• Forever •

Chapter 56

Chapter 56:

I heard the door open while I was buckling Liam into his swing. We got it as a present from Annie when Addy was born but every time I put her in the thing she started screaming bloody murder. Liam on the other hand loved it. I learn more and more everyday how different my two children are. "Katniss?" Peeta calls.

"I'm in the living room." I say.

He walks in a couple minutes later with tea from my favorite coffee place just down the road from Addy's school. Ever since I had kids and started breastfeeding, I had to cut back on caffeine so I replaced my daily cup of coffee with decaffeinated tea, and now I'm addicted.

"Mmm, earl grey?" I ask almost positive it is.

"Of course, with a splash of milk." He replies.

I take a seat on the floor next to Liam and push his swing. "So," I take a sip, "why are you home and not at work?"

He sits on the couch and starts to smile a bit. "Okay now let me tell the whole story before you interrupt or ask any questions."

"Okay..." I say warily.

"So ever since Liam was born I've been thinking. I only go into work 1 or 2 days a week anyway just to check in and do bills and stuff so I've been interviewing some possible candidates for a full time managing position. I decided to go with Jeremy, the first kid I hired when I reopened. He's only 19, but I trust him more than anything with the store. So I called all the billing companies and had them forward the bills for the bakery to our house and I'll take care of the bills here and Jeremy will take care of payroll, inventory, scheduling and supervising. Basically he's gonna be me since I'm not there. So anyway I did all of this because even though I'm only working a couple days in the morning, I just realized that I miss you and the kids. I mean I want to be here everyday when you wake up, I want to be able to eat breakfast with you guys and walk Addy and one day Liam to school. I want to here, like really be here all the time."

My heart warms at this new plan of his. "Not that I'm complaining or anything, but you love to bake, Peeta it's what you do. You bake, you paint, and you love your family. That's you."

"I know but it's not like I can't bake here, our kitchen is huge, and as long as I have you and kids, I'll be more that happy." He says.

I get up and go sit next to him on the couch. I burry my head into his chest and he embraces me. "I love you." I say.

"I know." He kisses my forehead. "I love you too."

"So what do you do all day?" He asks.

"Well, sometimes I take Liam for a walk or I go to my moms, or Haymitch's or do laundry all day. Addy comes home at 3 but 6 hours goes by quicker than you think." I say. "I was thinking about going grocery shopping today, do you want to come?"

"Sure, when do you want to leave?" He asks.

"Uh now is good let me just get all of Liam's things together." I say.

Going out anywhere with a 3 month old is always a hassle. Not that I don't love being a mom, it's just babies are work. I always carry 2 or 3 extra outfits in the diaper bag because there's always some kind of accident, I have half a pack of diapers along with 2 different kinds of wipes for changing and for cleaning, formula, bottles, ointments, 3 pacifiers, numerous bibs, burp clothes, blankets and the list keeps going. I carefully try to take Liam out of his swing and into his car seat without waking him, but of course I am unsuccessful. He isn't crying but, he tends to fuss in the car and car rides are much easier when he's sleeping. I double check the diaper bag to make sure I have everything I need, I throw in my wrap to carry him so I don't have to bring in his whole carrier and diaper bag. To reduce the amount of things I need to bring, I throw my wallet and phone into the diaper bag.

Peeta comes in from putting down the back seats of the car. "Ready?" He asks.

"Yeah I think so." He grabs Liam's seat and puts him in and I grab the diaper bag. After getting in the car and finally leaving the house I think about how different our lives were before we had our kids. Simple trips to the grocery store were now multiple hour ventures that seem to drain Peeta and I.  We pull into a relatively close space and when Peeta gets out he heads straight for the carts a few spaces down from us. I take the wrap out of the bag and fasten it around me. I put Liam inside and put the bag in the cart. I cuddle Liam close to my chest and Peeta pushes the cart.

"I can't believe you usually do this alone." He says as we walk into the store.

"Well I'm used to it." I say. "It was kind of hard at first but now, this feels weird, you helping me."

"Well you better get used to it." He says smiling. I can't help but smile back.

I was never one to make a grocery list. I just walk in and grab the things that we usually buy and maybe a few things that look good. This seemed to stress Peeta out.

"I can't believe this is how you shop. What if you forget something, or can't remember?" He says.

"Then I just come back and get it when I need it, or I don't get it at all." I say. He looks at me with furrowed brows. "Peeta trust me I've been doing this longer than you."

Our entire trip took a good 2 hours, that's including unloading the car and putting everything away.  We ate lunch and then sat on the back patio and enjoyed the fresh air. Around 2:30 Peeta suggested that we both go pick Addy up from school. Instead of straining myself and carrying Liam in the wrap, I opt for the stroller. We enjoy a nice peaceful walk to the school together. When we get there we sit on one of the benches by the doors of the school. We get a few stares and funny looks but I'm so used to it that I don't really understand why people do it anymore.

"Does it bother you that people still give us weird looks?" I ask my husband.

"Sometimes, but I don't think they're trying to be rude or anything they're just being curious. I mean we're like celebrities to them." He says.

"That's true I ever really thought of it that way." I say. "At one point everyone knew what was going on in our lives 24/7 I guess you can't blame them for being curious."

Just then the bell rang and kids started pouring  out of the door. Addy looked around until she saw both of us and her face lit up. She ran over and jumped into Peeta's arms.

"Daddy!! You're stills home!"  She squealed.

"Yeah honey, I'm actually gonna stay home for good now, no more working." He said as we started walking  home.

"You quit your job?!" She asked shocked.

"Not really, I'm still the boss but I'll be doing everything from home so I can stay home with you and Liam and mommy."

"Really? That's sounds so cool!" She says. Peeta takes her hand and starts to walk ahead of Liam and I.  I gaze ahead at them and admire my prefect family, thinking about how lucky I am.