Chapter Text
“Katniss.” A voice startles me out of my snooze.
I slowly open my eyes and gaze up at my visitor. She’s a splitting image of Madge.
“Camille Mellark.” She speaks. “Madison’s sister.”
I’m confused for a second but realise Madge’s proper name is Madison. “I remember you.” I tell her, sitting up slowly.
She looks around the room confused. “Where’s the kid?” She asks.
“They took her.” I say.
“For adoption? You’re giving her up?” She asks.
“No, the nurses took her…”
“Oh the nurses took her to the nursery for a while.” I nod. “Okay, here’s the thing.” She begins. “Are you dead set sure it’s Peeta’s kid?”
“Yes. I mean, no one else’s.”
“I was just che-”
“You must hate me.”
“What? No. No. Not really.” She says slightly confused. “What are your plans? You don’t have some diabolical scheme to trap my dad and drag him-”
“No.” I tell her.
“No. Well um… good luck with everything. I’ll just disappear and let you sleep or you know… squirt milk or whatever.” Camille announces. “Bye.”
I watch the blonde leave and I’m almost certain this interaction was all just in my head.
How was I going to navigate Peeta’s three grown up children? Sliding into their lives that are already so established and formed, there was no room for their unexpected baby sister and me.
“I thought I’d bring her back to you.” The nurse, Allie whispers to me, wheeling my daughter in after lunch. Prim had joined me quickly before being paged away.
“Thanks.” I smile.
“She likes her sleep this one.” Allie tells me and leaves us to be.
I admire her for a long while and lay down to watch her sleep. Watch her chest rise and fall in even movements and find myself getting sleepy from watching her. Mom would be here in a couple of hours and I could do with some rest.
“Katniss.” Mom whispers, shaking me awake. I look up at her a smile. “Hey sweetie.”
“Hi.”
“How is she?”
“She’s great.” I tell her yawning. “And she likes her sleep.”
“Enjoy it.” My mother tells me and stands over the bassinet. “Hi princess.”
She drops her bags at the end of my bed and I look down at my daughter before Mom comes and sits beside me, cuddling me to her chest. It feels nice to be comforted by her, almost like I’m a small child.
“It’ll take a while to get into a routine.” She reminds me. “But you know you’re child better than anyone else. You do what you both are comfortable with.”
I smile and snuggle closer to her, resting my head on her shoulder. “I can’t believe I’m a mother.”
“You never stop believing. It’s a surreal thing being someone’s mother.” She tells me with a sincere smile. “It’s the hardest job in the world but the best thing in the world. You’ll be a wonderful mother to her Katniss and even if everything else is a mess, you two will be fine as long as you have each other.”
Dr Trinket comes in and checks on us, “How’s it going in here?” She asks me with a smile. Mom had left to get some dinner and I’m left alone to feed the baby.
“Good I think.”
“You’re doing great.” She tells me, leaning over my daughter and I. “She really likes you.”
“I’m glad she does. It might change when we go home and I have no idea what I’m doing.”
“You’ll be fine Katniss. It’s a whole lot of trials and errors but most of you know how to do it.” She smiles. “You two will be fine.”
She leaves us to be and I finish nursing my daughter and get her back to sleep as Mom arrives with dinner. She places her granddaughter in her arms and together we sit and talk. We speak mostly about my two years away from Panem.
And then about Peeta.
“Prim told me you did meet someone in Fiji. She just said it was a fling.”
“It kind of was. We both knew at the end of it we’d go our separate ways and that’d be that and we were fine with that. We both accepted at the beginning we’d go back to our lives but enjoy the memories we’d share with each other. I just didn’t expect I’d find out I was pregnant with his child.”
She smiles and sets the baby down in the bassinet, getting her ready to head back down to the nursery.
“Did you like him though?” She asks
“Yes.”
“Why didn’t you make it more than just a fling? By the sounds of it, you both enjoyed each other’s company and really liked each other. Was this you being you and assuming there wouldn’t be anything else or did he ask for it to end?”
“No of us asked for it to end.” I tell her. “We just came to the end of our vacation and knew that’d be it, we had a bit of fun and were ready to return to our lives. We didn’t exchange numbers or anything just said goodbye and thought that’d be it.”
