Forever And Always {COMPLETED}

Chapter 15: August-September 1959

August 1959- 4 yrs later

She giggles as she walks through the door. Lola comes bouncing into the lounge where I sit watching the television while folding clothes. Lola was excited to start her first day at school, so excited that she was ready before Peeta and I even got out of bed this morning.

"Look Mommy!" Lola squeals showing a handful of daises

"Wow! So beautiful, Darling" I smile

"Daddy let me make him pretty" she smiles, I giggle when Peeta walks in, at least ten daises in his blonde hair, she really has him wrapped around that tiny finger of hers

"The teasing from Haymitch was worth it" he sighs sitting next to me, kissing my lips and then my swollen belly

"How's baby been treating you?" He asks

"Pretty good. I slept a lot today which wasn't a surprise" I sigh and he chuckles

"Mommy, is there really a baby in there?" Lola asks putting a hand on my belly

"Sure is! He or she will be here next month" I reply, she kisses my belly before running off to her room to play. Life with Niccola has been glorious, she's such an intelligent little girl and has grown out of her shy stage around people she knows. It took her a while to let Peeta put her down in class and she even kept hugging me, willing me to stay for the day which of course, broke my heart.

As Lola grew, she and Peeta both grew as thick as thieves. There are things that she and himself can't relate to on a level like she and I do but most things they do. Their personalities are very much a like, she looks like me but is most definitely a girl version of Peeta. I also take pride in her attitude towards expected 'ladylike behaviour', Lola could care less about how dirty she gets, she just loves climbing trees and rolling around in the dirt with the dog Haymitch surprised us with last summer.

I also take pride in the fact that she shares the same skin tone as me but not only that, she listens intently when my Dad tells her stories of the Cherokee tribes, teaching her what he taught me at her age and what the towns people did but how we must forgive those who had no control over the matter and those who wronged the people of his tribe, her ancestors.

Lola never grows tired of game night at Peeta's Father's house, mostly because he's constantly letting her win, another man she has wrapped around her tiny finger, my Father included. Our Lola is definitely one of a kind.

+++

"Are you sure we can leave you two with her?" I ask Annie and Finnick as they walk Peeta and I to the front door

"Of course! I mean how hard can it be? Babysitting a five-year-old won't be too much for us to handle" Finnick replies, Peeta chuckles

"I'm sure your thoughts will change at the end of the night" Peeta says putting on his black blazer

"So, there's a tuna noodle bake in the fridge that can get popped in the oven, she usually has a yoghurt after her dinner. She needs to get homework done. Oh! She also sleeps with a nightlight, I usually sing her to sleep but just read her a story or something. Don't forget to—"

"Babe. We went over it earlier. They won't go entirely crazy with Lola" Peeta grins, I let out a sigh and nod, Lola hugs my leg while also gripping her stuffed toy doll, I bob down to her level

"Mommy and Daddy are just going out for a little bit. Aunty Annie and Uncle Finnick will look after you" I tell her, tucking some loose hair behind her ear

"But I'll miss you too much" she frowns, her eyes watering, I take her doll and hug it tightly before kissing it, I give it back to her

"Whenever you start missing us, hug Polly. Know that I'm hugging you" I tell her and she nods, hugging the doll tightly