The Last Mockingjay

Chapter 4

Peeta is coming up the stairs as I walk away from the guest bedroom. I try my best to hide the tears and the aching sensation I feel inside, but Peeta knows me too well. He sets down the laundry he was bringing to the kids’ room on the floor and envelops me in a hug. I feel the tears begin to flow again.

“Shhh, shhh. It’s okay now," Peeta consoles while gently patting my braid, “I’m right here like you said you wanted me to be. You never even had to ask.”

I’m so glad he doesn’t push the issue that these tears are because of Gale.

“I know.”

I squeeze him just a little tighter and pull back, looking into his deep, ocean blue eyes.

“I love you, you know,” I whisper to him.

“I love you, too. Forever and ever.”

God. Peeta always knows the exact thing to say. One of the many natural talents of his that I envy. He says that he is jealous of my archery skills, but what is a bow and arrow compared against the weapon of words that can cause peace without harm, or start a war in a sentence?

“Let’s get you cleaned up, shall we?” asks Peeta. I just nod and follow him downstairs to our bathroom. Peeta takes a towel, puts soap and water on it, and cleans my face. Once he is done with me, it looks as if I’ve never shed a tear in my life.

Peeta suddenly signals me to wait in the bathroom while he goes into our bedroom to get something. After a few minutes of mysterious shuffling from the other side of the door, Peeta comes back into the bathroom with one of Cinna’s dresses.

It’s not just one of Cinna’s evening dresses that he holds, but the girly, yellow one I wore right after we won our first Hunger Games. The dress is not my favorite, but I think it might be Peeta’s, given the look on his face.

I smile.

“You want me to wear this?” I ask, already knowing the answer.

“Yes. I want you to wear this so I can take you into town and show you a little surprise.”

“A surprise, huh? Well I’m not a big fan of surprises.”

“Oh, I think you’ll like this one. After all, it is your birthday.”

I am such an idiot. I have been so caught up in my own little world the past few days, that I completely forgot that today was my birthday. Normally I wouldn’t want Peeta to do anything special for my birthday, but I feel like I need a break from reality.

I gratefully take the dress from him and change. I notice that the pads that had been used to give me a fuller figure when I originally wore this dress were taken out. Thank God that Cinna was genius enough to think of that. I really do miss him.

I come out of the bathroom to find Peeta waiting, sitting on the bed. I walk up to him and twirl around.

“Beautiful.” Is all he says as he stands up, grabs me, and kisses me square on the lips.

“Handsome,” I reply as I sneak a peek at what he is wearing: a green button-down, longsleeve shirt with pleated black dress pants, and his favorite dress shoes.

I back away from his grasp and go to find the matching pair of yellow heels that I wouldn’t usually wear, but I decide I will today. Just for Peeta.

    I walk down the hallway, unsteady on the heels as I do. As I walk into the living room, I fall right into Peeta's arms. I giggle, feeling as if I am a little girl again, unsure of the future, trying to distract myself from the sad truth.