“Are you glad this isn’t it?”
I nod, trying to hide my grin and see my mother smile at me.
“He offered me to move in.” I tell her.
She’s not shocked like I expected her to be. “Does he expect a relationship?” She asks.
“No. He just wants to make a home for us.” I tell her. “He’s a great man, Mom.”
“I think you might be in love with him.” I shrug my shoulders. “It’s all confusing now, you’re hormones are going crazy.” She reminds me. “Just remember she has to come first and if there’s the possibility of a romantic relationship just remember if it goes wrong it could effect the way you raise her.”
“I know. I just don’t think I’m ready to date just now. I have the whole parenting thing to think about.”
“You are allowed to have a little bit of fun as well.” She reminds me. “I’ll be there if you need help.”
“Thanks Mom.”
Allie pops her head in to tell us visiting hours are finishing up and Mom smiles at me.
“Come by early if you want.” I tell her.
She kisses me goodbye and leaves me alone for the night. I check my phone, seeing a text from Madge.
M – How are you feeling? How’s the baby? Did dad come and see you? I’ll stop by tomorrow and see you both. Do you know when they’re releasing you?
A knock sounds at my door and Dr Trinket stands with my daughter in her arms.
“You two can be discharged tomorrow afternoon.” She tells me, lowering the baby into my arms.
She’s awake and alert and I kiss her chubby cheeks. “Really?” I ask her.
“Do you have arrangements?”
“Um, I think so.”
“You’re still not sure?” She asks.
I shake my head. “No I am. It just still doesn’t feel real.”
“It doesn’t for quite a while.” She tells me. “I’ll leave you two alone.”
“Hi. Did you get my text?” Madge asks as I call her soon after bubs is feeding.
“I did. I just thought it’d be easier to call.”
“How are you and bubs?”
“We’re good. We’re ready to be discharged tomorrow.” I tell her.
“That’s good. It’ll be nice to be away from the hospital and finally raising her.”
“It will be.” I agree. “I had visitors today?”
“Dad?”
“Yes. And Camille.”
“How was Camille? She seemed the most hesitant to the news.”
“Alright. Just wanted to make sure I wasn’t doing this for his money.”
“That’s my sister.” She sighs. “What’d dad have to say?”
“He asked if me and the baby wanted to move in with him.” I tell her. “Temporarily that is.”
“Oh…”
“I don’t know if it’s a good idea though.” I admit and look down at my daughter. “What’s he like? Is he a good father? Does he produce nice kids?”
“Here’s one he made earlier.” Madge jokes. I laugh with her. “He’s a great father.”
“I know. When we met, he told me all about you kids and I I could see how protective he is of you three kids. How proud he is of you. He loves you all so much.”
“And he’ll love your daughter… his daughter as well, just as much.” Madge assures me. “He already loves her. He offered you two to move in with him and have a home. That’s him. He’s generous and kind.”
“Would it be weird for your family if I moved in?”
“We’d be able to get to know her and you more. Especially Camille and Nolan. They hardly know you like I do but they will when they do.”
“Thank you for being so understanding.”
“You’re my friend.” She states.
I smile. “Even though I had your sister?”
“Yes.” She states. “It was such an honor to be there, to watch her come into the world. It is also so wonderful having another sibling. She’ll be so loved and spoilt, she’s already a part of the Mellark family.”
Tears well in my eyes and we say our goodbyes to each other.
“Night Katniss. Call me if you need anything.” She tells me.
“Thank you.”
Peeta arrives early the next morning with a bag of bakery treats. I can smell melted cheese and warm bread and I feel my mouth salivate. The hospital food isn’t cutting it.
“Morning.” He greets me.
“Morning.”
“How are you both?”
“We’re good.” I tell him with a smile. “We’re ready to be discharged today.”
“Good. That’s really good.” He smiles and greets our daughter.
He hovers in front of the bassinet, tickling her cheek and tracing her nose and lips that are in a perfect pout. He stares down at her for a few minutes, not speaking or moving. He’s in absolute awe with his newborn daughter.
He peels himself away from her and sits down beside me. “Have you thought of any names?”
