Chapter 27

Promise This

Enobaria, Brutus and Florala insisted on having the wedding as soon as possible mainly "because they wanted me to be comfortable through all the planning" which was a nicer way to say that they didn't want me bitching around with a 7 months pregnant belly while planning a wedding. We immediately started planning, Florala was immersed in the design of the dress , Enobaria, Annie and Jo were helping me to set out the whole thing and Cato well he was just being Cato, he allowed me to do whatever I wanted but still gave his opinion whenever it was needed. He was being a wonderful father and an incredibly patient boyfriend when it came to my pregnant hormones.

That was about a month ago, now I am ten weeks pregnant and the wedding is tomorrow, honestly I was exhausted from picking the menu, the music, the flowers and taking care of the twins and Cato but I have never been happier in my life, I feel complete now.

-"Oh come on Clove stop moving so much!"- Jo said impatiently while she was helping Florala to button up my dress, this was the final fitting.

-"I'm sorry but is really hard to keep on balance with your eyes closed"- Florala insisted on not letting me see the dress until the wedding day and I did not complained because I trust that she knows me perfectly and I'm sure that the dress will be beautiful.

I felt the fabric tighten around by boobs and belly as they were zipping the dress, even though I n 0was only a few weeks into pregnancy my body has already started to change.

-"Jesus Clo, you look like you had one of those boob jobs from the Capitol"- We all started laughing at Johanna's comment.

-"Tell me about it, I'm gonna have to buy new clothes soon because I feel like they are going to pop out in any moment"- I'm never gonna forget the look on Cato the morning that he noticed the small size increment, of course it doesn´t bothers him at all.

I hear the front door close and the giggling of the twins downstairs finally they are back, I haven't seen them in all day because I was kidnapped by these ladies early in the morning, I also hear footsteps coming upstairs, the door open and I hear a thud followed by Cato cursing loudly.

-"Dammit Ann that hurts!"- I can´t see him but I can picture him rubbing his head in whatever part that Annie hit him.

-"Oh don´t be a whiny blondie, it doesn´t hurts that much"- Johanna said mockingly.

-"Besides you are not allowed to see the bride until the wedding, it´s bad luck you know?"- Annie said loudly so Cato could hear her through the closed door.

After Florala placed the pins to know where the dress needed alterations, the slipped it off my body and someone removed the scarf from my eyes. When I opened my eyes the first thing I saw was Cato smiling face, just looking him staring at me that way makes me feel butterflies in my stomach and immense happiness. He opened his arms for me and I cuddled in his chest feeling his warmth and the gentle beat of his heart against my ear.

-"The kids are asking for you Clo"- he whispered as he placed a kiss in my forehead, before I could answer he leaned down to my belly and placed his ear over it.

-"Honey you do know that you can't hear the heartbeat yet right?"- I giggled when he frowned.

-"I want to feel her, I want to feel the kicks"- he was being incredibly affectionate towards this baby, suddenly I remembered that he was living for the first time what I had already experienced with the twins.

-"Or him, we can also have a boy honey"- Cato was sure that the baby was a girl and he was already thinking in names Cali, Cammi, Cara, Chloe and Cassie are currently his top 5.

I put on a pair of sweats and a plain white t-shirt to leave the room, Cade and Claire are playing with Johanna and Annie in the living room but they run straight to me as soon as they see me, I gladly accept their hugs and kisses mainly directed to my belly.

Annie rushed home because she was sure that Finnick was driving crazy taking care of Arianna and Aiden, she blow us a goodbye kiss and promised to come back for us later. Johanna offered to make dinner for all of us, which I must say was extremely weird but as soon as Alec walked in holding grocery bags I understood.

-"Mommy can I show daddy my dress for tomorrow?"- Claire was very excited about the wedding, mainly because she gets to wear a dress that Florala designed especially for her.

-"How about if we wait until tomorrow to make it a surprise for everyone? You don´t want it to get dirty do you?"- She pouted but smiled widely again when her father told her that she will look like a princess.

The dinner was delicious, Johanna was excellent at cooking she even made dessert, everyone laughed when Cato asked something to me but I didn´t answer because I was very busy devouring the cake. Finnick and Annie arrived about 2 hours later along with their kids; Finn was outraged because I ate even the last bit of the cake.

-"I think we should get going now ladies"- Annie announced and Cato squeezed my hand tighter into his hand, it was their brilliant idea to spend the night apart from the boys therefore Finnick, Alec, Cato, Brutus, Caden and Aiden are going to hang out together while Annie, Johanna, Enobaria, and I are going to sleep over Enobaria's place of course along with Claire and Arianna.

I headed upstairs to bring our overnight clothes; I packed pj's, toothbrush, my makeup bag and Claire's teddy bunny, I was closing the bags when I felt a pair of warm hands around my waist, I smiled an turn around to meet my soon to be husband.

