The Everlark Family: Book 1

6 - Ideas

For the next two months, Peeta and I had slowly moved into our new home. He had been busy painting all the rooms. The living room was painted a soft beige, and our bedroom was painted a very faint tan, like the color of a latte. The warmness of the color turned into a golden beige when the morning sunshine would crash through the drapes and window that hung over the newly-built bed. Speaking of beds, the furniture had been delivered only one week after Peeta had surprised me with the house. Every single piece of wooden furniture was magnificent. From the coffee tables, to the nightstands, shelves, cabinets, chairs, tables, sofas; they were all great. Everything about that house radiated greatness. And even beyond that, our future as a couple would burn bright with great possibilities, and we were both willing to let that unfold before us.

Peeta and I had planted apple and pear trees, and the very beginning of the trees were beginning to poke their way through the soil.
The chilly November breeze tousled my loose dark hair in swirls as I lightly watered the tiny trees.
I turned to get a look at the beautiful fall meadow. Autumn was amazing in Twelve--especially the meadow. The orangey-red leaves were scattered everywhere throughout the tall meadow grass. The trees were growing more barren everyday as gusts of wind would blow the colorful leaves off. I inhaled sharply and exhaled; being surrounded by nature was one of the best ways to live.

"How are the trees doing?" Peeta asked when I stepped inside the house. It still smelt like fresh pinewood and paint.
"They're growing, slowly but surely. I'm thinking they'll be ready by spring."
"I hope so," he replied as he leaned into the wooden canvas stand where he sat stooped over in concentration. A small brush was in his steady hand as he flicked it up and down in a vertical motion. "I'm just working on capturing our first fall in the meadow. I think that's pretty accurate, don't you think?"
I leaned over to get a glimpse at his painting. I gasped in shock at how accurate it really was. Our little secluded house was stationed in the middle of the orange autumn forest. The details were captured perfectly.
"Peeta, this is beautiful. It's just like as if you took a picture."
"In a way I did take a picture--a mental one, at least."
I smiled down at him and gently massaged his shoulders as he sat there and looked over his artwork.

"Hey," Peeta perked up and turned to face me, "it's your birthday coming up this week, huh?"
I almost forgot. "Yeah, my thirty-third birthday. . . God, I'm old. Just saying thirty-three makes me cringe."
Peeta laughed. "I know, I'm just as old as you are."
"I miss being young." But at the same time, I didn't.

Peeta stood up to meet me and draped an arm around me as we walked to the sofa. "What would you like to do for your birthday?"
"Oh, you've already done so much for me, Peeta. I can't accept anything from you."
"Katniss, we've been over this before. Building the house was my choice--I didn't have to do it, but I wanted to."
"I know, and you did so much. All I want for my birthday is a simple home-cooked dinner. That's all."
"That's it? Are you sure?"
"Absolutely positive."

Peeta searched my eyes and then finally nodded in agreement. "If that's what you want, it's what I'll make happen."
"We could invite some close friends. You know, Effie and Haymitch. Maybe a couple others."
With that idea, Peeta planted a kiss on my forehead. "That sounds perfect."