Finding the Missing Piece: An Everlark Story

Chapter Ninety-Seven

Peeta POV- (Dinner)

"So, the wedding is soon enough. When are you two going to start having children?" Katniss's mother blurts out in the middle of dinner.

I look at Katniss and you can see she is uncomfortable and shocked.

She gives me a look and then scowls at her mother.

"Mom." Katniss hisses.

"What? I just was asking a simple question." Her mother says.

"That's none of your business and highly inappropriate to ask right now." Katniss says angrily.

I put my hand over Katniss's and she glares at me.

"Um. I'm sorry, Mrs. Everdeen...." I start, trying to be careful to accommodate both Katniss and her mother with what I'm about to say.

"Katniss and I won't be having children for quite a long time. We aren't even married yet and college is probably not the ideal place we'd like to start a family." I say awkwardly.

"You'll be married soon enough so why not try? Besides that, lots of people your age are having children in college."

"Not on purpose." Katniss mumbles under her breath.

"Mrs. Everdeen, with all do respect, I would feel more comfortable if we didn't discuss this any further." I say nicely.

"Just keep in mind that I'm not getting any younger but neither are you two."

I look over at Katniss, not knowing what to say.

Why is she bringing anything of this nature up?

"Mom, just stop." Katniss whispers softly, choking up from frustration.

"I'm sorry that I asked but I would like to know that I have something to look forward to in the future." Her mother says kind of harshly towards Katniss.

I don't know what has gotten into Mrs. Everdeen tonight but I've never seen her act like this.

Katniss shoots her mother a death glare, "How about you look forward to our wedding first." She snarls.

Now that I think about it, Mrs. Everdeen is referring to Prim.

Sure, she will get to watch one of her daughters get married but if we do not have children, she will not have grandchildren.

Prim, I am sure would've had many children but we are her only hope now.

And I don't blame her for wanting it but I understand why Katniss is getting angry.
I agree she should be looking forward to our wedding before anything else. And I agree it's not her business when and if we decide to have kids but we already know it's at least not going to happen until after we get married.

"Mom, I am sorry about Prim but this is Peeta and I's life. We decide when we get married, where we live, what we do, and when and if we have kids." Katniss says softly.

I know she hates when people ask about details of our relationship and honestly, I don't like it much either.

Not when it's something this personal between Katniss and I.

It's one thing to ask about where the wedding is to be held or if we've set a date but it's a whole other thing to bring up when a couple will start having kids.

"That's fine. I know and I'm sorry that I asked but I just I'm eager for you two to get going in your lives together."

"Mom, we appreciate that but we have the rest of our lives and quite a long time before children would even be a question. We are going to college and we don't need to be worrying about that." Katniss says.