The Everlark Family: Book 1

5 - Only Gift I've Ever Had

One whole month had flown by in what had felt like a week's time.
The bakery had graciously allowed Peeta a break while he constructed our new house. I truly had no idea on Earth how he could do something so difficult and complex in such a swift and perfect manner. It began to dawn on me that Peeta was so much more gifted than he himself could even comprehend.
Once the home construction had hit the three week mark, Peeta insisted for me to stay home. Since I don't like lying, I'll come out and say that I was a little taken aback by his adamant attitude towards me not coming along with him to work on the house, until I realized that Peeta worked in mysterious and secretive ways, so I reluctantly decided to stay home all day and night until he would come home from building.
Meanwhile, I met up with Haymitch several times. Of course, every time he was drunk and barely able to remember to what day it was.

That morning I awoke without any clue that Peeta was in the house. There was no marvelous smell of food, or sound of the shower running, or even his body beside mine.
"Peeta, are you here?"
There was no response. He must be building.
I pushed myself out of bed and quickly, very sloppily, side-braided my hair and brushed my teeth.
I walked down the small staircase and out to the kitchen. Peeta wasn't there to make breakfast for me. Damn.
I walked towards the fridge in hopes of finding some fruit, but it was devoid of food. Peeta hadn't gone shopping. He had been too occupied with building, and I had been too caught up at Drunk Haymitch's house to go shopping myself. Darn.

But Peeta knew me too well to let me starve. I picked up a handwritten note that sat beside the
fridge on the countertop.
                  Meet me in the meadow. Don't worry about breakfast, I have something :)
With that, I left for the meadow.
It was only a ten minute walk to a grassy random spot in the meadow where Peeta sat all by himself with a basket.

"Hey, there."
Peeta turned towards me and stood up. There was an excited look on his sweet face. "Hey, Katniss. I figured you wanted some breakfast sandwiches, I--"
"Oh, yes!" I practically sprung onto the basket and opened it up, revealing one thick croissant
sandwich. I snatched it up. "Sorry," I swallowed, "I'm starving."
Peeta was laughing. "Don't worry about it. Now, I have a little--well, huge--surprise for you."
"Is it better than these sandwiches?"
"Much, much better." Peeta winked.

My heart pounded as I thought of the house. . . Was it built already? This fast, though. No way.
"Okay," Peeta instructs after we walked deeper into the meadow, "close your eyes. Don't--do not open them.
I began to laugh as I unwillingly covered my eyes with my hands.
"Good, now keep walking, we're almost there." Peeta guided me as I blindly walked further into the meadow until we stopped.
"Alright. Go ahead and open them."

My jaw fell the moment I uncovered my eyes. Standing in front of me was our new house. I was right, and it was beautiful!
"Peeta," I held my face in shock, "Peeta. . . I cannot believe what I'm seeing, it's not possible!"
"Oh, but it is!" Peeta exclaimed in excitement of his accomplishment.
Suddenly a knot began to form in my throat. I stood there in a combination of pure shock and awe.
"Come on," Peeta pleaded, "let's go inside. It gets better. Of course we need furniture; it's not all finished yet, though. "
"You mean we're getting new furniture with this house?"
"Yeah," Peeta nodded happily, "I know a man here in Twelve who was willing to build us everything we need to complete this place."
"Peeta," I gasped, "where did you get all this money from?"
"Our savings, and Effie. I told her about it, and Katniss, she was more than willing to pitch in."
"H-how are we going to pay her back?"
"She said there's no need for that: 'Oh, don't be silly, Peeta' she said in that Capitol dialect of hers. Now, come on, let's go inside."

I could barely move a muscle, but Peeta's eager eyes lured me back into reality and I followed him inside the newly-built house.
Inside was breathtaking; a one-story house, simple but just enough, and devoid of anything else other than us two. It was spacious, though. The morning light flowed naturally into the interior of the barren space. There were several wide glass windows throughout the entire house. The master bedroom was nicely-sized, and so was the other bedroom. Two bathrooms just like in the sketch, and an extra room for closet space.

 The incredible feeling of this new house had barely started to sink into my veins. "You are so talented Peeta. So, so talented. I just really have no clue what to say, I'm--"
"Speechless." Peeta finished my sentence with a grin on his face.
I agreed, my eyebrows raised. "In awe. . . Unable to imagine how you did this so quickly."
"Well Dane did help me out into most of the night after his shift was over."
I turned to Peeta who was lost in amazement of his own accomplishments. I pushed my lips onto his in a passionate kiss. Then another kiss, and another. "I love you so much."

"I don't think I'll ever be able to repay you for this." I said as I ran my fingers through Peeta's soft blonde hair.
Peeta shook his head in a gentle manner and said something that melted my heart, "No, Katniss. You alone are the only gift I've ever had. Nothing can ever repay that."