Hey everyone! I'm back and with a much longer chapter than usual. This was probably the most fun I've had so far, so I hope you enjoy it as well. There will be one more chapter after this, and then I'll be saying my goodbyes to "Seam in the City"… for now. As usual, PLEASE review. I live for your opinions. Also, I want some feedback before I go into the next chapter (you'll see why later). All right, read on!
The scenery was more than I ever could have imagined, even after combing through travel brochures and tourist videos for months. I took a deep breath, greedily inhaling the brisk mountain air into my lungs. My view at that very moment was second to none. It was filling me with an overwhelming sense of possibility. From the balcony of the cabin it seemed like I could see the entire range, just as I had requested. Everything was ideal. I couldn't believe that after all of this time, I was actually here, living the life that I hadn't dared dream about four years ago.
I was so afraid back then, having taken on what seemed to be the impossible task of running my father's company- my company.
"Hey there you are, baby. I was wondering where you had gotten off to." Peeta came outside and wrapped his arms around my waist. I hadn't realized how chilly I'd been until I felt how warm he was, no doubt from the fireplace that had been burning all night in our bedroom. He nuzzled into my neck and kissed the top of my shoulder. "I hate waking up without you next to me."
I relished in his touch, but fired back at him. "Oh, stop it. With the way you were snoring, you barely even noticed I was gone." This sort of pseudo-public affection had taken some time to get used to, even after the wedding. Admittedly, everything had gone kind of fast. I mean, we had barely been dating for six months when Peeta proposed to me. And then another six months later, we were married.
"I don't know why you still insist on playing hard to get, my love." He laughed, pulling my tighter against him. Through his thin pajama pants I could tell what had probably brought him looking for me this morning. "Let's go back inside. I could ring for some breakfast." I giggled and slipped out of his grasp, pulling my robe tighter around me. I enjoyed this, the cat and mouse thing we did sometimes… The cat and mouse thing we did most of the time.
"Mellark, you know that if you called for food, it would take an hour for anyone to even get here. That's why we bought the place, remember?" I was sure he remembered. We had purchased our (3 story, 5 bedrooms, 3 and a half bathroom) home in the Adirondacks mainly for its privacy. Not that the aesthetics were shabby, though. It sat on 2 acres of woodland property, fairly far removed away from anyone and anything. Privacy was something we'd become very serious about guarding rather quickly after beginning our relationship.
The press wanted to know everything, right off that bat. What had happened between Gale and me, where I had met this gorgeous no-name artist from Brooklyn, how long we had been together- the whole nine yards. We needed something for ourselves; a refuge that we could call our own. And after we had stayed here for our honeymoon, it became clear that this was the place we needed to be.
Although as much as I loved it, we still spent most of our time at our townhouse in the city. Some things just came with the territory. I obviously had to remain close to the headquarters for business purposes and Peet's job (while awesome) required almost as many long hours as mine. After being offered a position as Art Director over at Rolling Stone, we'd both realized how badly we'd be needing a cozy place to crash after ours days at work.
"I know, I just needed something to entice you to come back inside. Seriously, Kat it's freezing outside. I don't know how you manage. I'll never understand." He definitely had a point. It was upstate New York in the late months of the fall, and winter was supposed to hit hard this year. I wasn't complaining, though. I'd still rather be freezing there than in the city.
"Well, if it'll make you quit whining!" I threw up my hands in mock defeat and slipped inside, instantly feeling wildly more comfortable. "Besides, I have to start getting ready, right? Everyone should be here within the next few hours." I couldn't help but beam at that last part. This was the first Thanksgiving Peeta and I would be hosting together for our family and friends. We had thought it best if we brought everyone up here to our little sanctuary for the holiday, if for no other reason than it just felt like family.
Peeta had been preparing for days, even insisting we head upstate a little earlier than originally planned. Among his many talents to be grateful for was his ability to work a kitchen. I credited it to his skilled artists' fingers, but it probably had more to do with the fact that his family owned a bakery when he was a kid. Regardless, I enjoyed it.
"Right- the guests. That's what I really came out to tell you. Gale called and asked if it would be all right to bring Clove along. He didn't want to get your feathers all riled up after last year's incident."
It wasn't my fault that I didn't particularly like Gale's fiancé, Clove, we just didn't see eye-to-ye. Aside from the fact that she and Gale were NOTHING alike, she was more of a Barbie Doll than a human and could barely recite her ABC's without stumbling had very little to do with that. No, what really bothered me was when she openly flirted with my husband at Capitol Security's New Years' Eve Party last year.
The party had really acted as both a celebration of a New Year and Gale's taking over the company. Thom Hawthorne had finally handed the reigns of the company over to his son, so we were all there to congratulate Gale. But Clove, who he'd been dating for a few months by that point, was tipsy and hanging all over Peeta (who was either too nice or too oblivious to notice). I'd made sure to put a stop to that immediately.
