The grand opening was amazing. Peeta was bussing around the shop helping people, giving kids free cookies, talking, and beaming with pride. I didn't want to disturb him so I sat and observed for a few minutes. I sat in amazement of how well he could run this place by himself. He had discussed hiring a few workers, but didn't really mention names in particular. After about 10 minutes he noticed me and smiled. As he finished talking with the group of little kids and gave them all high fives, he walked over to me and asked what I thought. Before I could finish my thought another customer was asking for his attention and I simply mouthed, "amazing" before walking outside.
I wandered over to Haymitch's house to see what he was up to. Upon entering I nearly tripped over a gosling crossing my path. "Don't kill him, he's little!" Haymitch yells from across the living room. I shook my head, "Honestly Haymitch, what has gotten into you with these geese? You treat them like they're your children or something." "Well maybe they are," he answered, nuzzling a larger goose. "What brings you over here anyway? The boy not paying attention to you at the bakery?" "No, he tried, but it was so packed. Haymitch, he did a really good job. You should at least go over there to show him some support," I chided, picking up a gosling.
"The boy doesn't need me. I'm not your mentor anymore, you know," he said, his voice lowering a little. It was then that it hit as to why Haymitch had these stupid geese. He knew we didn't need him anymore. Because the Games ended he didn't need to mentor any more poor kids from District 12 who would inevitably die in the arena. "Haymitch, we might not need you as our mentor, but you're still our friend. You're the closest thing he's got to family these days," I emphasized. I sat down beside him and decided to ask about the other kids he had mentored over the years. Haymitch cried a little, and not entirely from the alcohol, I think, and then asked about the book Peeta and I had made. "Can I add them to the book?" I was touched by Haymitch's sentimentality and happily agreed. I ran to my house to get the book and brought it back to Haymitch. He had fallen asleep while I was gone so I left a note for him, "Come over when you wake up. We'll start adding the kids to the book."
I returned home and wandered around a bit trying to figure out how to kill my time. It was too cold to go hunting, Peeta was at the bakery and probably wouldn't be back until later, and Haymitch was passed out with his Geese. I decided to go see Sae.
I wandered down to her home which was on the other side of town. It wasn't a large home, but you could tell she took good care of it. I knocked on the door and was greeted by the pudgy faced little girl who lived in her own world. "Hi, is your grandma here?" I asked. "Yep. She's with Papa in the back," and she skipped towards the back, returning a few minutes later until she reappeared with Sae. "Hi Sae," I said softly, "I don't mean to interrupt; I just thought I'd stop by to see how you were doing." She smiled and invited me into her home. It was a lot smaller than mine but it felt like a home. There were a few things here and there to decorate it, but it was clean and the delicious smell of whatever she was cooking filled the air.
"How have you been, child?" she asked. "Oh, I'm good. I hadn't seen you in a bit and was wondering how you and your family were doing." She didn't have much family. Her children who hadn't died in the bombings fled to other areas of Panem. The little girl's mother was never married and died giving birth so it was really just Sae, her granddaughter and her husband Jem. "Oh, we're doing all right. Jem's not doing so well," she trailed off, sadness filled her eyes but she continued to smile politely. "Why? What's wrong?" I asked quickly. "Well, he's still sick. They're going to start treating him, which is more than I could have hoped for 3 years ago, but I'm just worried. You know how it is when you don't know what will happen to the man you love." I did. Despite our age differences and the fact that she had been married to her husband for probably 40 years, I understood the fear that consumes when the one person you care most about has an unpredictable fate. I smiled and gave her a reassuring nod. I didn't really know what to say. Peeta would have had the correct words, but I didn't. "Is there anything I can do to help?" I asked. "No. No, we'll be all right." She smiled and patted her granddaughter's hand. The little girl scampered off, playing with an old broken toy in the corner.
I talked with Sae about what she had been up to and she willingly shared. I had never really had a long conversation with Sae before and it was an interesting sensation to feel a sense of comfort take over me. I never really felt that talking with my mother. Even though I knew she loved me, it always felt a bit strained and awkward. But Sae was easy to talk with and the time quickly
She asked me what I had been up to and I told her about the book and hunting and Peeta's new bakery. She nodded regarding the last topic, "Oh, I know about that. He comes to visit me. Ever since that incident all those months ago he comes by. Brings me bread and the girl some treats," she smiled. I was a bit taken back. I didn't know that. I guess she noticed the surprised in my face because she laughed, "Oh yes, girl! He comes buy to visit. See how Jem is doing. Makes sure we're okay. I guess he still feels guilty about what he did. But I'm fine," she finished, raising her arms so I could get a look at the area he had cut.
As I sat there registering this and wondering why Peeta hadn't said anything a knock was heard on the old window near the door and the girl squealed. "Speak of the devil," Sae said as I slowly turned around. The little girl quickly opened the door and Peeta immediately bent down to accept a kiss on the cheek from her. As he stood back up holding a box tied with string for Sae to take he noticed me, "Hey Katniss, I was wondering where you had gone earlier. I tried to come find you after." And he smiled and went to indicate what everything was to Sae.
