A/N: Many thanks to greenwool for the pre-read and dandelionsunset for the beta. And thanks to everybody for the reads, reviews, faves and follows. I'm over 300 reviews! You guys have been wonderfully supportive.
A quick word on the last chapter. A couple of you were worried that there would be an age-inappropriate encounter(s) between Prim and Rye. There won't be. Prim has a crush, something 12-year-old girls have been known to get. And there will be no Pedo!Rye in this fic.
Chapter 36—talk the talk
When Gale had shown up on her doorstep with her name written across the crotch of his shorts, Madge initially thought that he'd done it as some sort of joke. She was horrified when he told her the real story—that Mrs. Hawthorne had confronted Gale when she'd learned he was trying to buy condoms in the Hob, and that Madge was the reason why.
"You're doing this in the wrong order," she'd fumed. They were still in the basement of her house after fooling around. "It's supposed to go, introduction, dating, sneak around, get caught having sex. You've managed to make it sneak around, get caught buying condoms, introduction to be announced."
Gale frowned. "I tried to explain to her that you weren't trying to hide anything and that it was my fault she didn't know."
"And what did she say?"
"Well...she's not exactly thrilled about us seeing each other."
"What am I supposed to say to her when she comes by to pick up the laundry next week? 'Nice to see you again, Mrs. Hawthorne; by the way, I'm Gale's pity fuck? Sorry you're the last to know?'" She flipped her hair back over her face so that he wouldn't see the angry tears beginning to form in her eyes.
"Hey hey hey," Gale pushed her hair back. His frown deepened when he saw her expression. "Madge, for god's sake, you are not a pity fuck."
"Then stop acting like it," she said, her voice cracking just a little. "You need to fix this." Gale looked troubled but he nodded, kissed her forehead and left. Later that day, Gale stopped by to invite her to the Hawthornes the following afternoon, which was a Sunday.
She didn't meet Gale for archery lessons Sunday morning. She wanted to extra time to prepare herself, both mentally and physically. The social waters she found herself in required careful navigation. Normally, when a Merchant girl met the parents of a Merchant boy she was seeing, it was considered good manners to bring along a small housewarming gift, even if the families were already close and knew each other well. (Boys were not expected to bring the girl's parents anything, which always struck Madge as unfair.)
Madge's instincts told her that a gift would not be received well by Mrs. Hawthorne. For starters, there was no such tradition among Seam families, as the poverty was too profound for gifting to be an issue. A gift could look like Madge was focused on the differences between their families. Worse, it could look like charity.
She also had a long heart-to-heart with her father. It wasn't a conversation she much wanted to have right now. John had a terrible hangover after spending the previous day in the company of Haymitch Abernathy. But she needed advice that only her father could give her. Besides, while the Mayor didn't hear every scrap of gossip that went on in his district, most of it found his ear eventually. Better he hear this from her, and not from some busybody.
Madge softened his mood alittle by making him breakfast, complete with bicarbonite of soda and one of her mother's headache pills. Then she brought him down to the basement and told him almost everything. Carefully avoiding any mention of the woods, she explained about her visit with Mrs. Everdeen. She also told him what Mrs. Hawthorne had heard and why.
Unsurprisingly, John didn't like hearing the word "birth control" and "condoms" coming from the mouth of his only child. "Are you and Gale sleeping together already?" he asked, aghast.
"No."
"Then why get them?"
"Because I'd rather have them and not need them than the other way around."
John closed his bloodshot eyes for a moment and looked like he was counting to ten. Then he let the subject drop. "What are you going to say to Mrs. Hawthorne?"
"I don't know. This would have been hard enough, even if Gale had been up front with her. She doesn't approve of me. And she works for you, which makes it weird."
"Well of course it will, if you refer to it as her 'working for me.' Don't call it that. If it comes up, I'm just one of her customers."
They talked some more about how she should handle herself while she was there. Finally, he said something that surprised her. "I know you like to hide yourself in those baggy dresses you favor, but I think you would be better served showing Hazelle who you really are." Madge opened her mouth a little in surprise, which made John chuckle. "I'm not blind, Margaret. You're a beauty, much like your mother was at your age. You choose to hide it. Why is that?"
Madge thought carefully before answering. "Because it's easier to be John and Mary Undersee's daughter when people forget I'm there. They don't ask me to pass along information to the Mayor and they forget how much I look like a dead tribute." This answer was true, but not the real reason for her appearance.
John, however, nodded his agreement. "I suppose I can't really argue with that. Still, Hazelle needs to see you as Gale does. Otherwise, this courtship isn't going to make much sense to her."
Madge decided to wear a long, dark grey linen skirt that had once belonged to her mother, and a light brown blouse. She brushed her hair back into a loose bun and used a couple of bobby pins to keep it in place. Canvas sneakers completed the outfit. No jewelry.
