Finding the Missing Piece: Book 6

Chapter Seventy-Seven

Katniss POV-

"What's wrong?" I ask Peeta as he paces back and forth across the living room.

He puts his hands in his hair and pulls, "This is just what we needed to deal with." He starts.

"What?"

He groans, looking as if he's gonna be sick.

"You're gonna be so upset, Katniss."

"Peeta, stop. Just tell me. You're scaring me." I say, my heart sinking as I see he's nearly in tears.

"I'm sorry." He groans.

"Will you just tell me already?" I ask him, kind of getting frustrated by all the suspense.

"Take him to your mom and come upstairs." He says, pointing to Rye.

I groan, rolling my eyes and rushing to the kitchen.

"I need to talk to Peeta upstairs. Will you hold him?"

"Yes. Is everything alright?" She asks suspiciously, taking Rye from me.

"It's fine. He's just really upset but it'll be fine, I'm sure." I say, not really knowing what it's about.

"I'll do anything I can if you guys need me."

"Thanks, Mom." I say and she pats my shoulder, then I rush upstairs to Peeta, not being able to take it any longer.

I open up the door and I see him sitting on our bed, his head down and it looks like he might be crying.

"Peeta, what is wrong?" I ask him, shutting the door behind me.

He looks up, "You're gonna be so upset."

"You're gonna have to tell me so just do it." I say.

Peeta swallows hard and sighs deeply, "That was the hospital."

"And what did they say?"

"Rye isn't our baby."

My heart sinks and time seems frozen still.

"What?" I ask him, laughing ludicrously as I repeat his words in my head.

"The hospital called and they're nearly 100% positive that Rye and another baby at the hospital got switched." Peeta explains.

I feel tears well up in my eyes as I realize what this means, "No. That's not right." I shake my head.

"I don't think so either." He says.

"That is our baby, Peeta. I would know damn well if it wasn't." I say, trying to convince myself that I would know but would I really?

"I know. I know he is but they're positive he was switched. There were two other babies born that same day. Both blonde and both boys."

"How do they know the other two were switched then?"

"I don't know. I guess one of other parents got into it and somehow they tested the baby and it came up that neither of them were the parents. I guess they called the other parents to see too. I don't know, I just am nearly positive that Rye is our baby."

"What do we do?" I ask him, trying to hold back tears.

Surely, some motherly instinct of mine would know if he wasn't my baby.

"They want us to bring him in immediately to test him to be our baby. If it's positive he's ours then that's the end of it. If not, I don't know what we are going to do."