Chapter Text
3 months later
Peeta enters the bathroom, Adeline in his arms. He has his nicest suit on. One that makes his eyes sparkle and highlights his features.
I smile at him and he holds up the tie in his left hand.
“Need some help?” I ask him.
“Yes please.”
I motion for him to hand it over and I easily tie it for him. I straighten the tie and brush away the lint that sticks to his shirt.
I’m flying solo tonight. In three months, both of us have been here to take care of our daughter of a night. Now, it was time to step out of that bubble we were living in, for Peeta to return back to his life of business events and work. Now time for myself to get use to taking care of Adeline by myself.
Peeta had rarely stepped foot in the bakery in the past three months, letting Camille take the lead and run the business on her own. To learn the trade of business owning and managing.
And with the two of them looking at opening another store, tonight was for Peeta’s benefit of getting his face out there again after a small absence. He needed to socialise with adults who weren’t his own family and take a break from baby raring.
He’s hesitant, not wanting to leave the two of us for the night but it was time. Time to take that next step forward in our lives.
He leans down, capturing my lips for a short kiss and then hands Adeline to me. “I’m running late.” He smiles at me.
He slips into his suit jacket and we follow him downstairs.
“Got everything?” I ask him.
He nods, pocketing his wallet and phone and picks up his keys. He says a final goodbye to us but hesitates at the door.
“Are you sure you’ll be fine?”
I nod. “Peeta, we’ll be fine. Go and have a great time.”
“Ok. I’ll see you when I get home.”
We wave him off as he steps out of the house and I lock the door behind him. Adeline gurgles and I smile down at her.
“Come on sweet girl, let’s have some dinner.”
Adeline entertains herself while I eat a quick dinner and note it being close to her bath and bedtime once I finish.
Of a day, I had the parenting thing down packed, Adeline slept most of the day, allowing me the chance to do house work, or duck out shopping. At night, Peeta was there to lend a hand. We divided and conquered and had a baby sound asleep by 9pm at the latest.
But tonight, there’d be an upset to the routine and I started to realise it could be a late night.
“Come on baby girl.”
We share a bath together, Adeline lying on top of my legs while we bathe. She giggles and smiles as I tickle her belly and pull faces at her.
Most days I have to pinch myself at how lucky I am that I got given her. That I became her Mom.
We’ve had a whirlwind of a few months. It’s been an adjustment for everyone. It’s been life changing.
But I wouldn’t change it for the world.
I had been determined to raise her on my own, trying to not invade on Peeta’s life and turning it upside down with the announcement of Adeline.
But I’m happy with how things have turned out. Adeline’s got more family members than I could imagine. I’ve gained more support and most of all another family to turn to when it gets tough.
Even though I knew Mom, Dad and Prim would be there at the drop of a hat to be there for us. I’m glad I’m not relying on just them three.
And Adeline has a father who adores her like there’s no tomorrow. I got to see him fall in love all over again the day he held Adeline in his arms in the hospital. I got to see his eyes light up and the life come back to him. It’s been the most wonderful experience watching the bond develop between father and child and I have to admit, it might be my favorite thing I’ve ever witnessed.
He’s done this all before but I’m thankful he get a second chance to be a father because the love and patience he has for his children is the most beautiful thing. He loves his children dearly and would walk a thousand miles just to ensure they got the world.
And most of all, I’ve gotten the last three months to get to know who the real Peeta is. He showed me a bit of it last year when we met but those few days we got together can’t compare to the last three months of actually finally understanding and learning about him.
I wrap Adeline in a towel and quickly dry myself down and put on a robe.
Peeta usually was in charge of the bath, book and cuddle part and Adeline had become so accustomed to that, that I had a feeling she might resist sleep tonight because her father wasn’t here to get her ready for bed.
But I carry on as if nothing is different. We do a post-bath massage and I dress her. We take a seat in the rocking chair in the nursery and I read her a book.
She seems relaxed and calm and I set the book down to nurse her.
She’s half asleep by the time she finishes and with a pat to her back; I get her settled into her bassinet.
“Night princess.”
I tiptoe out of the bedroom as quietly as I can and wait a few minutes to make sure she hasn’t woken.
I take a few steps down the hallway before I hear her cries sound and turn back around to go and tend to her.
And for the next forty-five minutes becomes a battle of fighting with her as she resists sleep.
“Oh sweet Adeline, you have to go to sleep.” I tell her, trying my best to not cry. “Come on baby girl. You’ll do us both a favour if you just go to sleep.”