“I was set on having a boy.” I admit chuckling. “I didn’t have any girl names picked out. Do you have any names?”
He shakes his head and laughs. “ I haven’t done this naming thing for over twenty years, I used the names I liked then and haven’t thought of any others.” He admits. “We might have to resort to Baby Girl.”
I laugh and sit up in bed just as the baby stirs, trying to break free from her swaddling.
“Oh sweet girl, it’s alright.” I soothe, rubbing her belly. “Sweet girl.” Peeta turns to me and I look up at him. “What?”
“Sweet Adeline. We danced to that on that last night. You were wearing that beautiful dress at dinner. They played Sweet Adeline while we danced terribly together.” He laughs. “Sweet Adeline, My Adeline, At night, dear heart, for you I pine. In all my dreams, your fair face beams. You’re the flower of my heart, Sweet Adeline.” He sings terribly but it makes my heart swell with happiness and I smile at him.
“Adeline.” I say, testing it on my tongue. “Welcome to the world Adeline.” I coo to her.
“Rose.” Peeta adds and I stare back at him, frowning confused. “Adeline Rose.” He repeats smiling.
“Adeline Rose.” I say aloud and smile at her. “Hello Adeline Rose Mellark.”
“Are you sure?” He asks. “You don’t want it to be Everdeen?”
“No.”
“I’d be more than happy to have it as Adeline Rose Everdeen.”
“Everdeen doesn’t suit it.” I tell him. “It’s Adeline Rose Mellark. I want her to be a Mellark, identify herself as a Mellark. To share the same last name as her siblings. She’s a Mellark.”
He smiles widely at me and then down at our daughter. He lifts her up from the bassinet, kissing her cheek before holding her before his face. I watch her try her best to adjust her gaze on him and I smile.
“Welcome Sweet Adeline.” He coos to her softly.
“Here we go. Just through here.” He tells me, juggling the car seat and my bags as he walks into his house. “We’ll just plonk everything down here for the time being.”
The bags are placed on the ground of the hallway and he continues his hold on the car seat where Adeline sleeps soundly, scowling as she sleeps.
I look around the hallway, taking in every sight of the place I’ll call home. There’s family pictures on the walls of mostly Peeta and the three kids over the years. The house is homey and inviting and I feel not as much as an intruder as I had feared I would be.
“So, here’s what I was thinking.” He tells me, interrupting my thoughts. “I’ll give you the spare room. It’s nice and spacious and close to my room if you need my help with night feedings or anything. I’ll have to do a baby run…”
“That’s enough, you’re giving me a space in your home. You don’t have to do anything else for us Peeta.” I tell him, placing my hand on his chest. “Trust me.” I smile.
He nods. “Sorry, I haven’t done this baby thing for…
“Over 20 years, I know.” I smile. “Lucky for you, we’ll be going through this together.” I tell him with a laugh. “We’ll take each day as it comes.”
“Ok. Just tell me if I’m too full on.”
“I will. I promise.” I pat his shoulder. “Can I have a cup of tea?”
“Right through here.”
A version of Peeta, 20 years younger walks through the door and into the kitchen, stretching and yawning. He is the splitting image of his father, blond curls and blue eyes. He’s slightly taller than his father but not as broad shouldered.
“Nolan, nice to see you’re awake at 3 o’clock in the afternoon.” Peeta greets his son.
“I didn’t get home until 6 this morning.” He announces, opening the fridge door to look inside.
“Oh to be your age again. Then again, I was looking after my children and not out partying all night.”
“Hey, you made that choice when you had unprotected sex with Mom.”
“Nolan!”
“It’s the truth.” He says, holding up his hands in defence and turning away from the fridge. “You must be Katniss. I’m Nolan.” He says, holding out his hand to introduce himself.
“Hi.” I reply shaking his outstretched hand.
“And this is my surprise baby sister I assume?”
Peeta nods and Nolan stands in front of the car seat where Adeline is stirring from her sleep.
“You’re a stunner.” He tells her, tickling her socked foot. “She got a name?”
“Adeline.” I tell him.
“Addie. Welcome to the family, Little Addie.”
“It’s Adeline.” Peeta tells him.
