An hour and a half to check the snare line. There's not a lot in the traps today, just a couple of rabbits and a squirrel. He spends another half hour picking strawberries and blackberries, before heading home.
When he's back inside the fence, Gale decides to take the Everdeen's share to them now, before they're all consumed by what's happening in the games. Prim answers the door. "Hi Gale," she says, obviously distracted by the thought of the games. "Hey Prim," he answers quietly, "there's rabbit and blackberries today." He hands her the extra game bag. "Thank you," she says. "Wait, I have some milk for you. Can you wait a minute?" She turns and disappears into the interior before he can stop her.
"Sure," he says, loudly enough for her to hear. "But you don't need to give me anything, you know. You should sell it."
"No, I saved this one for you." She hands him a quart of goat milk in a glass bottle.
He ducks his head. "Thanks, Prim. See you at the viewing." He reaches out and musses her hair affectionately, like he would with his own siblings, before he turns to go.
He leaves the other game, the goat milk and the rest of the blackberries with Hazelle. There's not much time before the viewing, so he takes the strawberries with him into town.
He still feels a little guilty over what he said to the Undersee girl on reaping day. He knows it's not her fault the system is so unfair. He knows the Capitol would want him to take his anger out on the townies for their good fortune rather than focusing his hatred on the Capitol. To make it worse, both names drawn this year hardly had any entries; she'd had just as good a chance of being reaped as either Prim, with her one entry, or Mellark, who probably had five, just like Madge.
Gale hasn't talked to Madge since the reaping and hopes that their housekeeper answers the door. Even the Mayor might be better, unless Madge told him what Gale had said, that could definitely be worse. She wouldn't do that would she? He doesn't think so - she'd rather fight her own battles, he thinks. Still, the last thing he needs is to be on the Mayor's bad side, a reason for the Mayor to want to have him arrested. He should learn to keep his big mouth shut.
When he reaches the back door, he hears muted piano music coming from inside. He knows it's Madge playing. He can't imagine having the luxury of the time it must have taken her to get so good at such a purposeless activity. They're just strawberries, he tells himself. Just make the trade and get out of here. After the viewing he'll be able to contribute to the collection at the Hob for Katniss. Assuming she survives the bloodbath at the cornucopia.
Reluctantly he knocks. Just his luck, he thinks, when the piano music stops. A moment later Madge opens the door.
"Gale!" she says, a strange look passing over her face, her hand bracing the open door.
At least she's not all dressed up today. He forces himself to keep his mouth shut about the piano. He doesn't want to get into it with the Mayor's daughter, not today.
"Brought some strawberries," he says flatly, holding them out to her.
"Oh, of course. Thanks." she says, pulling coins from her pocket to give him. He turns to go as soon as the coins are in his hand, but her touch freezes him.
Her free hand grabs his arm, then jerks away as if she's afraid of his response. "Wait! My dad needs to talk to you."
For a half second he thinks she did go crying to daddy about what he said the day of the reaping after all, but then she continues hurriedly, "It's about the games."
"What? Why? What happened? Is Katniss okay?" he spits out, curious but afraid of what he might hear.
Madge stares at him for moment, turning slightly pink as she says, "She's fine, for now anyway. Nothing like that. Dad will explain it to you." She pauses awkwardly, then says, "He's upstairs in his study. You can follow me." She sets the strawberries on the counter as she turns into the house.
He stands awkwardly in the doorway for a moment, looking into the pristine interior and thinking about the mud in the tread of his boots. Realizing he hasn't moved, Madge looks over her shoulder and asks sharply, "Coming?" He kicks his boots against the door frame, hoping it helps, and follows silently after her.
Gale feels completely out of place in the Mayor's big house, which feels cold and empty to him. He wonders what they do with all this space as he follows Madge silently up to the second floor. There are expensive looking knick knacks, vases and paintings, but everything looks untouched, like no one actually lives here. They could each have a whole floor to themselves - do they even see each other? On the staircase Gale's eyes watch her messy golden ponytail swaying from side for side with each step.
Madge knocks on a large, solid looking wooden door. From inside, Gale hears the Mayor's response, "Yes?" Madge slides the door open and peeks her head into the room. "Daddy? Gale Hawthorne is here. You wanted to talk with him?"
"Oh, yes, thank you dear."
She gives a small nod, her eyes meeting Gale's for the briefest acknowledgement and then she slips around him, leaving Gale staring at the open office door. Uncomfortably, Gale steps into the Mayor's office and sees the Mayor's shiny balding head bent over papers on a wide wooden desk. He stands stiffly for a moment, unsure what to do with himself, until the Mayor looks up from his work.
"Ah, Mr. Hawthorne. Thank you for coming." As if this meeting had been prearranged.
"Mr. Mayor." Gale wants to ask what's going on but can't find the right words.