A knock sounds at the door and I turn to see Nolan standing there. I hope he doesn’t notice the few tears that have fallen down my cheeks. I swallow the lump in my throat.
“Need a hand?” He asks. He’s just gotten home from work and it’s the last thing I want him to do.
I look down at Adeline and then to her brother. He is hands on. Always offering to lend a hand or take her for half an hour while we ran errands or just wanted respite for a little while.
Adeline loves him a lot. The bond the brother and sister will have that will be unbreakable and I can’t wait to see the two of them throughout the coming years. Even Camille and Madge have formed such a strong relationship with their baby sister and I feel blessed that Adeline has these three wonderful role models in her life.
I let Nolan try his best to get her settled.
He walks backwards and forwards across the floor, patting and rocking her gently. He talks to her. Sings to her. Hums. Does everything he does usually that gets her sound asleep but it’s no use. I take her back from him and settle her over my shoulder, patting her back gently.
“Can you go and get one of your father’s shirts from the hamper? I think I have an idea.” I tell him.
He nods, slightly confused and heads out of the room. I rock her gently and pat her back.
Nolan is back with Peeta’s shirt and I lay it down on the change table. I strip Adeline from her swaddle and place her in Peeta’s shirt, swaddling her in the soft cotton material. Her crying quietens but she still whimpers. I swaddle her in her other swaddle and then bring her to my arms. She calms almost immediately as I cuddle her and with her little hand escaping the swaddling to suck on, she’s sound asleep almost immediately.
Nolan smiles proudly from the doorway and I rock her for a few more minutes before I deem it safe enough to lay her down in her basinet. I exit the bedroom with Nolan and he high fives me.
“An hour after bedtime isn’t too bad.” He notes with a proud smile. “That was a kind of neat trick.”
“I remember hearing my mother mention it. My dad used to have his routine with me of a night time when I was real young and when he switched shifts, I wouldn’t sleep. Mom eventually figured out his shirt would be enough to calm me and make it seem like he was there with me.”
Nolan smiles at me. “You’re a natural.”
“I like to wish I am.” I say, my lips lifting upwards in a small smile. “With that, I’m making myself a cup of tea…”
“I’ll listen out for her.” He tells me and I thank him.
Arms wrap around my waist and pull me to a steady body a couple of hours later. A body that’s so warm, comforting and safe.
“How’d you go?” He asks in a soft whisper, his lips touching my cheek.
I look over at the basinet that sits beside our bed and smile. “Good. I couldn’t settle her for an hour…”
“You should have called me.”
“I want to be able to settle her on my own if you have another night away.” I tell him and turn to face him. “But I finally got her down thanks to your t-shirt.”
“My t-shirt.”
“She missed her daddy.” I tell him. “She just wanted to be close to him. I used to be the same, a real daddy’s girl.”
“Madge and Camille were the same.” He tells me, settling between my legs. “I like having such a close relationship with my daughter’s.”
I smile up at him and capture his lips in a soft kiss.
Our relationship blossomed quite quickly.
But we didn’t mind. It was nice to have the comfort of each other, to fall asleep and wake up beside each other.
It came after a long night of no sleep and a crying baby who wouldn’t settle for anything we tried. Nolan swept in, feeding her a bottle as we were too delirious to think straight and he got her to bed for us. Peeta and I collapsed on my bed, arms and legs tangled, vomit and milk staining our clothes. We smelt of baby, sour milk and exhaustion.
But as we tried to drift off the slight shift of a body pulled us together, our lips meeting softly before turning more passionately.
And it was like coming home.
And we never slept apart after that night. We fell into a routine of parenting and living together as a couple. His children were pleased for us. My family were just as pleased. Adeline spent her evenings sleeping beside or in bed with her mother and father. She had the comfort of her mother’s breasts and the steadiness of her father.
There hadn’t been any sex, just a whole lot of affectionate. There were plenty of kisses and embraces. Lingering stares and daring touches but nothing more had come of it.
“How was tonight?” I ask him as he comes back to bed, changed out of his fancy swooning clothes. I press my knees together at the sight of his bare chest. It brought back the many good memories of Fiji.
“It was nice.” He tells me. “There were other places I’d rather be but it was nice being an adult.”
I laugh. “What does that entitle?”
“Eating dinner without being interrupted. Having a conversation with someone who actually answers back in full sentences. Getting someone a drink and them not refusing it by screaming the place down. Laughing with someone and not being projectile vomited on… Lot’s apparently.” He laughs.