-"I miss you already"- his breath mingled in my hair as his hands made their way up to my face, he cupped my cheeks between his hands, next thing he kissed my forehead, then my nose and finally my lips.

-"You'll see me tomorrow, come on is not much time barely a few hours Cato"- I placed kisses down his neck as I was speaking; he shivered and pulled me closer to his chest, truth is that I can't wait to marry him it feels like we've been waiting forever to be together.

-"I´ll be the handsome guy in a black tux"- He said looking at me with a dazzling smile.

We both laughed and returned downstairs with the others, Johanna and Annie practically dragged me out of the house, I quickly kissed Caden and assured him that he will see me tomorrow; I only got a quick peck from Cato. We arrived quickly at the house since it was just about 8 houses away from ours.

We watched romantic movies which made us all cry except for Johanna, what a surprise, she was laughing at us for crying at the end of each movie and since I'm eating for two we had a lot of sweets to eat, also Florala brought her makeup assistant a beautiful girl named Nyssa who made facials and beauty treatments for us. This baby has been making me very sleepy so as soon as Claire fell asleep I did too.

-"Good morning beautiful"- A sweet voice woke me up the next morning, I opened my eyes slowly, it's my wedding day, my mother is sitting next to me smiling kindly.

-"Mom! How? You are here!"- Our relationship was tense when I was younger; she was a shitty mom for a long time, but about a year before I went into the games everything got better; she even went to meet the twins when they were born and came back to visit every few months.

-"You think I will miss my only daughter wedding? Of course not besides I was dying to see my precious grandchildren and it's been years since the last time I saw Cato"- As they say mother knows best, she always said that Cato and I were made for each others.

Behind the door Annie, Johanna, Florala and Nyssa were impatiently waiting to come in, my mother gestured towards a grilled cheese sandwich and a glass of juice for me as she went to open the door.

-"Rise and shine bride!"- My sandwich stayed half eaten because I was pushed to the bathroom to get a shower, the water relaxes my shoulders and my back, I use a vanilla body wash knowing that is the one that Cato loves.

When I step out of the shower my clothes are carefully placed in a chair next to the bathtub, a light blue set of lingerie along with hosiery, I smiled to my reflection in the mirror after I put on the tinny clothes, Cato will be very happy about this; Johanna knocks the door loudly yelling that we need to get started so I put on a robe made out of a soft grey fabric and make my way out of the bathroom.

Nyssa asks me to take a seat in a high pink colored chair and starts working on my hair skillfully, it doesn't takes her more than 20 minutes to finish up with the hairdo and immediately starts with the make up after half an hour later I'm all ready and she finally allows me to look at myself in the mirror.

My hair is softly curled and pulled up loosely in a low bun, two tinny braids come together in the bun and in the left side there are delicate crystal flowers with pearls in the center, my eyes look bigger framed with long and thick eyelashes, my cheeks are rosy with hints of golden in the cheek bones finally my lips were a paradise pink color which made them look full and sweet.

-"Now wait here Clo we´re gonna go and get your dress"- Enobaria and Florala leave the room, leaving me alone with Ann and Jo, they both looked beautiful, Jo's hair is softly stylized making her facial features look delicate and innocent complemented with a lavender one shoulder dress that flows gently all the way down to her feet.

-"I can´t explain how happy we are for you Clo"- Annie was holding back the tears as she spoke, her long hair was half up, pulled away from her face with a brooch made out of small sea shells, her dress was similar to Johanna's except for the mint color and strapless neckline.

Florala and Enobaria came back and turned me around to face them and not the mirror, of course I had to close my eyes and I felt the soft fabric that fitted like a glove in my body.

-"You can open your eyes now"- I was speechless when I looked at what I was wearing, the dress was a pearly white color, sweetheart neckline with beaded details, it was tight until the waist were it has another beaded detail, two intertwined C made out of tiny crystals create the illusion of a delicate belt, my small bump is covered by the soft chiffon that flows beautifully all the way down to the floor.

I hugged Florala unable to say anything; soon everyone joined the hug so we ended up sobbing and laughing at the same time.

-"I want to be in the group hug too"- my daughter joined us and I picked her up to hold her closer. She was wearing a dress the same color as mine, with lace neckline and fixed waistband in a light blue color then it continued in pearl satin above her knees.

It was almost time so we all rushed to the car that will take us to the ceremony, instead of choosing one of the ball rooms from the house of the major I wanted the ceremony to be in a beautiful meadow near The Nut, Cato and I used to go there when we were younger after our training at the center, we talked about our dreams and enjoyed being with each other in that place so it just seemed right to hold the ceremony in there.

