "That's not a bad thing." He took the bottle from her and pressed her head back. He squeezed a little on the center of her chest. Leaning forward, he slowly licked and sucked her skin until it was clean.
Madge gripped Gale's hair and panted. "It feels like fireworks going off under my skin."
He reclined her back on the floor, removing her bra in the same movement. He poured chocolate over her breast. He licked his lips just before dropping his mouth to suck the sweetness from her skin.
Madge's hands were everywhere as Gale trailed his mouth to her other breast. He felt the fireworks, too.
"I started taking the pill." She pulled his mouth to hers. "It's been a few months."
"There are condoms in my drawer anyway." He sat up. "Bed?"
"Bed." She followed him down the hall, shedding their clothes as they went.
Gale's hair was still dripping as Madge combed her fingers through it. She asked softly, "What are you thinking?"
He smiled. "Just how pretty you look without your clothes on."
She laughed and threw herself back on the bed. "Prettier than when I'm dressed."
He snorted and pressed his nose into her wet hair. "Just never seen you naked before. It was more than a little impressive."
"I've been working out." She rolled over in his arms and pressed her forehead against his.
Gale's phone went off somewhere in the other room. He rolled out of the bed in search of his pants and returned to the bed with it pressed to his ear. "I'm sorry you had that dream, Becs, but Daddy's not going anywhere." He looked toward Madge a moment. "You just went to Mommy's today. Are you sure you want to come to my house again already?" He nodded to himself and squeezed Madge's shoulder. "Put your mom on and we'll talk about it."
"What's going on?" Madge asked softly.
Gale held up his hand. "I understand, Katniss. I know it's your week… Thank you, I'll be there in a few minutes." He hung up the phone and started dressing. "Becca had a dream that I went away and didn't come back and she woke up screaming. She wants to come back here for the night."
Madge nodded and moved to find her clothes. "I'll head out then."
"You don't have to." Gale said softly.
She smiled and stepped close, resting her hands on his hips. "I'll stay through the night some other time. You need to be here with your daughter." She pressed herself up on her toes and pressed her lips to his. "Call me tomorrow." She finished dressing and left just a minutes before him.