I smile and curl up against his chest. “Well, we certainly missed you tonight and I certainly miss having a night to myself.”
“You can. You just say the words and I’ll take her for the whole evening. I remember you telling me you used to spontaneously take yourself to the movies; you can do that if you want to. I’ll deal with baby poo, vomit and smelling of sour milk.”
“Well, I might just remember that offer.” I smile against his chest and feel him exhale.
“I love you and Addie a lot, you know that?”
“Of course I do.” I tell him. “I’ve known it from the second you met her. I’ve never seen someone so in love before.”
“I hope you see how much I love you as well because I do love you so much. More than anyone else in the world.” My smile spreads wider and I wrap my arms even tighter around his waist. “Well, I love my kids a lot too but…”
“I know what you mean.” I exhale. “And I love you too.”
“What are you and Dad doing for Valentine’s Day?” Madge asks.
I fasten the sticky diaper tab onto Adeline’s diaper, securing it in place.
“Um, nothing. Why?” I ask her, placing Adeline’s legs back into her zippy suit.
“You two should get out for the night.”
It was a few days after Peeta’s night out and I was no where near ready to leave Adeline alone for the night.
“I don’t know if that’s a good…” I tell her, looking up at her with wide eyes and quickly look back down at Adeline, zipping her into her onesie.
“Come on Katniss, you deserve the night off from baby raring. I’ll make you look hot, the three of us will watch Adeline for the night and you and dad celebrate your first anniversary.”
“It’s not really our anniversary.” I tell her as I lift Adeline up off of the change table.
“Well, if my math is correct, Adeline is about 3 months old. Plus another 9 months makes a full year, which is when you and dad met. It’s the anniversary of when you first met.”
I try not to roll my eyes. Getting dressed up, making an effort on my appearance seems like such a hassle and I’m really not ready to leave Adeline alone.
“I don’t think it’s a good idea.”
“Come on Katniss, Addie will be fine with us for a couple of hours.”
I scowl. “Talk to your father about it.”
She smiles, leans down and kisses Adeline’s cheek and runs off to catch her father.
I follow Madge back downstairs and set Adeline into her swing. I can hear Madge talking to Peeta in the study and I busy myself with the laundry, folding all of the washing Adeline has seemed to accumulate in a matter of days.
“I’ve never known someone to have so much washing.” I say to Adeline. “You might be in close contentions with your Aunt Prim though.”
Peeta appears around the corner with Madge right beside him. He looks sheepish and I shake my head as I grin. I set the onesie down on my lap. “So, it looks like I’m taking you out for Valentine’s Day.”
“Softie.” I mouth to him and chuckle. It’s a known fact Peeta couldn’t say no to his kids, even as they were now adults, he couldn’t seem to say the word. I don’t even think it was in his vocabulary.
“Great, I’ll text the other’s and let them know we’re on babysitting duties on Tuesday night.” She tells us. “I’ve got to go. I’ll see you two on Tuesday night.”
Madge arrives at the house well after 5. Peeta is still at the bakery, not due to finish until 5:30.
And I’ve agreed to allow Madge to help me get ready for the night. Despite not wanting to make no fuss about the date at all. Madge insisted. A lot.
Adeline snoozes on my lap while Madge starts on my hair. She tells me about her day and I half listen. It was usually the same old thing, especially working in an elementary school. I experienced the same thing every single day and know how it goes.
But at least she actually achieved something today, whereas, I stayed in my pyjamas until about ten minutes ago and spent the day actively ignoring house chores and binge watching Netflix.
“How was your day?” Madge asks.
“Good.” I tell her. “We didn’t get up to much.”
“Lazy days are good.” She smiles at me. “What series are you currently watching on Netflix?” She asks with a laugh and I laugh along with her.
We were very much alike. We were adventurous and outgoing but much preferred days spent in with our pyjamas on and a good television show or book. We liked lazy Sundays where we hardly did anything. Choose to not do housework or work and waste away a day.
And now, with a baby, it was so much easier to this.
Besides, they grow so much; I didn’t want to miss a moment.
She tells me about a lunch date with Nana Nazi (Janice) she had this week.
“She’s just so bitter towards things. She can’t seem to accept change or anything. She’s never approved of dad doing anything new or exciting in his life. She has to berate him or give him her opinion which eventually, upsets dad and he becomes less excited about this venture.”