“Hey, it’s bound to happen with such a long name.” He smiles down at his baby sister and tickles her cheek. “You’re stunning. Be glad you got your mother’s looks and not your father’s.”
“Nole.” Peeta groans.
Nolan grins. “I’m serious Addie, your Mom is hot.”
“Nolan, just shut up.” Peeta tells his son. “I don’t want you making Katniss uncomfortable.”
“Hey, she’s closer to my age than yours. I’m allowed to perve.” He states and swings open the fridge again, taking out some bagels Peeta had just packed in.
“You’re on fire today aren’t you?” Peeta says, slightly annoyed. I bite my tongue in amusement at the banter between father and son. Nolan shrugs his shoulders with a grin. “Just keep it in your pants. Don’t say it if it’s inappropriate and leave Katniss and Adeline out of it.”
“I think you’re the one who should keep it in your pants, dad.”
“I’m not that old. You’re making me sound like I’m 60 years old with a million children. I’m 44 years old.”
“There could be other Mellark’s running around. Who knows how much you’ve sprayed it around.”
“Nolan, shut up!” Peeta scolds his son as he leaves the kitchen. “You better be finding a place to live as well. It’s been three months already.”
Nolan gives a quiet ‘yeah, yeah’ and is off chuckling to himself.
Peeta turns to me, slightly embarrassed and red faced. “Sorry. He likes to be honest and inappropriate. If he says anything that makes you uncomfortable please don’t hesitate to call him out on it.” He tells me. “It’s his mother’s fault he’s like that.”
“How?”
“That’s her personality, brutally honest and says things to make you uncomfortable. He also thinks this place is a palace and treats me like his slave. He was babied a lot too because of the divorce so he thinks he can get away with everything. He’s supposed to be moving out, he promised when he moved in that it’d be temporary until he found somewhere else. It’s been three months.”
“Maybe Adeline while drive him out.” I chuckle slightly.
“Please baby girl, send your big brother out into the world, so he realises how serious he has to be. Madge has a full-time job and Camille is navigating her way through the business. Please send your brother down a path of employment and stability.”
“Girls mature faster than boys. He’s still only young, expect him to be in and out of here until he has a stable relationship.”
“Great.” He mutters and I pat his shoulder stifling a laugh.
“You’ll be fine.” I reassure him with a smile.
He makes me a cup of tea and we settle in the kitchen, nursing our mugs of tea and enjoying the silence. It’s not awkward at all and I find his company pleasing, just like in Fiji. His company is the best thing I’ve ever encountered.
He shows me up to my room and around the house before Madge arrives with Gale. Camille is close behind and in the living room they dote over their baby sister who sleeps soundly in her father’s arms.
“We’re all mad Adeline. All mad.” Camille tells her with a grin as Adeline grips her finger. “But don’t panic, I’ll look out for you sweet girl.”
I smile at Camille and the love they all have for Adeline already. They promise to watch out for her, to love her and care for her as older siblings do. I feel lucky she has three grown siblings to watch out for her. To be there for her. To guide her and shape her into the person she grows up to be.
Adeline grizzles in her father’s arms and he hands her over to me so I can feed her. I look around at everyone uncomfortably and stand up to leave.
“What’s wrong Katniss?” Peeta asks, concern covering his face.
“I’m just going to go somewhere else to feed her.” I whisper to him.
“No, stay.” Madge urges me. “Don’t feel the need to leave.”
“It’s a natural thing.” Camille adds. “And you’re new to the whole experience. Confidence builds with those you’re comfortable with. Don’t leave on our accord. She needs to eat, we understand that.”
“And you’re a new mother, you two are still getting used to it.” Peeta smiles at me. “We’re here to help you both if you need it.”
I smile a thanks and sit back down on the couch. Everyone resumes to a conversation, hardly batting me an eye as I nurse Adeline. I listen in on their conversation and feel comfortable with them all.
Madge and Gale leave soon after as does Camille, headed home to get ready for a date.
“I’m going to run out to the store and get a few things.” Peeta tells me, pocketing his phone and wallet. Adeline is sound asleep in my arms and has been for quite a while now.
I stand up and reach into my purse, pulling out some money. “Take it.”
“No Katniss. It’s fine.”
