It Started With a Cake

Ch34. The Lake

Willow's whines can be heard all across the house as I lift her up off the floor, and for once it isn't tummy time that has got her upset.

She feels warm to the touch, not by fever I have to remind myself, but by the actual heat outside.

It's so bloody hot today, but now being well into June I guess it does make sense.

Adjusting Willow into one arm I swipe the other across my forehead, wiping away the sheen of sweat that has formed in such a short amount of time.

"I know Willow" I sympathise, "I'm hot too"

From across the room Peeta frowns. "Is she okay?" His concerned voice calls out.

I sigh in response, "just hot like the rest of us"

As if to show her annoyance her tiny hand fists at my chest, pinching it in her hands.

"Ow" I cry out in pain, instinctively reaching out my hand to ease hers off.

When she finally lets go I look back up at Peeta to find him watching us.

"Can we do anything else?" He questions.

I shrug, we've done pretty much all we can, we've stripped her down to just her diaper, kept her in the cool always keeping a fan close to her, and made sure she's had plenty to drink. i'm not sure there's anything else we can do for her, not while she's this young.

"What have we done in the past when it gets this hot?" I question, thinking out loud.

A moment of silence washes over us, Peeta going back to his baking as he appears to be thinking.

"Well last year when it was this hot we went down to the lake" Peeta finally speaks, "but she can't swim, is it worth taking her down there?"

His question makes me think, though it is true she won't be able to swim, it doesn't mean she won't enjoy it, or at the very least cool down, we'll just have to hold her.

I mean I can't even remember the first time My dad took me down to the lake, or learnt to swim for that matter, it's just always been apart of my life.

"We could take her down there" I exclaim excitedly.

At my excitement Peeta smiles.

"I could finish these and make a little picnic" he suggests to which I nod.

"Yeah, that would be great" I smile, a sudden new found energy springing me across the house to collect our belongings.

I place Willow down in her bouncer as I go, moving the fan over to face her, the cool breeze settles her but I have a feeling it won't last forever so I hurry on.

After racing upstairs I'm quick to pick out three clean towels from our cupboard, grab our usual picnic basket and along with it our usual big picnic blanket.

As I materialise back downstairs, I find that Peeta has arranged a small selection of food for us to take. There's the loaf of bread he made just the other day, some spreads and fillings to go with it, and a wide selection of fresh fruits, some we picked out in the woods and some that have been delivered from district 11.

"The muffins will be done shortly" Peeta tells me when he sees me looking over his selection.

I smile up at him, "great"

True to his words the muffins are done in only about ten minutes, and in that time I've managed to fit everything into the basket, leaving a small spot for the baked good.

It's then another ten or so minutes before we leave, the muffins cooling on the bench while we get ourselves and Willow ready to leave.

It's an easy walk, both of us knowing this track like the back of our hand by this point. It is however a tiring walk today, the heat leaving us extremely hot and sweaty by the time we've arrived at the lake.

We don't even need to discuss it before we are dropping layers of clothing.

I strip down to my bra and underwear, while Peeta strips down to his undershorts.

Now with the sun shining down on my lesser exposed skin I begin to feel a bit self conscious of my body, even if it is just Peeta here to watch me.

I'm not quite back down to my usual body weight since having Willow, and of course I know this is normal, I did only just have her under two months ago. But a lot has changed, my skin is pudgy, ribs wider, boobs bigger, ass thicker.

I don't feel quite like me yet and even though it is unlike him I feel as if Peeta will judge me for that.

As if he can hear my thoughts Peeta counters this fear turning around to face me, "you're beautiful" he whispers over to me, his hand reaching over to touch my shoulder.

"I don't feel very beautiful" I tell him truthfully.

In an instant the hand that rests on my shoulder is pulling me into him. He presses a kiss to the top of my head when it's in reach, "Well you are" he whispers into it.

I can't stop the smile that spreads across my lips, "okay" I tell him simply, neither agreeing nor disagreeing with him, but believing him.

Peeta Pulls back from me quickly and I now notice the grin on his face.

"Let's go swimming!" he announces triumphantly, splashing me with water as he cannon balls into the lake.

And though the water is cold, I can't help but laugh at him.

"You might want to put on some sunscreen" I yell out to him when he resurfaces, "I don't want a repeat of last time"

I watch as he shakes the excess water from his hair, his golden curls shining brightly off the sun.

Slowly he swims back to shore, shouting "yes mother" as he does.

With my olive skin tone I very rarely burn, but Peeta with his pasty white skin, burns easily. Still we all don't want to take the risk so with our capital sent sunscreen we all apply it generously.

I take extra good care with Willow, removing all of her clothes and rubbing the white stuff all over her olive skin, much to her complaint.

"Nakey baby" I comment with a giggle as I lift her up into my arms. She squirms but coos happily with me as I slowly make my way to the water.

Carefully I step into it, the water cool against my shins as it laps around calmly.

Slowly I go in further, my body chilled more by the water the further it rises.

Then before I know it, it's just below the depth of where I hold Willow. "Are you ready Wills?" I ask her softly.

She coos happily at me, though she probably doesn't know what it is I'm asking her about.

Then with a relaxed smile I gently lower her into the cool water.

At first she doesn't know what to think, she's confused at feeling the water, probably a little chilled at the temperature.

I watch as her eyes go to the blue water, a curious hand reaching towards it, piercing the water as it makes contact. Then she looks up at me and for a moment I fear she is about to cry, I brace myself for it but it doesn't come. Instead she looks back down at the water and the hand that sits in it.

Carefully she lifts it up, then lowers it back down. It splashes a little and she grins, pulling it back up again to splash harder.

Giggles escape her as she repeats the motion over and over again, water splashing all over the place, mostly in my face.

I smile, "do you like it sweetheart?"

The answer is pretty self explanatory as we wade in further into the water.

***

I'm elated as we walk back home, growing sweaty from the reminisce of water on me, but overall I feel cooler than I felt before we left, and more joyful.

Today was a good day.

It's time for a sleep though. I can tell we are all exhausted, Willow's getting grumpy, definitely overdue for a nap at this point, and both me and Peeta are slow in our walking, just about ready to collapse the moment we get home.

But that's not possible, for as we enter the gates of victors Village I feel as though I've stepped into the past.

That pink wig could only mean one thing.

"Effie?"