The boy with the bread: The back story to Peeta Mellark

Chapter 4

The next day, Peeta got home early from school. His father asked him and both his brothers to do this in the morning because he had something important to tell the family. All day Peeta wonders what had to be so important,  his father had a bit of worries in his voice when he told them.

He walks in the bakery mid-afternoon only to see his father going crazy with baking. Now Peeta was really curious to what he meant. Usually the baker is calm when he bakes, even if he's in a rush, so this wasn't normal. Sometimes it happens when new peacekeepers come from District 2, or even worse, the Capitol.

"Oh Peeta," his Father says eagerly, while taking cake out of the oven. "thank goodness you're here. Your brothers aren't home yet, and I really need help." He seemed nervous.

"Um, okay, but what's this about? How come--"

"Dad we're home!" One of Peeta's brothers say while walking in the bakery.

"Perfect. Okay gather around boys, so today I got a message from the mayor saying that President Snow wants one of the best head Peacekeepers to come to each District to make sure that everything is order," Peeta mother walks in now, by the look on her face, he can tell she already knows about this, and, she's stressed. The Baker continues, "Over the course of one week, dozens of strict Peacekeepers will visit us, starting tomorrow, and if everything is'nt perfect, we could be in trouble. This is not the first time it happened, so your mother and I know what to expect. So don't worry too much."

Peeta heard his mother curse under her breath, this doesn't mean well.

He doesn't know how to respond to what his father had just said, thankfully, one of his brothers does it for him, "So we need to bake enough to fill up the whole bakery? Where are we going to get all the ingredients? We'll never have enough!"

"I know, I know . . . we don't have enough," his Father started, "this means we will have to use our own food and the little amount that we get from the mayor."

"Well why are we just standing here!" His mother yells, "Get to work you stupid creatures! Come on!" Peeta's mother was tense, he can tell, he wasn't too hurt by her rude comment, it wasn't the first time she had said it.

He started by putting an apron on and tying it tight around his waist, leaving the top part hanging below. People still come to buy goods, but not as many as usual because of the coming of peacekeepers. Thank god, they needed as many desserts as they can possibly have. This all meant that they might not have enough food for the next few days, this made Peeta start to worry.  But he pushed the thought away when he noticed Prim walk up to the bakery.

"Hi Peeta!" her sweet smile greeted him.

"Hi Prim, what can I help you with today?" he responded.

"Well Katniss told me to come here and sell you my goat cheese, with what's happening, we will both need it."

Peeta chuckles, "Of course, Prim, we'll take your cheese, just let me go get the Boss," He did air quotes when saying Boss.

Peeta finds his father in the middle of baking nut and raisin bread, clearly busy, but he still asks about Prim, "Father, there's a customer outside, she--"

"Please get your mother to take care of it, I'm very busy at the moment," He slides a tray of bread loaves into the hot oven.

"But its Prim," Peeta argues.

Now his father looks up at him, "Okay then no, don't tell your mother, if she wants to sell us her cheese,then leave it to me. We can't afford any more chaos." He pats his apron to dust it off and starts to walk to the front with Peeta, where Prim is waiting.

"Hello sweetie, I hear you have some cheese for us." The baker says, smiling at Prim, trying not to show his tenseness.

"Yes, I do actually, we made a big batch this month, so what do you have for me today?" She hands him the cheese.

"Peeta why don't you go get a special treat for Prim and her lovely sister,"

Peeta nods and leaves the counter, knowing exactly what he needs to get--the cookies he didn't end up giving Katniss.

He returns holding the neatly wrapped package of white cookies and hands them to Prim, who smiles bigger then she has ever smiled before.

"Wow! Cookies! You were right Mr. Mellark, this is a special treat! Katniss will be so happy."

"Oh but hold on--" The baker starts,

"Peeta! Wheres your father! He left the bread unattended!!" They hear his mother scream from across the room.

"Okay Prim, maybe another time. Hope you enjoy the cookies, but we have to go now. You know how Mrs. Mellark is!" He explains.

"Okay sure, thanks so much." She starts to walk away then turns back around and waves at Peeta. "Bye Peeta!" Peeta just waves back and smiles. Then goes back to work, baking as many goods as he can. This wasn't going to be easy, but somehow they had to get it done.