“Please, I insist. I don’t want to be bludging off of you. To seem as if I’m in it for the money.”
“I’d never assume you’d be in it for the money.” He tells me, smiling at me slightly before he takes my money. “Ok. I’ll be back soon.”
He leaves me alone and I set Adeline down to sleep. I wander around the house, familiarising myself. I make myself another cup of tea and settle into the armchair in the living room. I look over at Adeline as she sleeps and catch up on the texts and emails I haven’t read or replied to over the last few days.
The exhaustion of the past few days catches up to me and I curl into the armchair with a blanket tucked around my lap.
I wake to footsteps. They are similar to those of Peeta’s, and I see Nolan entering the living room, kneeling down in front of Adeline and smiling at her. He tried his hardest to keep quiet, much like his father does. They though are both heavy footed and make enough noise to wake the dead.
“Hi Addie.” He whispers to her. She’s slowly waking up from her nap and scowls as she tries her best to remain asleep. “I’m so happy I have a baby sister. A brother would have been nice but sisters are cool. I always felt like I was missing something in my life and now that you’re here it feels a lot less like I’m missing someone. I think you were always meant to be in our lives and you would have found your way to be with us. Thank you for coming into our lives.”
I close my eyes as Nolan picks Adeline up in his arms and rocks her gently. I fake waking up and smile at Nolan.
“Hi.” I say.
Nolan looks towards me stunned and then down at Adeline, his mouth agape.
“Sor… I should have asked.”
“No, you’re all right.” I tell him and stand up. “She likes you.”
“She’s pretty awesome.”
“She is.” I agree.
“Thank you for having sex with my dad.” I shake my head at him and pinch his ear softly and he chuckles. “Sorry, I’ll lay off the inappropriate remarks. It’s just a bad habit I can’t break.”
“I know. Some habits are hard to break. Just try and think before you speak.” I suggest and he laughs.
“And you sound like Madge. You’ve got that schoolteacher thing happening. I better prepare myself for the school teacher lectures and scolding.”
“You won’t hear that from me.” I assure him. “I have no place to be telling you how to live your life. I’ve just met you.”
“But we’re going to learn a lot about each other.” He says. “That’s if you do stick around.”
“I’m not going anywhere.” I tell him. “Adeline and I are sticking around.”
“Good, I want to be in her life. I’ve never had a younger brother or sister.”
“It’s a good feeling.” I tell him. “You’ll be an awesome big brother.”
I get us a glass of water each and we sit down in the living room, Nolan not letting go of Adeline just yet.
“How’s your mother going to react to all of this?” I ask him.
“Dad and her have been divorced for twenty years but Mom still likes to have her say in whatever dad is doing. She almost ruined the business when he took it over, tried to sue dad for whatever reason even though she was living the lifestyle of the rich and the famous with all these men.” He explains. “She’ll probably have a lot to say.”
“Great, I can’t wait to hear what she has to say. She’ll no doubt believe I did this for all the wrong reasons.”
“Camille will shut her down, don’t you worry.” Nolan laughs. “We’ll take care of you both.”
“That makes me feel somewhat better.”
“We’re Mellark’s, we have this over the top protective nature about us and like to protect those who mean the most to us.”
Nolan hands Adeline back to me and heads off to get ready for the gym.
A knock sounds at the door and I shift Adeline in my arms and walk towards the front door. I open it to reveal a bleached blonde woman standing on the other side.
She lowers her designer sunglasses and looks at me confused and then down at Adeline in my arms.
She smirks. “Peeta got himself another kid? Or did my son knock up a woman nearly ten years older than him?”
“You must be Peeta’s ex-wife.” I reply.
“Please disregard anything hostile he’s said about me.” She smirks. “So which is it? Have I become a grandmother at 43?”
“No.”
“Peeta, didn’t know he had it in him, though he’s always had a thing for brunettes and charity cases.”
I try my best to hold my ground, to not let her get to me. “Is there something you need cause Peeta’s not in?”
“Is my son here?”
I nod and invite her inside and go to find Nolan. I knock on his door and he opens it with his gym bag slung over his shoulder.
“Your mother is downstairs.” I tell him.
“Fuck. Sorry. Shit. Fuck.” He curses. “Camille was going to tell her.”