One thing you didn't mess with was my man.
But I was willing to let that entire thing slide, because for whatever reason, she made Gale happy. And after everything we'd been through together, which was all I really cared about. "Of course she can come. Just keep her away from the Merlot and my husband and we should be just fine." Peeta laughed and poured himself a cup of coffee. "Not to mention if she doesn't come, I don't get to see my godchildren. Which is the most important thing."
He smiled. "Hazelle and Posy are such dolls. Sometimes I can't believe they're Clove's kids." Gale and Clove had gotten pregnant a few months into their relationship (not long after the New Years' incident, incidentally). It wasn't something either had planned, but we'd all been over the moon about it. I had never wanted children of my own, but god kids would work just fine. And they'd been born nine months later, gorgeous little bundles of Gale's unruly dark brown hair and Cloves shimmering green eyes. They were absolute perfection.
"Yeah, superficiality isn't genetic."
"Play nice, Katniss." Peeta chided with gentle humor. I turned on my heel to head back to the bedroom and get showered. As much as I would have loved to rag on Gale's woman some more, I had to get a move on.
There was a dinner to host.
I came downstairs to a freshly dressed Peeta Mellark, enthusiastically rubbing behind our dog's ears. While I'd been getting ready, he'd changed into a charcoal grey thermal, (Everdeen Athletics) green cargo vest, with a pair of dark wash jeans. It was the perfect compliment to our rugged environment. In an effort to dress the part of hostess, I had pulled out a red plaid flannel button up, grey cardigan (rolled up to the elbows); dark wash boot cut jeans and my old black hunting boots. I hadn't been able to bust them out few years ago for fear of not being fashionable enough. Today though, looking between my husband and I, I couldn't help but feel pretty darn cute.
"Hey babe, look what I taught 'mitch to do!" Peet snapped his fingers at our puppy, signaling for him to do some trick or another. I wasn't surprised when he rolled over instead. Coming as a wedding present from our favorite neighborhood bartender, Haymitch the dog was a lot the Haymitch the human. They were both insubordinate yet endearing. "Okay, maybe not this time. He'll learn."
"You look beautiful," my thoughtful husband gripped my waist gently and kissed me on the forehead. Out of instinct, I wanted to tell him that I looked extremely average and I that I was too lazy to even straighten my hair so I just braided it… but I was getting better. He was slowly working me into a place where I felt comfortable just being me- whatever that meant. Constantly reminding me that the beauty he saw wasn't manufactured, it was inherent. And as hard as I tried to suppress it, the Katniss that he'd met back in college was still in there. "What time do you think everyone'll be here?"
I wrapped my arms around his neck. It didn't take much for me to predict who would be first to arrive. Madge was never late for anything, not in all the time that I'd known her. We threw our arms around each other, hugging like we hadn't seen each other in years. I had actually just had lunch with her a week ago, but after years of her being my assistant, we weren't used to spending that much time apart. "Madge! I'm so glad you made it up here okay. No troubles?" I pulled back to look at her. She still had that pure glow about her, all innocence and assurance.
"Nope, it was smooth sailing all the way in from the city, actually. Although it probably would have been even quicker if Marvel didn't insist on using that malfunctioning GPS." I hadn't even noticed Madge's husband, Marvel carrying their luggage up the walk. Peeta emerged from the kitchen, quickly greeting Madge and stepping outside to help him.
"To be fair, that GPS cost me two-weeks' salary and the IT department at Capitol doesn't break the bank. I would really like to get my money's worth." Both men came inside, now dusted with snowflakes. It had been a little chilly earlier, but I hadn't predicted snow.
The weather didn't seem to impede our other guests' arrivals, however. Peeta and I greeted everyone as they came through our door, mostly two-by-two. After Madge and Marvel came Thresh and his little sister, Rue, Prim and Rory, Peeta's brother Rye and his wife, Cinna and Effie, Gale and Clove with my precious twin blessings and finally a loud and disorderly Johanna Mason.
"I HAVE ARRIVED." She declared, bursting through the front door without bothering to ring the doorbell. She dropped her bags to the floor with an unceremonious racket and shouted to everyone who'd already gathered. "Are you gonna just stand there, Brainless, or are you gonna welcome your bestest pal back from training camp?" I rushed over and hugged her as tightly as I could. Jo had been gone for months.
After deciding to rejoin the circuit before the 2016 Olympics, Jo had thrown herself back into training, not making it home to New York as often as I'd have liked. Aside from the wedding, I had only seen her in person four times in the past two years. It was what I wanted for her, though. Whatever made her the happiest was exactly what I'd wish. "And you know Finnick already, so I won't bother with introductions. Where's the wine!" Jo brushed past me, revealing the tall redheaded man that I knew so well but hadn't been expecting.
