The Star-Crossed Lovers from District 12 (Wattys Finalist 2013)

Chapter 28

When I get to the hospital it’s flooded with doctors, patients, and loved ones there to visit. I run through the crowd until I find Peeta’s room. I see Gale, Claudia, and Kiri leaning over Peeta’s hospital bed.  They all walk over to the other side of the room so I can see him. He has a cast on his ankle. I run over to him and kneel down by his bed.

“Oh, my God. Peeta what happened,” I say starting to cry. Last time I saw him like this he was dangerous to be around and he was in such terrible pain that it made me cry. He brings me down closer to wipe the tears away from my face.

“Relax, I was just running to the town to go get those seasonings and my foot went into a hole. All I have is a break in my ankle, but I should be walking again in about a month or so. It’s no big deal,” he says.

“When are you allowed to leave?”

“In an hour or so. They just have to do some of my monthly blood tests because of-,” he trails off. Neither of us really like to talk about when Peeta was hijacked. He has to come in and do monthly blood tests so we know how his body was reacting to the high doses of venom.

“Yeah, I know.”

“What on earth are you two talking about,” asks Claudia. Gale just whispers in her ear and she gets it.

“It’s nothing,” I say.

“About tonight Katniss, you can’t do that for us. Not with Peeta like this,” says Gale.

“It’s fine Gale. We were almost done before he got hurt.”

“Still, you don’t need to do this. Claudia and I agreed to just spend time as a family tonight.”

“You’re sure because we were going to have Kiri just spend the night at our house so you get the night to yourselves.” Gale looks at Claudia. They have a conversation with their eyes. Then out of the blue little Kiri starts to talk.

“Can I please spend the night at Aunt Katniss and Uncle Peeta’s house?” she asks in the cutest little voice. Gale and Claudia had to tell her that we were her Uncle and Aunt because she didn’t understand the whole “family friend” thing yet.

“I promise I’ll be a good girl daddy.” If I were Gale, I couldn’t say no to that cute little girl. We start to hear sirens go past the hospital. Sounds like a fire truck. I wonder what’s going on. Probably another cat stuck in a tree. I just ignore it and wait to hear what Gale says.

“I guess, but you have to do two things.” He picks her up. “You have to promise to help out with Dawn and you have to give me the biggest hug you’ve ever given me.” She wraps her tiny little arms around his neck and starts yelling “I promise, I promise.” I give Dawn to Peeta and I bend down to her height and open up my arms. She runs right into them and I pick her up and spin her.

“You’re going to help out with Dawn tonight?” I ask.

“Yep, I’ll play with her and feed her and rock her and hold her and-,” Gale cuts her off.

“Kiri, I think it’s time to go,” says Gale.

“Before you leave you got to give us good bye kisses,” I say. She gives me a kiss on the cheek then when I put her down she goes on the tips of her toes to kiss Peeta and Dawn goodbye. She’s so cute. Once they leave I lay down next to Peeta. Since Dawn was on Peeta’s lap she’s laying down now on his chest. I start to rub her back and she falls asleep in an instant.

“I love you,” says Peeta.

“I love you to,” I say. Then we just look at each other in silence.