“It’s fine.”
“You don’t look fine. What’d she say?”
“Everything.”
“That’s my mother for you.” He claims. “Fuck Katniss, I’m sorry.”
“She wants to see you. I’m just going to go to my room and rest.”
I turn to leave and he stops me. “Whatever she said, don’t believe her.”
My bedroom door opens slowly a couple of hours later. I look up at Peeta and wipe the sleep from my eyes.
“You’re back.”
“I am. I got a little carried away.” He admits to me. “I’ll have to go back out for some groceries.”
“Stay.” I tell him, patting the space behind me.
“Are you sure?”
I squeeze his hand and he kicks off his shoes, coming to lie down behind me. I’m in desperate need of a shower. My hair is a greasy pile resting on top of my head. I have milk, spit up, drool and possibly poop staining my clothes. But I don’t care. The company of Peeta is all I want.
I urge him closer to me and he wraps his arm around my still swollen stomach and rests his knees behind my knees. I feel the warmth of his lips on my neck and close my eyes from the comfort this brings.
“I may have gone a little overboard with the baby things.” He whispers.
I smile and snuggle closer to him. “Oh well.”
“Hopeful any problem we have will be solved with the things I bought.”
“I’m sure we’ll be fine.”
“We will be.” I reply, yawning. “Thank you for this Peeta.”
“My pleasure Katniss.” He tells me.
It’s silent for a few minutes before he exhales a deep breath.
A breath filled with guilt.
“Nolan told me you met Cashmere. I’ll have a word with her tomorrow. She’s not supposed to show up here unannounced.” He tells me. “If she made you feel unwelcome then disregard it, she left this life for someone else, if anything she should feel unwelcomed.”
I bury myself closer to his body.
“You and Adeline are more than welcome in this house and I want you to know that I want you both here.” He whispers. “You’re part of the family now. I want you here. Both of you. Forever.” He whispers. “Always.”
“That’s not how it goes.”
I hear the bickering sounding from my room. Nolan and Peeta had offered to build Adeline’s crib and for the past thirty minutes they’ve gotten nowhere. There’s been a lot of cussing and swearing and not a lot of action.
“Stupid piece of shit. They weren’t this hard when you kids were born.”
“Safety standards have changed, they’re making them indestructible and impossible to put together.” Nolan replies. “No wonder parents just give up and sleep with their kids in their beds. Conceiving a child is so much easier than building it’s bed.”
I smile down at Adeline as she lays in the swing Peeta bought. The whole living room is covered in everything baby and I truly realised what he meant when he said he went overboard. There’s thing he’s bought that I’ve never heard of and he hopes whatever he has bought will be a fix to raising Adeline.
I set the last piece of clothing into the washing basket and carry it to the laundry. One load is already on filled with the crib bedding and another load is waiting to go on with a mixture of baby items.
Adeline is fussing when I return to her and I lift her up into my arms. “Come on sweet girl. Let’s go and see how the men are going.”
We stand in the doorway watching them for a few minutes.
“So should I just accept the fact that Adeline is not going to have a bed to sleep in?” I tease.
“Adeline will be in college by the time we finish this.” Nolan exclaims. “Why do they make these things so fucking hard.” He swears, throwing his piece onto the ground.
“Language.” Peeta scolds.
“It’s not like Addie understands.”
“If your sister’s first word is ‘fuck’ then you’ll have me to answer to.” Peeta tells him. “You and your sisters first word was a first word, I’m not having Adeline’s first word a swear word.” I stifle a laugh and sit down on the end of the bed. “This is a fucking piece of shit. I should have fucking paid them to come and fucking build this for us.” Peeta states.
“Yeah I wonder where we heard the swear words from.” Nolan states. “That’s all we heard growing up were you and Mom swearing. We didn’t have a lot to aspire to.”
“Well you could have a least said Mom or Dad first and not fuck.”
Nolan chuckles to himself and I shake my head.
“Let me read the instructions.” I say, reaching for the sheet. Peeta hands me the sheet and I read over them. “Someone take the baby.” I say, holding her out. Nolan scoops her out of my arms and sits up on the bed with her. “Leave this to me.”
