Willow and Rye - After mockingjay

Unwanted Guest

I hold Rye tightly to my chest as I walk across the land to Willows school. Peeta is busy at the bakery and its snowing up to my knees, so I'm on my way to pick up Willow. I finally get to the door of the school and I open it.
"Mommy!" Willow says running up to me. "I have a new teacher!"
"Oh really? Wh..." I stop talking when I see a man walk up to us. I know he has to be Willows teacher.
"Gale? He's you're teacher?" I ask stunned. Gale takes a step closer to me.
"Willow I need to talk to your mom, can you go play with Jr. please?" Gale asks. Willow nods and runs off to play with Annie's son.
"Katniss I really need to talk to you." Gale says with pleading eyes. I sigh, I know I can't talk to Gale without breaking down, but I also know that I can't avoid him much longer. The last time I saw to him was the night of Ryes birth. Rye is two months old now.
"Come over to our house tonight. I'll have Haymitch watch Willow while we talk." I say. Gale nods.
"Come on Willow." I say. My daughter runs to me and clings to my arm as we walk out into the storm.

    Peeta walks through the door.
"Hello my beautiful wife and daughter," He says and pauses "And son." Peeta walks to me and gives me a kiss.
"Good evening Mrs. Melark." He says. I grin at him.
"And to you Mr. Melark." I say.
"What did you three do today?" Peeta asks. My smile fades as I remember our unwanted guest.
"Haymitch is watching Willow tonight. Gale is coming over." I say in a low voice.
Peeta's eyes hold understanding as he nods to me.
"Willow, come on honey. Your going to go hang out with uncle Haymitch." Peeta says picking up the small girl in his strong arms.

      A knock sounds at the door. Peeta jumps up from his place on the couch beside me to answer it. He opens the door and Gale, for the third time this year, steps through our door frame.
"Thanks Peeta." Says Gale.
"No problem Gale." Peeta responds. Peeta sits beside me again. Gale sits on the chair across from us. He looks deliberately right into my eyes.
"Katniss, I know I'm not on you're favorite people list right now. And your probably disgusted by having me in you're house. I know that your not happy with me teaching you child at the moment, but I really hope we can change that. We were best friends. We could tell each other anything. You would listen to me rant on and on about my not-so-humble opinion. Then you're name was chosen. You survived the hunger games but when you came back everything was different. I was your 'cousin'." He sighs. "I know your thinking right now, 'I know what happened in my life, there's no point in a recap', but there is. My point is I'm really really sorry that I left. But now I've gotten over myself. Can you ever forgive me?" He pleads. I can't hold the tears back anymore, and they come rushing out. Ugh, this is the third time I've cried this year.
"Yes." I say through sobs. "I forgive you."
Relief spreads across Gales face.
"Thank you Katniss, you don't know what this means to me. Well I'll leave you guys alone. I'll see you tomorrow Katnip." He says getting up to leave. He walks out the door.
"True or not true, I did the right thing." I say to Peeta.
"True." He says hugging me tightly.