"Well, son I'm sure you saw the broadcast last night? This, ehm, love interest is going to be part of our victor's strategies this year." Gale eyebrows shoot up. Strategy? For whom? Gale knows the Mellark boy didn't make it up. How could it possibly be used to their benefit? Not to mention the fact that only one tribute can come home.
"So it's very important that nothing interfere with that narrative. We don't know what will happen in the arena or how quickly they'll be down to the final eight tributes. But in the event that either of our district tributes reaches the final eight, Capitol reporters will be here to interview the friends and family."
Here the Mayor hesitates. "Now Haymitch thought it best that we prepare you for that eventuality. He believes it would be best if we presented you as Katniss' cousin."
Gale thinks he must have heard the Mayor wrong. Did he say cousin? "But sir, I'm not - " but the Mayor raises his hand, cutting off Gale's protest. "I understand this may seem strange. However, the Capitol citizens are already enamored with our star-crossed lovers. Haymitch and Effie have already had more interest from sponsors than our district has seen in years. So you see, it will be important that we do nothing to compromise our tributes' chances. Is that clear, young man?"
Gale's head is swimming. Sponsors? Katniss' cousin? What kind of strategy was this? The very idea repulses him, but wouldn't he do anything to help Katniss get home? And wealthy Capitol sponsors could be the difference between life and death in the arena.
Gales mouth is dry as he responds, "Yes, sir." Then there's the implication that Gale is a threat to a romance between Katniss and Peeta. Damn right, he thinks.
The tall man beams back at him, "Very good. I see my Madge was right about you. Naturally you will need to explain this to your family. If you'll excuse me, I have a few things to get to before the games begin. I'm sure Madge will see you out."
With that, the Mayor returns to his work, dismissing Gale. Gale, still absorbing everything, steps slowly back into the hall. The Mayor's family had talked about him? Had they planned this with Haymitch or were they just passing on the message? It was hard to imagine Haymitch being sober long enough to plan anything. And what did the Mayor mean, Madge was right about him?
He looks around and sees the stairs at the far end of the hall, and decides he can see himself out. But as he stalks silently down the hall, he glances through an open door into a room decorated in sky blue, with morning light filtering in through a frilly curtain. A set of shelves displays a girl's belongings only a district official could provide, from the worn dolls sitting up on a high shelf, to the lower shelf filled with books. The mayor's daughter sits on a plush carpeted floor, facing the window, the morning sun shimmering off her wavy blonde hair. Gale pauses, wondering if he should say something. Would she tell him anything more, anything to help sort this out?
Then he sees the empty jar and stacks of money laid out in front of her, maybe more than Gale has ever seen in one place. His stomach turns; he can't help the resentment that flows through him. She's sitting in her fancy bedroom counting money? What the hell does she even need it for? Her daddy probably gives her whatever she wants. He shouldn't be surprised though, considering what they pay for strawberries. He crosses his arms and leans against the door frame, eyes narrowing.
"So this is how you spend your time. Must be nice," he says sharply.
Madge doesn't even look up, just says in a calm voice, "Don't be so stupid, Gale. This isn't mine."
"Oh, so you spend your time counting other people's money? What, did your daddy put you to work then?" he sneers.
He can't see her face but hears the eye roll in her voice. "I put myself to work. Katniss deserves more than the pittance the district usually has for sponsor gifts."
Gale is surprised into sincerity. "Sponsor gifts? All that is for Katniss?"
"Mm-hmm. Well, half is Peeta's, technically. I'm not allowed to ask the businesses to support a specific tribute. But that's without her collection from the Hob. And Haymitch decides how it's spent anyway. Sponsor gifts don't come cheap you know."
The collection from the Hob, where Gale's strawberry money is headed. He hadn't realized it would wind up right back here with the Mayor, but of course it makes sense. Who else could communicate with Haymitch about sponsorships? And since the Mayor is in contact with Haymitch, maybe ...
"Have you ... heard anything?"
Madge looks up, and her deep blue eyes meet his gaze. Her lips twitch briefly into a conspiratorial smile. "Just that she pretty much attacked Peeta after the interviews." Gale smirks. Somewhere in the back of his mind something small breaks and relief floods his thoughts. She pauses, a look of concern filling her eyes. "And the cousin thing. Are you okay?"
He wants to ask what she told her father, but he interprets her look as pity and immediately retreats behind a steely facade. He's already pulling away from the door. His jaw locked, he meets her questioning gaze with a cold glare of his own. "Fine," he spits. He speeds away before she can react, down the steps and out the front door of the Mayor's house, still unaware of how Peeta's declaration will change their lives forever.
A/N: A longer one for the insatiable Raissa, this is one take on how Gale gets told about the whole cousin thing. Even though it's referenced as something a Capitol reporter comes up with, here it comes from Haymitch (and/or the Undersees), because I think the Capitol reporters would probably have jumped at the idea of a love triangle. What do you think?
(This can be read as a continuation of chapter 5)