I scowl. Janice had been nothing but nasty since Adeline arrived. Every opportunity she gets, she’s constantly judging me. Judging Peeta. Judging everything we’ve decided as parents and how we raise Adeline. She tells us her opinions, despite us not wanting them. She judges our relationship and thinks we’ve rushed into it. Thinks I’m in it just to use Peeta.
On several occasions she’s questions Peeta’s judgement and if he is truly Adeline’s father.
“People have multiple partners these days Peeta. It’s not uncommon for women to sleep around just as much men do. And who knows what she was doing while you were in your conference.”
I never saw Peeta blow up at his mother as much as I had that day. He demanded her to never question his judgement again and she sat across from him for the rest of the night.
It served for a very awkward first Christmas dinner with the whole Mellark family.
She was stepping back a bit in front of us, but bits and pieces Madge and Nolan have told me ensures me that she’s still not ready to commit to Adeline being her biological grandchild.
“Nan brought up the whole paternity thing again.” She tells me quietly.
I bite my lip, will myself to not let the tears fall from my eyes and nod slightly. “Ok.”
Madge is silent for a few moments as she ponders what she’ll say next.
“You know, we don’t not believe you.” She reminds me.
“I know.”
“Adeline got those distinctive characteristics dad has.” She smiles. “When she first came into the world, when they laid her on your chest, I just knew she was my sister. I never doubted your judgement, I know who you are. I trust you and love you so much that I know that you’d never lie about something like this.”
I thank her with a smile. “Do you think I should get the paternity test done just to shut her up?”
“No because then she’ll think she’s won.”
“Do you think I should do it for you father though, so he has proof?”
“My father doesn’t need proof Katniss. He loves you and trusts you so much that he doesn’t need a piece of paper confirming that he is 99.9 per cent related to Adeline. He knows Adeline is his. He’s accepted that since the day he found out about her.”
I smile. “I’d never lie to your father.”
“I know.” She replies. “We love having Addie and you in our lives and we don’t need you to prove anything to us.”
Peeta arrives home just as Madge is starting my make-up. He takes Adeline for a cuddle and some catch up time. With him back at work, he missed spending the day with his daughter and now we had this unspoken routine that when he gets home from work he’ll spend half and hour to an hour with her, giving me the chance to have some me time.
Most of the time, I ended up joining them, craving the intimate family time.
Peeta showers while I nurse Adeline and I remind her older siblings about her routine, likes and dislikes.
“Katniss, we’ve got this.” Nolan tells me. He promised his sisters a gourmet dinner in exchange for them changing Adeline’s diapers.
“I know, I just want to remind you all.”
“We’ll be fine.” Madge tells me, placing a supportive hand on my shoulder. “She’s a pretty easy bub and there’s three of us here to work it out.”
I hand the baby to her father so I can get changed and I know that he is reiterating the routine again to his kids.
I slip into a black dress that hugs my new curves and check myself out in the mirror from all angles and find this newfound confidence within me. I was nervous about my post baby body and how it would look in a figure hugging dress. The first item of clothing I’ve worn since having Adeline that’s really showed off my body.
But I had a feeling, Peeta would love these new curves and marks. He had already told me how beautiful I was hundreds of times when I doubted myself. He instilled this confidence in me that was shattered years before. He’s helped to put me back together again.
I smile at myself, ruffle my hair and apply some lipstick to my lips before I leave the bedroom.
The three kids are the first to notice me entering the living room. I watch Nolan’s jaw drop, Madge’s smirk and the ‘O’ shape Camille makes. This gets Peeta’s attention and he turns slowly, taking a step back as he takes me in.
He’s speechless.
“You’re… You’re…. You look so beautiful.” He eventually stutters out and I smile at him. A big, proud, confident smile.
“It was all Madge’s doing.” I tell him.
Madge shakes her head. “She’s beautiful without all of this.” She motions. “But I thought q bit of treating yourself couldn’t hurt. It’s nice to get dressed up every once in a while.”
I take Adeline for a cuddle while Peeta gathers our coats. I snuggle her, inhaling that addictive baby smell and hoping it will give me the strength to spend a few hours not worrying about her and enjoying the company of another adult, eating a meal uninterrupted.
“Ok, time to go.” Camille says to me.
I slip Adeline into Madge’s arms. “Have fun and don’t worry about us. We’ve got this.”
I nod, thanking them silently and walk to Peeta who stands in the foyer holding out my coat for me.
“Oh dad, I slipped a condom in your wallet too.” Nolan tells his father as Peeta helps me into my coat.