John made a point of answering the door when Gale arrived. "So, I hear your mother found out about Madge after speaking with one of the traders in the Hob," was how he tersely greeted Gale.
Gale didn't flinch. "Yeah," he admitted. "She's pretty unhappy with me."
"No kidding. How do you think this looks to me, young man? You're trying to sleep with my daughter, who you won't introduce to your mother."
"I know how it looks," Gale said, "and that's my fault. I'm not proud of it."
"Give me one good reason I should continue to let you see my daughter."
Madge hid her surprise. This was new. Had she not been so annoyed with Gale herself, she would have intervened.
"I can't," Gale answered. "I'm trapped in the Seam and headed to the mines. She's a hell of a lot smarter than I am, although that would be the case no matter who she dated. The one and only thing she's asked me to do so far is formally introduce her to my mother and I've already screwed that up. So you'll have to ask Madge for reasons why she should keep seeing me because I can't give you any."
The two men studied each other for a moment before John said, "I'm disappointed in you, Gale." Then he turned and kissed the top of Madge's head. "Be home by supper."
"Yes, sir."
John closed the door behind them without saying another word. Gale shyly took Madge's hand as they started walking. "I think it would have been easier if he'd yelled at me," Gale admitted.
The walk to the Hawthorne's was a little bizarre. Although they avoided the Square and stayed off of the main pathways through the District, people still noticed. Some of the stares were hostile, but mostly people just looked shocked. It also didn't escape Madge's notice that the most hateful stares came from young women in the Seam.
"I'm beginning to sympathize with Katniss and Peeta," Madge said quietly. "They deal with this sort of scrutiny at school every day."
"To be fair, Madge, I think a lot of people are just staring at you."
"Well, I'll go back to being Mousy Madge tomorrow. I doubt many people even recognize me."
Madge had never been so grateful for decent acting skills as she was the moment she saw the Hawthorne's home. Even spending time at the Everdeen's didn't prepare her. At least from the outside, Gale's home looked like it was no larger than the Everdeen's, and in worse repair.
Gale was watching her warily. He was defensive about whatever her reaction might be, so she covered up her shock with a question.
"When was the last time you had electricty out here?" she asked quietly. It wasn't a necessary question, not really, but it served a dual purpose. It distracted Gale from her reaction to seeing his home. And it focused his anger on the Capitol, where it belonged.
"It came on a few nights ago for an hour or two," he said. "Before that, it had been a few weeks." She thought about asking him if he could keep track of it but they were walking in his house, so she shelved her question for now.
The rest of the Hawthornes were waiting for them. Gale started introductions. "Well, I know you've seen them at school, but this idiot is Rory and that idiot is Vick."
"Gale," Mrs. Hawthorne intoned, warning in her voice. Vick was around 10 years old and his black hair hung in his eyes. He blushed and shook her hand politely.
Rory was 13 and looked like a skinny, mischievous version of Gale. He held onto her hand much longer than necessary. "Hi, Madge. Rory. Rory Hawthorne."
"Nice to officially meet you," she said, subtly trying to pull her hand back.
Rory looked her up and down in open admiration. "If things don't work out with Gale, look me up, will ya?"
"RORY!" Mrs. Hawthorne snapped as Madge started to crack up. Rory dropped her hand when Gale gave him a shove. Mrs. Hawthorne quickly ushered the younger boys out of the house, with orders to stay gone for at least an hour. She came back looking a little flustered.
Gale took a deep breath. "Right. Madge, this is my little sister, Posy."
Madge's heart broke just a little at Posy. She was a pretty little girl, with her black hair in pigtails. But her eyes were too big for her head and it hurt to see how thin she was.
"It's nice to meet you, Posy," Madge said gently. Posy hid behind Gale's legs.
Finally, Gale said, "And I know you both know each other, but Madge, this is my mother, Hazelle Hawthorne."
"Thank you for having me over, Mrs. Hawthorne."
"Certainly. I'm just sorry it took so long for this to happen," Hazelle answered, giving Gale a bit of a dirty look.
They sat down at the kitchen table. Posy sat on Gale's lap, sucking her thumb. Gale gently pulled it out of her mouth. She popped it right back in.
Mrs. Hawthorne scrutinized Madge but didn't say anything about her appearance. She also didn't do anything like offer tea. Hazelle wasn't exactly being rude but neither was she going out of her way to welcome Madge with open arms.
"What does your father think of all this?" Hazelle asked.
Jumps right in the deep end, doesn't she? "Which part?" Madge responded.
Hazelle narrowed her steel-colored eyes a little. "How does the Mayor feel about his daughter dating a Seam boy?"
"My father's problem with Gale doesn't have anything to do with the fact that he's from the Seam."
"Oh?" Hazelle raised an eyebrow. "What is is problem with my son?"
