High School Reunion (Sequel to High School is a Game)

Chapter 18

Chapter 18

"Have a good first day of school, i love you," the time flew.

Kassidy, my little girl now already 3 and a half.

She was smart enough for preschool at this age, already potty trained, everything. I just wonder where the time went, when she was just a baby.

"I will, I love you too mommy."

Once again, not favoritism, it's just that strong bond a mother has with her perfect daughter.

Okay, maybe I have an issue.

But it doesn't matter, we don't have favorites. We love them all the same but differently and for different reasons. And my bond with Kassidy is stronger now than when she was a baby.

Not just because she was born early, though.

Kassidy got pneumonia when she was only two, the doctors scared me halfway to death when they said that this could "lead to other things". That's when my mind started racing to all the horrible possibilities. It brought her and I closer because I had to be there for her. I wasn't able to find the right words to use to explain to my two older kids what was going on, so instead Peeta was the one that was able to use the most gentle words to explain. Pneumonia can get bad. Especially on kids, teens, and infants because their immune systems aren't as strong. So when Kassidy, who was already born premature and had so many problems from the start, healed quickly but got pneumonia.

I cried when they gave her shots and needles and when I had to give her her medicine. It was nothing an adult, let alone a child should have to go through. She had it bad, so when they recently told us that she is cured, Peeta and I, and her older siblings are so thankful for that.

It took a lot of convincing on Peeta's end to get me to send her to preschool. All that raced through my mind was; school, germs, her mouth on things, more sickness, more time in the hospital and at the doctors'.

But I know that she needs to be here, and that being here will be better for her in the long run. She's the kind of kid who wants to run around outside and play with other kids but I was still terrified.

"What do you wanna do today?" Peeta asks, "I need to stop off at the bakery but other than that the day is ours."

"Yeah, we should have a picnic, in the woods you know. . . By the lake," I suggest.

"That sounds good," he smiles.

I smile a little too.

We drive to the bakery and he checks up on everyone and everything before we walk into the woods by our house. It has four rooms and three bathrooms, so the kids get their own rooms which is nice. its not a mansion but it's big because we practically customized it after we saved up. And we love having the woods right there by our house for us to roam around in whenever.

I pack a picnic for Peeta and I and he takes my hand as we walk deeper and deeper into the woods until we reach the lake and I lay out the blanket and basket.

"See, its not too bad without Kassidy, right?" He asks.

"Yeah I'm okay, I'm nervous for her but she'll be... okay," I say.

"You gotta let her go eventually, Katniss. Not let her go but let her grow up a little,"

"It's not about her growing up, Peeta. Its about her getting sick again, its about her not being able to get through it the next time." I explain. "Her immune system can barely handle it, and maybe I worry so much because I think that one day she might not be here. Maybe one day she'll get so sick that...."

"Katniss," he mumbles.

"I don't want to spend time away with her when I could lose her,"

"We're not gonna lose her, okay? We're not," he pulls me into his arms and kisses the top of my head.

"Okay," I nod.

"Let's just find something else to talk about, one day Kassidy is gonna be in college or married or both. She's tough and determined even at this age." He says.

"I know,"

"She gets it from you,"

I smile and lean on him.

All our kids are already too grown up...