“Nolan!” Madge and Camille exclaim.
“What? I do love my baby sister but I don’t think I’m ready for another little brother or sister so soon.”
I snicker. I was use to Nolan by now. Everyone else though assumed by his comments and jokes that they embarrassed me but I was more than willing to take them as a joke and nothing else.
We had formed a good relationship.
He still hadn’t moved out yet though. But neither Peeta nor I were complaining at the moment.
“Fine, I’ll admit it, you and Katniss made a cute kid. It would be a crime to not bless the world with another.”
“Or three.” Camille jokes.
I shake my head and squeeze his cheek. “Be good tonight and stop tormenting your sisters.”
“Yes Mom.”
“And don’t ever call me that again.” I tell him, pointing my finger at him. “It’s impossible for me to biologically be your mother.”
“Noted.”
I turn to Peeta and smile. “Ready?” He asks.
I nod, feeling the nerves settle in my stomach. I was dreading the moment we left Adeline for the night. This was my first night out without her and I was nervous the three Mellark children wouldn’t be able to handle it.
“Madge is a qualified teacher. Camille is good at reading bedtime stories. And Nolan is good at making a fool out of himself.” Peeta reminds me as he pockets his phone and wallet. “You three will be fine, won’t you?”
“Of course Dad.” Madge smiles, looking proudly down at her sister who she holds. “She’ll be in bed by the time you two decide to come home. No need to rush.”
“Exactly, no need to rush.” Nolan confirms with a smirk. “Take all the time you need.”
“We’re leaving.” I announce. I kiss Adeline goodbye. “Be good for you siblings. I love you so much.”
Peeta kisses her goodnight and reminds the three of them of the basics again as I drag him out the door.
“No glove no love, remember.” Nolan calls after us and I turn around and stick my finger up at him, grinning. “Have fun you two love birds.”
“I swear to god, he doesn’t get that from me.” Peeta tells me as he helps me into my seat.
“You’re brother’s have told me stories.”
“Who do you think taught me?” He asks. I laugh and he closes my car door behind me.
He drives us to the CBD. There are loved up couples walking the streets, hand in hand, kissing and one couple almost dry humping against the side of a car.
“It’s kind of a cliché this holiday.” Peeta says looking around.
“Is it so cliché we met on Valentine’s Day? Possibly conceived our daughter on Valentine’s Day?”
“Why else do you think there are peak births in the middle of November?”
I shake my head and grin. “Take me to dinner please.”
“Yes m’lady.”
We laugh until we cry. My cheeks hurt. My stomach hurts.
I’m smiling from ear to ear.
Peeta is as charming. He’s wonderful. Caring. Friendly.
Above all, I’m so in love with him.
“How long have the two of you been together?” The waiter asks as he clears our table.
I look at Peeta and Peeta smiles. “A few months.”
“You look like you’ve been together for years. It’s pure what the two of you have.” He tells us.
My heart flutters inside of my chest and Peeta reaches across the table for my hand, squeezing it.
The waiter leaves with our plates and a promise to bring us the dessert menu.
But Peeta declines. He asks the waiter for the bill instead. We have somewhere else to be.
“Where are we going?” I ask him.
“You ask too many questions.” He tells me as he leads me back to the car.
He drives us towards his bakery, parking round the back.
“What are we doing here?” I ask him.
I’ve been helping him some days here. Adeline strapped to my chest as I make my way around the bakery, showing off his daughter to the older ladies who gush and swoon over our daughter. They tell him he he’s lucky a man to have us in his life. They know his story, left as a single dad as a 22 year old. They know he’s raised his kids mostly and hardly dated as he focused on his children and business.
And the day he met Adeline, they tell me he was on cloud 9, they hadn’t seem him smile this much since his older three were born. And they tell me he had lost his smile. But he found it when he found me. When he found Adeline. When he found the rest of his family.
They ask if we’ll have any more, I tell them it’s still new. They tell me it’s real, I reply with a smile and crimson cheeks.
“Come on in, I have a surprise.” He tells me at my side of the car. He holds out his hand for me.
I take his hand and he helps me down from the car.
He switches off the alarm, turns the lights on and leads me inside, shutting the door behind me.
He takes me to the cool room and reaches inside the glass doors taking out a tray and revealing a heart shaped slice of cake, covered in white frosting, strawberries and milk chocolate spirals.
“Caramel mud cake.” He announces with a wide smile. “Happy Valentine’s Day Katniss.”