As I stood there in silence I saw the boy I had known before. The scars were practically gone and he was attentive and kind to Sae and her little family. Not wanting to interrupt what seemed to be a regular visit I began to excuse myself on account of Haymitch. If it was late enough for Peeta to have closed the store Haymitch probably woke up already. "Well here, take something to eat, girl," she began as she began to rummage through her cupboards. "No, I should probably go too, Sae. I'm exhausted. Plus, I can make something for her," he said, winking. Feeling a bit defenseless I simply shrugged and put on my coat. Peeta gave the girl a pat on the head and told Sae he would be back tomorrow before we headed back out to the cold.
"How often do you go by?" I asked once the door closed. "Oh, probably three times a week. I don't spend EVERY moment with you, you know." He said, bumping into me for added emphasis. "Besides," he continued, "it's the least I could do to try and apologize for what happened. Plus, Jem's got cancer. He hasn't really been able to work much so I think she appreciates the company and the food." I nodded in agreement as he switched topics and began to tell me about the opening day at the bakery.
As we walked in the front door Haymitch surprised us. "Well since neither of you were here I thought I'd get started on dinner," he said defensively. Luckily he hadn't gotten very much done because it was obvious he had never really cooked. Peeta took over and began repeating the day's accounts, more animatedly though this time. As I stared at him retell the say stories from the day I couldn't help but begin to fall a little more in love with this boy with the bread. This baker, I guess, since he officially was in business. We ate a small, but delicious, meal and headed to the couch to begin Haymitch's entries into the book. As he drank and told us stories and what the different kids looked like Peeta and I drew and wrote as quickly as we could. Before too long though Haymitch was snoring; asleep on the couch. "Should we let him sleep here?" I asked. "No, I think it might throw him off if he wakes up somewhere unfamiliar. I'll bring him home," Peeta answered. With that Peeta picked up our drunken friend and carried him back home.
As he came back inside, stomping off the snow from his boots he snapped his fingers, "Shoot, I should have run home to grab clothes for tomorrow. I don't want to head back out in the snow." "So don't," I replied as I quickly grabbed my coat and put my boots back on, "I'll go get them" I said. Before he could stop me I was headed out the door and he was running up behind me, "No, really, I'll do it. The last thing I want is you digging through my underwear drawer and trying to pick out what I should wear." I stopped in my tracks thinking of the awkwardness that would indeed ensue if I did that and waited for him outside of his door. "You're right. That's the last thing I'd want as well," I said.
As we trudged up the stairs I couldn't stop myself as I said, "You should just bring all of your stuff over. It's not like you really live here anymore." This was only partially true. He came here in the mornings to get ready and he painted and baked in here before the bakery was finished. "You do have a point. But would that be awkward for you?" He asked. I thought about it as he began digging through his closet grabbing a few items to throw in an overly large duffle bag. As he went to grab his items from the bathroom I yelled, "No, not weird. It's not like we're strangers," and yanked out his entire top drawer, the one filled with socks and underwear as luck would have it, and dumped it into the bag. Peeta stepped out of the bathroom at the noise and his eyes widened. "Well okay then," he said with a broad smile and began to empty the rest of the contents from his closet and dresser.
It wasn't much, but it filled up the bag, requiring us to get another from his closet. As we finished we each took a bag and headed downstairs. As we because crossing the field between our two homes I lost my balance and slipped on a piece of ice, dropping the bag and landing on my head. Within moments Peeta was kneeling beside me laughing and helping me sit up. "Well Katniss, I'm fine with ice skating, but I think you need different shoes," he said and I pushed him away. I tried to stand up but realized I has twisted my ankle and sat back down upset. "Leave the bag, I'll help you get inside and come back and get it," he said, chuckling at my plight. After taking a few steps on my ankle Peeta whisked me up and carried me like a doll into the house, sitting me on the couch.
"You okay?" he asked, reaching for my ankle. "Yeah, it's not too bad, just don't touch it," I said wincing in pain. He took off my boot and sock and lifted my pant leg to get a better look. It wasn't bad, like I had said, but he rubbed my feet and blew on them to warm them up. After helping me stretch out on the couch he covered me in a blanket and excused himself to go grab the other bags. When he dropped the bags by the door he began removing his outerwear and headed to the kitchen, "If I'm going to be living here, then I'm making us some hot chocolate," he said as he found an old container and began heating up milk. As I sat there on the couch trying to warm up I thought of what Haymitch has said before the Quarter Quell and realized he was wrong. I could live a thousand lives and still not deserve Peeta.
Sorry for the fluff and filler and that this is the only chapter of the day. Finals are about to start and I have students coming by during non-office hours begging me to give them extra credit.