The Girl With The Silver Eyes

Chapter 18

Katniss
Four and a half years later

"Momma! Momma!" I hear my four year old shouting as my bed starts to sway beneath her jumping on it. "Wake up!" I groan and roll over as she plops down next to me.

"Dani, it's too early for this," I groan. "You can lay down with me for a while, but you need to be quiet, okay?"

"I can't be quiet!" She says leaning over my side. "I'm too excited! It's my birthday!" I chuckle and smile.

"Is it?" I ask. "Are you sure?"

"Mommy! Don't tease me!" She says. "You wrote on the c'lander." She gets up and runs over to the wall and points. "See?" I laugh and nod.

"Yes, I know sweetie," I say sitting up. "Four years ago today you were born. Now come here and give me a hug." She gets back in my bed and I pull her close to me. I kiss her forehead and lay my head on top of hers. "The day you were born was the best day of my life, right next to meeting your daddy." She moves and looks at me, her deep blue eyes piercing through me.

"Why don't you talk about him?" She asks. I sigh and hold her tighter.

"Because I don't really know him anymore. It's almost been five years since I last saw him," I say. "And I made your daddy really sad last time I saw him. I hurt his feelings when I left home." I kiss her cheek. "Go get dressed. I'm going to take you to the park before it gets busy." She nods and gets up and runs to her room. I hear my phone ding and reach to get it. It's a message from Glimmer, the only one from home who I kept in touch with, telling me to call her right away. I do so and she answers on the second ring.

"Glimmer, what is it?"

"I need to talk to you," she says.

"About what?" I ask. "Because it was almost five years ago, I don't remember vividly how long morning sickness lasted for me."

"No, it's not about that," She says. "Although, the twins are making my life quite miserable and Marvel isn't making it better by smothering me. But no, this is about Peeta."

"What about him?" I ask nervously.

"He moved to Arkansas," she says. I glance at the door Dani had just disappeared through before speaking quietly.

"He's here?" I ask.

"I don't know why," she says. "I just know that he's apparently been painting and playing guitar in a park near your place. He hasn't been doing well. He had trouble getting a job after college and I guess he's got an uncle he's staying with after his mother kicked him out."

"It's Mayberry isn't it?" I say. "He spends his days where I take our daughter once a week. He found out."

"Katniss, I swear, he doesn't know," she says. "Marvel talks to him yet. He's just trying to start over. Just like you did." I frown and let a tear fall.

"What do I do Glim?" I ask. "I broke his heart. He hates me."

"But he still loves you," she says. "And you love him. Which is why you need to talk to him. You can't hide Dani from him forever and he deserves to know his daughter. He's so close to you now. You need to get over five years ago and talk to Peeta, Kat."

"I know," I say softly. "Thanks for telling me Glimmer."

"I didn't want him finding out by just seeing you with a child," she says. "He's never been the same since you broke up with him. Seeing you with Dani and not knowing she's his, I don't want to think of what would happen to him."

"I'll try to track him down today," I say. "Thanks again."

"Anytime sweetheart," she says before hanging up. Dani walks out of her room just then and I smile at her in the little green dress my mother sent me.

"I'm ready Momma," she says.

"I'm sorry sweet pea," I say. "I have to go meet with someone so I can't take you to the park. You're gonna have to stay with Granny Sae today but I'll take you out to dinner tonight for your birthday, just us. Okay?" She looks sadly at me.

"But, it's my birthday," she says and I nod.

"I know honey," I say solemnly. "But I promise, I will get you anything you want for your birthday," I pause, knowing my daughter, "within reason."

"Okay Mommy," she says.

I take her down stairs and through my dance studio I renovated from Sae's garage and up the short walk to her house. Sae takes Dani without question and I make my way to the park. I look down at my old t-shirt and sweatpants and sigh. It's not what I would have picked to wear for my first time seeing him in five years, but I shrug it off. It can't be delayed anymore than it already has.

It takes me five minutes to find him. I hear the guitar before I see him. He's in the dense trees I sometimes try to teach Dani to climb, sitting on a bench with his guitar, softly strumming for no one but himself. As I approach him where he can't see me, I hear him softly singing.

"We both lie silently still in the dead of the night
Although we both lie close together we feel miles apart inside
Was it something I said or something I did?
Did my words not come out right?
Though I tried not to hurt you
Though I tried
But I guess that's why they say

"Every rose has its thorn
Just like every night has its dawn
Just like every cowboy sings his sad, sad song
Every rose has its thorn

Yeah it does

"I listen to our favorite song playing on the radio
Hear the DJ say love's a game of easy come and easy go
But I wonder does he know?
Has he ever felt like this?
And I know that you'd be here right now
If I could have let you know somehow
I guess

Every rose has its thorn
Just like every night has its dawn
Just like every cowboy sings his sad, sad song
Every rose has its thorn

"Though it's been a while now
I can still feel so much pain
Like a knife that cuts you the wound heals
But the scar, that scar remains

"I know I could have saved a love that night if I'd known what to say
Instead of makin' love we both made our separate ways
And now I hear you found somebody new
And that I never meant that much to you
To hear that tears me up inside
And to see you cuts me like a knife
I guess"

I walk up behind him and make myself known by singing the final lines, taking him completely by surprise.

"Every rose has its thorn
Just like every night has its dawn
Just like every cowboy sings his sad, sad song
Every rose has its thorn"

He stands up suddenly and turns to me. He looks shocked to see me and I find myself taken by the slight beard he's started to grow and how his cropped his hair shorter now.

"Katniss?" he asks, his voice kind of gruff.

"Hi Peeta," I say softly. "I think it's time we talked."