Melting Ice

Chapter 33

Cato

The day of the wedding.

I stand the opposite side of Jay, I'm his best man. His world came crashing down a few months ago, and is slowly rebuilding itself. Slowly. Pain still haunts him; you can tell without asking him at all. His parents worked in the Capitol, both now dead. No one knows why he was unwanted, no one would of guessed he was adopted. Jay looks like me, he looks like one of us.
My parents found him crying on the side of the road and took him in, nurtured him back to health. Jay grew up knowing nothing about being adopted until a while ago. Isabelle still loves him, I guess that obvious considering the wedding is today.
The music begins to play and everyone seated, rises. I turn to Jay; he takes a deep breath and straighten his suit for the thousandth time.
"Good luck", I whisper looking straight ahead.
"Your next", he mumbles. I can hope so.
Kayla and Brianna walk down the aisle together gently throwing flower petals from a wooden weaved basket. Brianna tries to run instead of walking at a incredibly slow pace but Kayla catches her hand, whispers something to her and continue. I haven't seem Clove for the past few days, some tradition I guess. Speaking of Clove, I hardly recognise her under all the makeup. She needs none what so ever, she is perfect. Not a flaw on her. I'm guessing the colour theme is silver by the fact that the bridesmaids, Clove and Carla, are wearing mermaid style dresses; the top half is beige with a rim of silver at the top and streaks of silver go over the dress on the bottom half. She looks so beautiful with that gleaming smile on her face, her cheeks slightly pink and her soft hands wrapped around a bouquet of white flowers, dusted with silver.
Finally out comes Isabelle. Her dress looks far more superior than everyone else's, but thats the point. Jay blushes slightly as she nears. Clove gets here first, brushing my hand as she comes to stand next to me. Cane sits on the front row with both of our parents, Annie, Finnick and two places that are then taken by Kayla and Brianna. The priest clears his throat once everybody is in the correct places, and puts his hands together.
"We are gathered here today to celebrate the joining of Isabelle Kentwell and Jay Hadley. If anyone has any reason to object to this marriage, speak now or forever hold your peace", says the priest. We all glance around, looking for any negativity. Nothing.
"Good. Now, do you wish you read your vows?", he asks. Jay nods, pulls out a bit of paper and glances at it once.
"I don't need this", Jay says holding both of Isabelle's hands, "Isabelle Kayden Kentwell, the moment I first spoke to you, my heart was racing so fast I was scared it would explode. Everything time I feel your soft and gentle touch, it's like the first time. And that's the way it will be for the rest of my life and nothing in this world could ever change that. It is a true honer to be marrying you, a victor, my partner in crime, my best friend. I love you Isabelle, more than my big mouth can explain", by now Jays voice is wobbling rapidly with every word and I swear tears form but don't flow.
"Oh, Jay", whispers Isabelle. You can tell she is crying by the way her body shakes, "It doesn't matter if I say this to you every single day I wake up next to you. I love you and I can't imagine life without you. I'm so happy this is finally happening and it is a true honer".
The "I do's" are said and the promises. Mostly everyone is sobbing into hats, tissues, each other... Clove stands tall and proud amongst the see of salty tears and joy but you can tell she is proud and happy; the same as me.
"I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride", announces the priest followed by cries of happiness and cheers.
Her warm drunk body grips me tighter, but not enough to hurt. My head swirls slightly as I try to drift off to sleep but I just can't. The after party was wonderful, so was the music, the food, everything! What keeps me awake is wondering when I'm going to propose. I am going to, but when? What if Clove isn't ready? Rejection would kill me, emotionally and mentally. I clearly want to spend the rest of my life with her but does she feel the same?
"Daddy", whispers a voice beside me. I turn so I'm facing Brianna who is clutching a teddy, "I had a bad dream", she whispers, "And I'm hungry". Quietly, I climb out of bed and slip on socks so the coldness of wooden floor at night doesn't shock me. I scoop Brianna up into my arms and carry her downstairs and into the kitchen. Poppy sleeps peacefully in the corner of the room in there kitchen and ,despite the noise of us moving, stays like that as I lift Brianna onto a chair so I have two hands to prepare a bottle for her.
Morning rolls around and is manic. Since Clove and I both now have full time jobs, getting time together is difficult. Brianna is sitting at the table, eating breakfast whilst Clove comes back through the front door from jogging with Poppy. As soon as Brianna's finished, she goes off the nursery, Clove goes down to the training centre for her first photo shoot which is for the training catalogue and then she has private sessions that afternoon. I, on the other hand, have to catch the train up down to the poorer part of District 2. It's poor because they spent so much money on training facilities and weapon training, but no one is starving down there.
"Good morning", exclaims Clove coming in wearing half muddy leggings and top. She gently kisses Brianna on the cheek then comes over to me. Once again, my heart races like it does every time.
"Hello beautiful", I say wrapping my arms firmly around her as she buries her head into my chest. I breath in her sweet, angelic smelling scent from her silky hair. Her body presses hard up against mine, like a scared animal wanting to find a home.
"What time will you be back?", I ask stroking her hair.
"Depends on how well things go", she replies, "But I have gotta go now".
This is the tenth time I have run this circuit. Run 10 meters, jump over the fence, duck under branches, swim through the river and finish off with 100 meters of jogging. It hurts, it really does. My breathing is heavy, my heart pumps through my chest and my legs burn but, this is a job I have always wanted and now I'm finally here, I'm going to get it. At the end of each week, the head peacekeeper reviews our work and commitment, then eliminates one of us until only 10 of the 30 are still here. My aim is to be one of the 10, it's my mission, my goal. Call it whatever. I'm going to get it.
"Impressive time Cato", says one of the peacekeepers, clapping me one the back, "I've got a feeling you might make it through this week!", I pretend to smile as if I'm really happy to hear that.