The crib is assembled in under half an hour. The two men are shocked at how quickly I managed to build the bed.
“Where’d you learn to do that?”
“The family I was tutoring, they had moved house within the first few weeks of me moving in with them. I built a crib similar to this without any instructions.”
“You don’t need to boast.” Nolan teases. “Look Addie, you’re mother is superb. You’ve got a good one. She doesn’t swear, she can build furniture and she’s attractive. Every man’s dream lady right there.”
“Now I’m starving. What do we feel like for dinner?” I ask, Peeta helping me up off of the floor.
“I’ve got it under control.” Nolan tells us and hands Adeline over to Peeta. “You two sit and relax.”
“Can he actually cook?” I ask Peeta fearful for what Nolan might make for us.
“He can surprisingly.”
Peeta nuzzles Adeline, kissing her cheeks and her nose after we push her crib against the wall. Adeline tries her best to focus on her father and I feel my heart swell even more. I wrap an arm around Peeta’s lower back and stare down at the baby. Peeta wraps a comforting arm around my shoulder and kisses the top of my head before we both stare at our daughter.
Nolan has placed a load of washing on and has the bedding in the dryer when we appear downstairs. Dinner is being cooked and the sweet aroma of whatever Nolan is making wafts through to the living room.
“If it tastes as good as it smells, he’s never moving out.” I tell Peeta.
“Oh I see who’s calling the shots now. Haven’t even been here one day and you’re already ruling the roost.” He snickers. “I bet you won’t be saying that when you see his many women parading around in there underwear, his loud music and his untidy ways.” I must grimace as Peeta laughs. “And you’ll most likely meet the new one tomorrow morning.”
“Great.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll have a chat to him about the music and remind him to have clothes on.”
“Thank you.”
Nolan calls us to come and eat and we sit down at the kitchen table for a more casual dinner.
“Smells good Nolan.”
“Thank you Katniss. I hope you’re not allergic to anything?”
“No. I eat just about everything.” I tell them. “Are you two allergic to anything? Just so I know.”
“We’re both good.” Peeta tells me with a smile.
I polish my dinner plate quickly, having not realised how hungry I am.
“Nolan that was great.” I tell him, wiping my mouth. “I didn’t mean to eat like a savage but…”
“You’re producing milk, you’ll burn a lot more calories nursing.” Nolan says and we both look at him confused. “What? So I know stuff about breast feeding, is that a crime.”
“No, not at all.” Peeta tells him. “Where’d you learn about this stuff?”
“I’ve done some research.”
“Why?”
“I wanted to be informed especially when you told me Katniss might be moving in. I wanted to know about these little things and be supportive where I can be.”
“That’s nice of you.” I tell him feeling touched. “Thank you Nolan.”
He smiles, assuring me it’s nothing and takes our dinner plates into the kitchen.
“He’s a good boy.” I tell Peeta. “You’ve done a good job with him.”
Peeta smiles, “Thanks. He’s a great son, always willing to help out and goes out of his way to make people feel welcome. Underneath that goofy demeanour is all of that.”
“You’ve done a good job with all three of them.”
“And I hope you’ll be saying the same with Adeline.”
“Peeta, I can already see how in love you are with her. You’ve known for two days that you have a daughter and I can see how excited you are.”
“I always wanted a big family, lot’s of kids and I wished for at least one more but my ex-wife wouldn’t have it after Nolan and I accepted the fact that that’d be it. I never saw myself to have a future with other women I dated either. I realised though how happy I was though to have three amazing kids.” He tells me with a proud smile. “And now with Adeline, I didn’t realise that something was missing in my life until I met her.”
I wipe at my eyes with my sleeve and Peeta gets up from his chair, wrapping me in his arms. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to make you cry.” He whispers into my ear.
“It’s these hormones.” I tell him, wrapping my arms tighter around his neck and pressing my body closer to his. I inhale his sweet scent and relax in his arms. “I’m glad I could give you the missing piece.”
He smiles against the side of my ear and presses a kiss before he lets me go.
Nolan enters the dining room with Adeline in his arms and I wipe away the rest of the tears.
“Was I interrupting?” He asks looking between the two of us.