"Hey Katniss." He remarked bashfully. "Sorry about the surprise, but you know Jo, never one for formalities." I grinned from ear to ear. Well I'll be if my best friend didn't bring a good guy to dinner for once. I simply waved him inside and directed him to the closet where everyone was keeping his or her coats.
I peeked into the living room as I walked away. It was a beautiful sight, all of my dearest friends and family being so chummy. Madge was playing with the twins on the rug; Gale and Finn were clapping each other on the back (as if congratulating one another on being men), Marvel and Thresh were chatting animatedly about the last play on screen, Prim and Rue were in a heated debate about the EPA, Cinna and Effie commenting on my home decors and Jo had already gotten her hands on some wine (against her training regimen) and was badgering poor Rory with questions about his sex life (which involved my little sister, presumably, so I tuned that out immediately).
"Dinner is ready to be served, sweetheart." Peeta draped his arm across my shoulder and smiled down at me. This was great. Nearly everything I could have asked for. It had taken a while, feeling like I had a real family. But now that I had one, I couldn't have been happier. "This is great, isn't it? Having all of them here at the same time." Before I could respond, though, the doorbell rang one final time, signaling our last visitor.
"I'll get this one on my own, honey." I placed a quick peck on his lips before slipping out from under him. "You round everyone up and let them know its time to eat."
I took some time getting to the door. Even after all we'd accomplished, I still felt a little uncertain about seeing her. We'd spoken on the phone a few times since that first conversation. She'd even come into the city with Prim for Christmas last year. But this was the first time she'd be mixed in with everyone else.
"Hello, Mara." I greeted my mother with perhaps the warmest reception I could muster. I could hear everyone in the background, shuffling around to get to the table. We had made so many place settings I didn't think I'd ever be able to fold another napkin if my life depended on it. "And Snow, glad you two could make it." Snow smiled his dazzling movie star grin and moved in for a hug. He liked to touch, I was afraid.
"Well Katniss, it's absolutely our pleasure. You have such a lovely home here! I've been telling your mother that we need to have my agent scout out a spot like this, but she's having nothing of it. Talk some sense into her, please." It was against my better judgment, but I did like him. He was a home wrecker, but he was so oblivious to everything- like a little puppy- I couldn't help but have some positive feelings towards him.
I took their coats and it didn't take long for a few of our friends to rush up to Snow and ask for his autograph. There were just some things you couldn't help.
"Really, Katniss, thank you for inviting us. We were so honored to come." My mother added quietly, as we made our way to the kitchen. Within moments, the stalker-azzi had calmed down for long enough that we could all grab our seats.
Peet and I stood up to give our welcoming speech.
I started. "First of all, we'd just like to thank all of you for coming all the way up here today, we know this is a bit of a trek."
"Yeah, no kidding!" Jo hollered from the opposite end of the table, causing a round of laughter to ensue.
"Fair enough." I smiled happily. "But seriously, this means everything to us, having the people we love and care about here to spend the holiday in our home."
"And we know that this is just the beginning." Peeta added, lacing his fingers through mine. "We're thinking a New Years' Eve rager, since Gale isn't throwing his this year?" A chorus of whoops started around the table (mostly from the guys), Gale and Finn high-fiving over the cornucopia, leaving Jo and Clove to roll their eyes. "Haha, and whatever the future holds, we're just glad that you all are in it with us."
"So I guess this is where we start saying what we're thankful for." We went around the table, each listing things that we were grateful for- some more serious than others.
Madge: "I'm grateful for my promotion, for being named Senior Legal Counsel of Everdeen Athletics."
Marvel: "I'm grateful that Capitol and EA employ over half of the people at this table!"
Prim: "I'm grateful that my mom and big sister are both with me on a Thanksgiving. Oh yeah, and finishing my grad program at Boston!"
Rory: "I'm grateful for finishing grad school at Johns Hopkins."
Thresh: "I'm grateful for my baby sister graduating with honors."
Rue: "I'm grateful for my internship in the Public Affairs Department at EA this spring."
Gale: "I'm grateful for my beautiful children and fiancé."
Clove: "I'm grateful that there's a Neiman's less than five miles from the main road!" (GAG)
Jo: "I'm grateful that I'm the last person to go so that we can eat."
Everyone laughed heartily, silently agreeing with Johanna's sentiments. It had taken some time to get back to the head of the table, but we weren't quite finished yet. Peeta cleared his throat to get everyone's attention back. "Actually everyone, me and Katniss are going to say what we're grateful for together if you don't mind." There were some 'awwwws' and kissy noises from the peanut gallery but Peet was unwavering. Taking a deep breath just as we'd practiced, we spoke what we were most grateful for in unison.
"We're pregnant."
How're you guys feeling? I had a good time, if I do say so myself. PLEASE REVIEW.