“We ate this at Fiji.”
“We did at our second dinner date.” He recalls. “You made me want to take you on that table, right there and then.”
I blush and laugh. “Really?”
“You were in this dress you borrowed from your sister, the white one. It hugged every curve of your body and I had never seen someone so beautiful in my entire life.”
“We barely made it inside of your room, we were close to having security called on us for public indecency.” I laugh. “I think that was the night we conceived Adeline.” I tell him, turning my nose up in slight embarrassment.
“Well if you didn’t wear that white dress than we probably wouldn’t be here.”
“I think we would have found each other eventually.”
We share the slice of mud cake, it’s moist and rich and way better than the one we had in Fiji. He feeds me forkfuls and I feel that familiar heat pool in my core. It’s only within the last few weeks has little bits of intimacy turned me on. Prim told me my libido could be affected due to my breastfeeding and it might take a while to physically and mentally want to engage in sexual activity.
And Peeta has been patient. He didn’t pressure or push for anything more. He had been honest with me from the beginning, telling me he was more than happy to wait until I was ready. He wanted me to be comfortable and overall, both of us be ready.
He sets the plate down beside us and I smile at him.
“I know I’ve told you this multiple times already tonight but you are so beautiful. You’re absolutely glowing. You’re just so beautiful Katniss Everdeen.”
I blush, drop my head to hide the blush creeping across my face and down my neck before I look back up at him.
I look him in the eye with a slight smile.
“What’s on your mind?” He asks me after a few minutes of silence.
“I think I’m ready.” I tell him.
“Really?” He asks. “I want you to be sure.”
“I’m ready.” I confirm. My body, my mind and soul were ready to take the next step with Peeta again.
But instead we go home, relieve his kids from our crying daughter and together we snuggle our daughter and fall asleep in our date clothes in our bed.
“Where’s Dad?” Madge asks as she rushes into the living room the next week. It’s the afternoon, Adeline has just woken from her nap and Madge has finished work for the day.
“Still at work? Why? What’s wrong? Has Gale done something?” I ask her, lifting Adeline into my arms from the bouncer.
“Yes.” She replies and holds out her left hand. And on her ring finger sits a sparkling diamond ring.
“You got engaged?” I gasp.
“I got engaged.” She confirms and bursts into tears.
“Oh Madge, honey this is so good.” I tell her and wrap an arm around her. “You’re engaged.”
“I’m engaged.”
“Why are you crying?” She asks.
“I don’t know, I’m just so happy.” I smile. “Sit, come tell me everything.”
She sits beside me and I let her speak while I feed Adeline.
“He asked me this morning.” She tells me. “We were discussing our trip to see his sister in New York. I was rattling on about something and then he said, ‘it’d be nice if we could see her and tell her we were engaged’, I stopped and looked at him confused and asked him if he just proposed and he said yes with a sheepish smile. He asked me again and I accepted right away.”
“That’s beautiful. Not cheesy or over the top. It’s you.”
Madge smiles. “He told me he had been planning to propose for a while.”
“I know.” I laugh.
“You knew?” She asks.
I nod. “He asked your father for permission three months ago, I had just moved in. He asked if I could keep a secret and I told him I could and he asked your father. Your father didn’t even let him finish before he gave him permission.” I explain. “Do you know how hard it’s been to keep this a secret?” I laugh. “I didn’t realise it’d take him this long to propose to you.”
“Thank you.”
“You deserve the best.” I tell her. “So when are we planning for this wedding?”
We call for an impromptu family dinner to celebrate. Nolan cooks for us and we celebrate the engagement, giving them our well wishes and love.
I couldn’t be happier for my best friend.
“Hey, I was wondering if you’d be one of my bridesmaids?” She asks me as she slips into her coat.
“I’d be honoured to be your bridesmaid.” I tell her, embracing her tightly with a wide smile.
I find Peeta propped up in bed with a book in hand later on. Adeline is asleep in her basinet by the bed and I straddle his lap.
“What’s this?”
I cut him off with a passionate kiss and in the soft light from the bedside lamp we strip each other slowly from our clothing.
I smile at him as I feel him at my entrance and he smiles back, kissing me softly before he enters me slowly.
It’s rejuvenating being intimate again with him. It’s overwhelming but in the most wonderful way. The feel of his bare skin brushing against mine. His lips on my skin.
Adeline remains asleep throughout the whole night.
But we don’t sleep. We just hold each other well into the early morning and he promises me he’ll give us a wonderful life.