Gae answered his mother before Madge could. "Mr. Undersee is upset with me because of the way you learned about Madge."
"It shows a complete lack of respect, Gale, for both of us," Hazelle said indicating herself and Madge. "You'd think, after all I've taught you, that you'd have more respect for the women in your life."
Gale gave a defeated sigh. "I'm trying to make it right, Ma. That's why Madge is here. What else would you have me do?"
"A little groveling wouldn't hurt," Madge said.
Hazelle allowed a small smile at that but it faded when she focused her attention back onto Madge.
"Look, dear. You are a nice girl. You really are. I think I understand what Gale sees in you. But the two of you will never work?"
"Why not?" Gale asked calmly.
Hazelle looked at them both like they were idiots. "Because you have no future together."
"Why couldn't we have a future together?" Madge asked. "I mean, assuming our futures aren't taken from us because of the Games."
Hazelle scoffed. "I think we all know that there's just no chance that a nice Merchant girl like you gets Reaped."
Madge said nothing. She just stared at Mrs. Hawthorne and waited for the woman's memory to kick in.
It only took a moment. Hazelle briefly closed her eyes as the realization hit her, then raised her hands to her reddened cheeks. "Madge, I'm sorry. I've been so focused on who your father is that I guess I forgot about your mother and aunt, which is a ridiculous thing for me to do, since you look just like them."
Madge sighed. "So I hear."
"Is that why you usually dress so plain?" Hazelle asked. "So people won't compare you to her?"
"That's a big part of it, yes."
Hazelle got up and filled the tea kettle. "I was twenty years old, still living at the boardinghouse. Your aunt was the only Merchant kid that was Reaped that year. For many years, really.
"I'll tell you true, Madge—nobody thought she'd last two minutes. Not that we had much hope for any of them. The Collier kid was only thirteen. The Shawnee girl was older, maybe seventeen. Nice girl but a bit soft in the head, if you catch my meaning. And your aunt was raised in a sweetshop, of all places."
Madge and Gale looked at each other while Hazelle pulled out mugs and the tea tin.
"What about Haymitch Abernathy?" Gale asked. "What did people say about him?"
Hazelle chuckled a little as she sat back down and waited for the water to boil. "That the Careers would form an alliance just to kill him. Lord, that kid had a smart mouth on him. If he hadn't become a Victor, he'd have wound up on the whipping post for sure. Our Head Peacekeeper back then didn't have much of a sense of humor."
Posy had fallen asleep in Gale's lap and he had his arms cuddled around her protectively. "I'm going to put her down for a nap," he said quietly. Hazelle nodded and Gale carefully carried his little sister out of the room.
Hazelle turned her attention to Madge and sighed. "Well, Madge, I still don't see a future for the two of you, quite honestly, but you're right—it isn't really my future to decide. Just...be careful with him. He's a good boy and he's smitten with you but he's got enough stubborn pride for several people."
"Talking about me, are you?" Gale said dryly as he returned to the kitchen and sat down. "So, Ma—what did you decide?"
"That if you get her pregnant, I'll string you up."
Gale looked like he was about to argue with her, so Madge changed the subject. "Mrs. Hawthorne, you mentioned living in the boardinghouse. Is that where you met Mr. Hawthorne?"
"Yes," Mrs. Hawthorne said, a sly smile on her face. "He had been on a couple of dates with my roommate. One evening, there was a knock on my door. I answered it and there he was. I told him, 'Ethel isn't here.' He said, 'Good. It would be rude of me to ask you on a date right in front of her.'"
Mrs. Hawthorne spent an hour telling Madge all about her late husband. Unlike Mrs. Everdeen, Hazelle drew immense comfort and gratitude from her memories of married life. She clearly relished the opportunity to talk about him. Gale added some details and memory prompts, too.
"Which of the children is most like him?" Madge asked.
"Gale. Then Vick. And after that, probably Posy."
"And Rory?" Madge promted.
"Pretty sure that one's a changeling," Mrs. Hawthorne said.
When it was time to leave, Hazelle hugged Madge. "I'm sorry I was being so fussy earlier," she told her. "It's a tough thing to realize your baby's a grown man."
Gale walked her home and seemed relieved that they didn't run into Mr. Undersee. Madge found her father sitting in the parlor. "How did it go?" he asked. He didn't look as bleary as he had earlier in the day.
"Quite well, actually. I like Mrs. Hawthorne. His little sister is very cute. And Rory hit on me in front of Gale and his mother."
John smiled for a moment, then asked, "How was the walk there and back?"
She knew what he meant. "People stared. And some of the girls in the Seam looked like they wanted to claw my eyes out."
Her father nodded. "You may be confronted with some pretty ugly bigotry, and it won't all be from Merchants. Are you ready to face that?"
"Absolutely."
"Well, that's good," John replied grimly. "Because it's coming whether you're ready or not."