“No.” Peeta tells him. “She awake?”
“She’s quiet this one.” Nolan smiles. “I say Addie, you’ve got to be a bit louder to make an impact on this family. You’ll learn quickly especially when you’re competing against your sisters.”
Nolan has Adeline in a trance and my heart swells.
I was so determined to do this alone, to raise her and have nothing to do with the family but I was glad I finally accepted them and their help. They were a family who had a whole lot of love to give.
Nolan dotes over his baby sister before he hands her back to Peeta.
“I’m heading out for the night. Darius wants a hand setting up.” He tells us.
Peeta nods and Nolan leaves the room. “Want to go and sit in the living room?”
He takes my hand, helping me up from the chair and places his hand on my back leading me across to the living room.
“You feeling OK?” He asks as I move slower, touching my stomach, which is cramping badly.
“Just cramps.” I tell him, trying to brush it off as if it’s nothing.
“And?”
“My whole downstairs as well.” I tell him and laugh. “I tell you, she’s tiny but she still made an impression.”
“Thanks for that visual.” He chuckles and helps me down onto the couch. “Remember you’re three days post partum, you do need to rest. You’ve delivered a baby, it’s not like you’ve had your tonsils removed.”
“I know, I just was active before I had her and used to moving about, chasing after the kids back in Beverly Hills, it feels odd not being so on the go.”
He passes me Adeline. “Well remember we’re here to help you. You can take it easy for a little and heal. I don’t want you injuring yourself or pushing yourself.”
“But you still can’t baby me.” I tell him. “Let me push my limits.”
“Of course. Just remember though you can take it easy for the first few weeks.” He reminds me. “Bond with her.” He smiles. “Now tea?”
“Yes please.”
He leaves me alone with Adeline and I cuddle her to my chest. She’s half awake, trying to force her baby blues open. But she’s totally at ease.
Peeta comes back with two cups of tea and a heating pad.
“I don’t need this.” I tell him.
“Just take it. It’ll do wonders.”
I place the heating pad on my swollen stomach and feel a whole lot better immediately. Peeta sits down beside me, and takes my feet, resting them on his lap. He rubs them with his warm hands and I relax into him. Adeline nurses quietly and I quickly realise I could get used to staying here.
Nolan ducks in to say goodnight.
“Nolan, remember if you do bring someone home, please be quiet and to put some pants on as well.”
“Roger that. Night kiddies.” And he’s off for the night.
I stir awake hours later. I realise I’m on the couch with Peeta passed out beside me. My feet are still in his lap and Adeline sleeps soundly on my chest, cuddled into my warmth.
“What’s wrong?” He asks sleepily.
“Nothing. Nothing at all.”
He smiles a sleepy smile and closes his eyes again. He can’t be comfortable but he hardly complains.
But a noise from the kitchen makes us both jump.
“What time is it?” I ask.
“Past midnight.” He tells me, standing up. “Stay here.”
I watch him walk off in the direction of the kitchen. I get up, following him and hear the gasps sound.
“Nolan, what did I say about clothes?” Peeta groans, covering his eyes.
I’m met with a naked Nolan and his lady friend. I bite my lip as I see Nolan shield himself behind his friend and he helps her conceal her naked body. I shift Adeline to my shoulder.
“Riley this is my father Peeta and this is Katniss and my baby sister Addie.”
“Nice to meet you both.” She says smiling. “A baby sister, how adorable. Is this your father’s girlfriend?”
“I don’t know, they had a fling 9 months ago and it resulted in Addie. What are the two of you?” He asks.
I look at Peeta and see he has gone red from embarrassment. “Nolan, we’re not going to have this conversation with you two naked in my kitchen. Katniss and I are going to bed. Don’t make a mess or noise.”
“Calm down dad, I know.”
“Good night.” Riley smiles and Peeta grabs my hand and leads Adeline and I out of the kitchen and to the stairs.
“I am so sorry.”
“It’s fine. Truly.”
“I’m going to make him find his own place. I don’t want Adeline meeting all these women.”
“That’s maybe a good idea.”
He leaves me once he’s sure Adeline and I are both fine. She lays beside me in bed and I stroke her hands as she sleeps and I soon find myself drifting off soon after.