We Live On

The Night Before Thanksgiving

~Chapter 6
~
"MOMMAAAAAA!" The door slams and the sound of a dropped book bag sounds through the foyer, soon followed by the ripping of Velcro.

Willow comes sliding into the kitchen in her mismatched socks, grabbing onto the fridge to propel herself further. I smile and put down the Windex I'm using and pluck her up under the arms, giving her teasing little pecks of kisses all over her face while she shrieks and tries to wiggle away.

"And hellllo Willow," I say, sitting her up on the counter as Rye comes trotting in from the living room.

"HAPPY TURKEY DAY EVE!" Willow screams at me, then again at her brother who now hugs my leg. I cringe at the the sudden loud noise, making my head pound more. She didn't have to whisper her arrival today since her school let out early to kick off Thanksgiving break. I personally think it's stupid to let them out the day right before Thanksgiving without a day before, but hey, who listens to the parents.

"And happy Turkey Day Eve to you to!" I exclaim as happily as I can, running my fingers through her loose hair.

"Is she here yet!?" Willow exclaims, seeming to just remember. I chuckle and help her down to the ground.

"I told you she wouldn't be here until you got home!" She huffs angrily, falling criss-crossed onto the floor.

"THEN I'M WAITING HERE UNTIL SHE COMES." I roll my eyes and blow my loose bangs from my eyes. My daughter is such a drama queen and Peeta and I can't figure out who she got it from. We both consider ourselves and each other as decently low-key people.

I take Rye's hand and lift him off my leg and holding him at my hip.

"Willow's being crazy." I sigh to him.

"I'M BEING REASONABLE." She yells. I chuckle and roll my eyes, leaving my daughter to sit on the floor and wait while I carry Rye back to the living room. I sit in the couch and he quietly plays with the twists of my braid. "Grammyyyy we're waitingggg!"
"Are YOU ready for Grammy to come and eat turkey with us?" I ask Rye, tickling his stomach on the word 'you.' He gives a slightly drooly grin and nods excitedly.

"Turkeyyy!" He squeals. "And Finny!" I smile and stand, my hands under his arms.

"Yes, and Finny! And Aunty Annie, and Aunty Effie, and Uncie Haymitch, and Aunty Cressida, and Uncie Pollux are all coming, too!" I exclaim, swinging him back and forth with every name.

It all gives me a headache, eleven people in addition to our original four. My head starts throbbing again at just the thought.

It was Peeta's idea to have every single person over. He goes on about sharing the holidays with those we still have and we're thankful for them, blah blah blah. But some people, we don't refer to the kids as 'relatives'. But both Peeta and I wanted them to have as much family as they could, since a large wad of their actual family is gone now. In reality, my mother is the only real Everdeen/Mellark left for them to be blood related to.

I hear the front door open suddenly and Willow sits bolt upright and gasps, scrambling up and sprinting to the foyer.

"Hey Cupcake!"

"Well you're not Grammy," He huffs irritably. I hear Peeta laugh. I walk into the foyer with Rye in my arms.

"Well that makes me feel wanted in this house," he deadpans. She's latched onto his left leg, cheek resting on his hip. I smile at the two of them and rest Rye on the ground to go latch onto his other leg.

"Dadeee," he coos. Peeta grins adoringly down at the two of them and I smile at him. I walk over to him and he looks up, smiling toothily at me.

"Hey you," he says, pressing his lips to mine. I smile at him then at the two little devils-devil and devil in training- who hug his legs.