Chapter 14
Maude Ivory was surprised to see a baby in Lucy Gray's arms that seemed to shine with happiness.
They walked towards the Victor's Village, where many curious people from District Twelve saw the baby sleeping in the arms of Lucy Gray, she on the way told everything that happened in the Capitol.
The surprise pregnancy and childbirth, the help of her victor's companions.
Upon returning home, some boys who helped bring down the gifts they gave to Lucy Gray at the Capitol were rewarded with a few coins and a small box of eggs.
'Where will Icarus Denim sleep?' asked Karen, Barb Azure's wife.
Well, in the eyes of District Twelve they are wives for having their Tostada ceremony, but same-sex marriage was not legal, so under the laws of Panem, they are nothing.
"I will open Carolina Scarlet's room," replied Lucy Gray, "it is the only room free."
'But you gave the cradle to Maude Ivory,' said Tam Amber.
'I will tell Frank to bring the cradle,' replied Maude Ivory quickly. When she became pregnant with Jhonny Fern, Lucy Gray and Erik gave her the cradle saying they didn't need it.
Lucy Gray shrugged her head and Icarus Denim woke up crying from his nap.
Lucy Gray covered herself with that orange chal that Snow gave her many years ago to have some modesty in feeding him as they kept talking.
After a few minutes and Icarus Denim already fed, they climbed to the second floor. Lucy Gray's hand trembled slightly when she put the key and opened Carolina Scarlet's room.
Surprisingly the forest green paint remained intact, the essential furniture was the only thing in the room. We had to clean up the accumulated dust, but it was something that Maude Ivory and Barb Azure could handle.
'You and the baby must be tired of the long journey,' said Karen, smiling at Lucy Gray. 'Why don't you take a little rest and let's get you up for lunch?
Lucy Gray bowed her head and went into the room with Icarus Denim in her arms.
• •
A day after her return home, Lucy Gray went to the Twelve Cemetery to visit the grave of her husband and daughter.
Miles was by his side when they visited Erik's grave.
'On the day we got married, you promised me that you would never be alone and would make me the happiest woman in the world,' said Lucy Gray with Icarus Denim in her arms. 'You died. You left me alone and with a broken heart... but yet you kept your promise, you left me our son and my heart beat again. Thank you, Eriki, for this last gift.
"I promise to take care of them, Erik," promised Miles Hawthorne in front of Erik's grave. "We don't know what life holds. You were a hunter, I am a hunter. I swear I will train Icarus Denim on the sly. I swear to you there will be a Victor with the name Everdeen"
'Thank you, Miles,' said Lucy Gray with her tearing eyes.
"Erik was my best friend, the brother I chose," replied Miles. "Of course I will take care of his widow and son."
•
Coriolanus kept Lucy Gray and her baby under surveillance.
Miller's report says she goes out to buy bread every morning and the baby was always wrapped near Lucy Gray's chest. And that she stays in her house almost all the time.
Meanwhile, Coriolanus began to dine more frequently with Livia Cardew, to whom he proposed marriage the day Lucy Gray returned to the Twelve with a baby in her arms.
She and he had a common goal for which they would marry, a son.
Livia was a person who didn't like to have a sentimental or sexual relationship with anyone, but she needed to get married and have a only child to prevent her step brother from leaving all of Cardew's fortune.
She called Leticia Cardew, who died last year, a complete fool to allow Michael Keller to be part of the family.
The Cardew had a rather strict will. Only the eldest can inherit everything if has one child within the marriage, the sept children can only be inherited if there is no child of the elder. In the case of two or more children within the marriage, they are equally distributed.
Livia was the only daughter of an only daughter. So Coriolanus understood the stubbornness of not wanting her step brother Michael to be left with her fortune.
Coriolanus and Livia wanted a son.
If they get one by in vitro fertilization.
Livia didn't want to sleep with anyone, and Snow wasn't tempted to sleep with Livia.
So he would have Livia as his wife and force Lucy Gray to be his mistress.
• •
The first three months as a first-time mom were a complete challenge for Lucy Gray. Tressa Spectral had called her the second week of her return to ask how motherhood was.
Lucy Gray said everything was fine, Tressa mentioned that it was good that she had a co-sleeping next to her bed, as the babies' room start to be used when the baby turns the year and has a more regulated sleep.
Lucy Gray thanked the Six Victor for all her advice on maternity and everything that comes with it.
Her routine always began with her giving the breast to Icarus Denim at dawn and then already changed the two went to the town to buy fresh bread.
"Good morning, Mrs. Everdeen!" said Borek. "Good morning, young Everdeen. Your son is growing like a weed."
'Yes, he has become very chubby in a few weeks,' smiled Lucy Gray, hugging Icarus Denim against her chest.
A baby chubby in the Twelve could only be seen in the merchant area, as many babies in the Seam were thin and did not have that roundness on their cheeks. So Lucy Gray was grateful that her son was well fed.
'And how are your children, Mr. Mellark?' asked Lucy Gray.
"Birch is as quiet as an owl, but Donna," smiled Borek, putting the bread order in a paper bag, "Who knew a six-month-old baby girl could be such a chatterbox? She says Dad."
'And you must be glad that she only says daddy,' said Lucy Gray, counting the pieces of bread.
'I know that I should not have preferred children,' said Borek, 'but Donna has stolen my heart since she first opened her eyes. She is my adoration.'
Lucy Gray handed him the coins and picked up the paper bag of bread for the family
Before she could leave, Rosamund Mellark went out with the baby Donna to greet her in the form of an interrogation. Tomorrow they would be reaping and asked how she would do with such a small baby.
'I have a friend who helps me with food,' said Lucy Gray, not wanting to give much information.
'It is not right that you should be separated from your son for so many days,' cried Rosamund Mellark, hugging her daughter.
'Life is not fair,' replied Lucy Gray before leaving the bakery.
Lucy Gray walked back home thinking of how grateful she was to Nora Abernathy. Her friend agreed to feed Icarus Denim while she was in the Capitol.
Lucy Gray invited her to stay at her home with Haymitch on the days she was at the Games, where she would receive food so that Nora was well fed and could breastfeed both babies.
At one point he thought of Azalea, but his sister-in-law could barely produce milk to keep Calla Violet fed and there was no other reliable woman in District Twelve to ask that favor of.
• •
-Mommy will be back soon, my love," said Lucy Gray, kissing the little head. She deeply breathed in that aroma of milk and love that little babies had.
-Mrs. Everdeen, it's time to go," said Cory Barry impatiently, pointing to his watch.
Lucy Gray kissed her son one more time before handing him over to Barb Azire.
She walked along with Cory and this year's two tributes, Lucy Gray's heart broke when she heard her son's loud cry as she walked away on her way to the Capitol.