We arrived quickly and the guests were already on their places, as I watched Annie and Jo take their places in front of me I started to get nervous, I felt a squeeze in my hand Alec was standing next to me ready to take his place; he was the one that I wanted to walk me down the aisle.

-"You look beautiful Clover, I couldn't be happier to be with you today thanks for giving me the honor of giving you away to the best men in the world for you"- I pulled him in for a hug before taking our place behind Claire who is the flower girl.

When the music started I feel even more nervous, it's hard for me to start walking because my knees are shaking so badly, there is so much happiness inside me that I can hardly breath, Claire starts walking and does her job charmingly, now is our time to start walking, I see smiling faces everywhere and I smile back nervously at them.

As soon as I watch those blue eyes looking at me, all the nervousness fades away.

Cato POV

My love, my life, my bride, my beautiful Clove is walking down the aisle, her watery eyes are locked in my eyes; I'm speechless at her beauty, the dress wraps her body perfectly, accentuating her curves in all the right places letting it show where our little baby is growing.

Alec kisses her cheeks and hands me her delicate hand to hold forever, I smile at him letting him know how grateful I will be forever with him. The ceremonies in district two are simple, mostly the bride and groom share their vows and then a member of the family gives each of them the half of a precious stone from the mine which symbolizes the union of the couple.

I'm first to say my vows, I take both of Clove's hand and look right at her beautiful emerald eyes, I took a deep breath and opened my heart to the love of my life.

-"Clove since the very beginning I knew that we were meant to be together, we have shared so many memories together, even in the games I found times when I was just happy to have you around, I was so lucky to find you, since the very first time that I watched you throw a knife I fell a little bit for you and when I got to know you better I couldn't help it to love you a little bit more every day. You always make me feel better after a bad day, with you I can be myself, you taught me to love, not to mention that you gave me two beautiful kids and a third one on the way, you make my life so much easier, I am a better man because of you and if you let me I will love to spend the rest of my life thanking you for that, I love everything about you, now and forever".

The audience let out sights, awes and ows as I finished my vows, Clove couldn't hold back the tears anymore, I brush a tear away from her cheek as she starts speaking.

-"I've never tought that I could love someone the way I love you, everything happens for a reason so I think that we were made for each other since the beginning, there was no one else for me. Ever. You are the only one. I don´t know what I did to deserve you, like I said before everything happens for a reason and you were put into my life to show me what real love means, without you I would have loose myself in the rough times so thank you for keeping me sane, as much as you talked about me being your rock, you were always mine. I promise to never let a day pass without reminding you how much I love you, I promise to bake brownies for you whenever you want, I want to hold your hand forever and I want you to know that I don't ever want to be apart from you"-

I had to hold back the urge of kissing her, I truly was lucky to find someone like her, I guess I most have done something right, Annie and Finnick approached us and placed a thin rope on our shoulders and then they made a knot right at the center which means that our love is tied forever. Next thing Claire and Cade come holding a half of the stone each one, I picked a rare stone, it was a mix between a sapphire and an emerald; it has blue and green mixed, our kids handed us the stone and I was finally able to pull her into a kiss.

The guests clapped and cheered as we walked down the aisle now as husband and wife, holding the hands of our twins. The party was simple but beautiful; Enobaria placed the dance floor and tables just a few feet away from the ceremony right beneath the big trees covered with small lights. The reception went smoothly, everyone was enjoying and laughing, I danced with Claire and Clove danced with Caden, soon everyone was up and dancing.

A few hours later I was dancing with my beautiful wife in my arms, she was resting her head in my shoulder and as I rest my chin in her head I watch all the people that we love surrounding us, Johanna and Alec were dancing slowly and then he leaned forward and kissed her, Annie and Finn were dancing along with their kids, Ann was holding Aiden's hand and Finn was holding Arianna in his arms as they all danced. Even Enobaria and Brutus were walking towards the dance floor to join in.

-"You make my life perfect Clovely"- I whispered in her ear so she could only be able to hear me, my wife looked up with sleepy eyes and I couldn't stop the giggle that came out of my mouth.

-"You are now tied up with me forever, are you aware of that?"

-"I gladly accept the sacrifice"- I picked her up bridal style and carried her towards the beginning of our new life.

I'm sad and happy to inform you that this is almost the end, only one chapter more! At least that is my plan but I don´t know if you want me to go through the pregnancy, maybe 2 more chapters at top. I'm very sad because I've been getting very few reviews compared to other chapters, please review because it helps me to know whether you like the story or not, I care about my reader's opinion, reviews are what keeps me writing so please it doesn't takes more than a few seconds. I want to thank to eveipontime, Athena's gray owl, clato4ever7, two lovely anonymous guests, clatoandclove4eva and KeeperOfDreams93 for your support and reviews on last chapter you guys inspired me to write this one, love you all.

Write you soon!

xoxox

Marianeclover.