The Everlark Family: Book 1

37 - Home Sweet Home

Peeta and I stepped off the train and sucked in mass quantities of crisp District Twelve air into our lungs. We were finally home, and that felt great. The delicate breeze swirled our hair around as we walked to Dane's house to collect the rascals.
"Hey Peeta, hey Katniss!" Jasmine, Dane's wife, said welcomingly. "Come in."
"Thank you." Peeta smiled, and we walked into the tiny house.

"Mommy! Daddy!" That was what we were bombarded with once we stepped into the house. Peeta and I both exchanged hugs with them. We thanked Dane and Jasmine for watching them, and then we began our walk home. The kids laughed and squealed as they ran together.
"I missed them so much." Peeta whispered into my ear. I nodded, smiling as they started to skip.
"Me too."

Once we got inside our house, the absolute best part was our welcoming bed that we both sank into. The train had half-decent beds, but this bed, our bed--it was wonderful.
"I seriously could stay here forever." I said aloud as Peeta and I laid on our bed, staring up at the ceiling in bliss.
"I wish I could."
"Mommy, Mommy!" Rye's voice came echoing through the hallway, and I braced myself for what I knew was about to come.
Within a flash, there he came, catapulting onto the bed, jumping viciously on it--and us. Oh, Rye.
Finally he stopped his jumping session and fell on top of me, panting from the exertion, and giggling loudly. "I haven't been able to do that in a week."

Peeta cooked up a vegetable casserole for dinner, which revolted Rye being that he was in the age where vegetables were his worst enemy.
"So, Willow, what did you learn in school?" I asked as we all sat together at the table eating.
"You mean this whole week?"
I nodded, sipping down some mint tea.
Willow looked down, eyes scanning the hands in her lap. "I learned about you and Daddy."
I almost choked on my food. Peeta caught my eye.
"What do you mean?" I asked.

"About the Hunger Games. That's how you guys met isn't it?"
"Yes." I was too shocked to say more. I eyed Peeta for help.
Willow persisted, "Have you been hiding it all from me?"
"Well," Peeta set down his fork, "we didn't want you to get scared."
She shook her head. "I think that it is cool my parents are part of history. . . Although, my friends think it's weird."
"I-It's not a bad thing, Hun." No, it was a terrible thing.
"I know. That's what I tell my friends, but they disagree."

"Don't listen to them, Swee--"
Willow interrupted Peeta, adding on to her thoughts. "They say I'm in danger, but I don't understand--maybe they are jealous?"
"Try not to worry, Will." Peeta replied, turning to Rye who was uninterested in the conversation. "How was your school?"
"Boring. I don't like school."
"School is supposed to be fun, Rye. It is for me at least." Willow said.
Rye shrugged, poking at his casserole. "I don't know. I would rather hunt."

But the only thing I could think about was what Willow said. It was all adding on, and soon, soon she would understand our nightmares and flashbacks--she would discover a world of turmoil-- all because of Peeta and I.