Gale Hawthorne [Hunger Games] (seamless) wrote in madisonvalley, @ 2018-05-10 10:50:00 |
|
|||
Entry tags: | !closed, !completed gdoc, !log, ~2018 may, ~25 points, ~~gale hawthorne (seamless), ~~madge undersee (maundersee) |
WHO: Madge Undersee and Gale Hawthorne
WHAT: Making lunch plans
WHEN: Morning
WHERE: Their apartment
WARNINGS: Nah
STATUS: Closed/Completed Gdoc
Well, it wasn’t long now. By the end of next month, she and Gale would be parents, and the child growing inside of her would be a reality she could see and kiss and hold. It was a reality to her right now, of course it was. She could feel it moving inside her and she already loved it with all of her heart. But she wanted to meet it, to look into its eyes, to hear it cry. She wanted to know that she hadn’t failed it with her weakness.
The weather was getting warmer, which usually Madge appreciated, but she was pretty sure that being pregnant was going to make the heat far less pleasant than usual. She wasn’t sure if it was the extra weight or the strangeness of her hormones, but she’d been hot a good deal of the time even through an extra long and cold winter. It had been a blessing, then. That blessing was sure to come to an end.
Waking up, she got out of bed and waddled a bit to the bathroom before returning to bed. There was no reason to get up early this morning, and it was nice to just snuggle with Gale a little. Their sex life was still good, but this morning she just wanted to be close to him, to cuddle. She was sure he wouldn’t mind. Just as she snuggled against him, the baby kicked, hard enough that even he had to feel it.
She giggled a little, unable to keep herself quiet, knowing it would probably wake him up.
“Looks like the little one wants attention this morning.”
***
Gale was sound asleep, but recent events in Madison Valley had him unable to get into a truly deep sleep. He woke easily, though he was groggy for a few seconds, the haze of sleep cleared and he turned his head a little to grin at Madge.
“Soon instead of kicks it’ll be cries.” Which he thought was going to be the most amazing sound. Because it would mean their baby was alive and thriving. He’d read in the books about how it could be annoying and frustration to hear a baby cry, but Gale was actually looking forward to it.
“Mmmm,” he purred, hand moving to stroke Madge’s hair. “Good morning.”
***
“I can’t wait to hear that,” she said. For the same reasons as him, she looked forward to hearing it cry - at least initially. And she wanted to hear the cute little baby noises that all babies made, and she wanted to hold it and kiss it and let it know how much it was loved in ways that she couldn’t do now.
She closed her eyes at his touch, snuggling closer to him. This was some of her favorite time, just laying here in bed with the sunshine streaming through the windows. She knew it would be more rare to have moments like this once the baby was born.
“Good morning,” she said. “And in case I don’t say it enough, I love you.”
***
“I love you too,” he answered. He loved her more than words could ever say. And it seemed that whatever the dome put them through, they came out stronger, and more in love because of it. Because the most recent thing meant he hadn’t known who she was, hadn’t cared one way or the other. Now that he was back to himself, as he should be, his love for her felt like it swelled in his heart.
“What do you want to do today?” he asked her. As nice as it was to lay in bed, it wasn’t really a great use of time. He didn’t have to go into work, so he wanted to go out and do something. Madge couldn’t do a lot because of the baby, but it wasn’t like she wasn’t allowed or able to go out and walk a bit. Walking was actually good for her.
***
That had been terrible, when Gale had been someone else. And not a very nice someone else, either. She was glad he was himself again. She needed him to be. She needed his strength and support now more than ever, since the birth of their baby was approaching so very, very quickly.
“Well, we could make lunch?” she said. “Instead of going out. We could go to the store and get things for a big salad?” That sounded very good to her, for some reason. “And then we could come back home and eat while we watch television?”
It wasn’t a very exciting life that she led right now. Or it wouldn’t have been, if not for the fact that the birth of their baby was coming closer and closer.
***
“That sounds like a plan.” Getting up and getting dressed was kind of a pain, but it needed to be done regardless. Gale wasn’t the type to lounge all day in his pajamas just because he didn’t have to go to work.
He sat up a bit more in the bed. “We could get some chicken to put on it for protein.” Which was important for Madge any way, but especially with the baby growing inside her. The vitals were all strong and promising, but Gale knew things could go badly even in the best situation. He wanted the child, and Madge, to have the best chance for a healthy, trauma free birth.
***
Her stomach rumbled at the thought, and she laughed a little. “I think that sounds good. And the little one does too.”
She heaved herself out of bed, putting on a sundress that didn’t bind too tightly around her midsection.
“We really should start thinking about names soon, you know.”
***
“I know.” Gale pushed the covers back and stood up, stretched, and sought out clothes to change into. He opted for a pair of jeans and a T-shirt. Casual and comfortable. No need to dress up to go to the grocery store.
“Did you have any in mind at all?” He’d been reading books. The name they chose would stick with their child all its life. It was something to be taken seriously.
***
“I have been thinking,” she admitted. “Although it’s hard. I want a nice name, something unique, but not something so unique that he or she doesn’t like it later. And I’d really like...well...a District Twelve name. I know it wasn’t the best place for either of us - “ - understatement of the year - “But it’s still our heritage. And I’d like a name that reflects that.”
She shrugged.
“Other than that...no, not really.”
***
Gale was split on the idea of a District Twelve name. Panem was a terrible place. But it was their heritage, as Madge said. It was where they came from. And the important thing was that they were no longer there.
“Maybe a nature name would be a good compromise?” he suggested. Nature names were common in Twelve. “There are a lot plants that have names that would work for a child,” he said.
***
“I was reading a book about a place named after a tree,” she said. She’d been reading a lot lately, because her exhaustion and her body wouldn’t let her do much more than that. “It’s supposed to be a beautiful place, in the mountains.”
She bit her lip.
“It’s called Aspen. Which is also a tree. We had those in District Twelve too, remember?”
***
“Aspen,” Gale said it, trying it out. He could imagine looking down at his child, Madge’s child, and calling the baby Aspen.
“I like it.” He nodded. He didn’t want to go with the first name they came up with, at least not without considering other options. But it was a nice nice. Definitely on the short list of names to consider.
“It would work for a boy or a girl,” he added.
***
“That’s what I was thinking too,” she said. “But I mean, there are others I like too. Other names I’ve read about, or names from home. I want to stick with nature names. But Clover is pretty. Durian. Fern. I mean, there are so many to choose from. Maybe we should wait until we actually see the baby, and then decide what fits it?”
It was so hard, with all the names out there, to pick the right one for a child you didn’t even know yet.
***
“We can do that,” Gale said with a nod. “I mean, it’s possible we could pick a name and then it just doesn’t work when we meet the little one.” There was really no way to know. He’d never named a kid before. He wasn’t sure how the process was supposed to work. Or maybe there wasn’t a right or wrong way.
He leaned in and kissed her and let his hand fall to her stomach. “Maybe we should pick out a few, and wait to figure out which one is right when the baby is born.”
***
Madge kissed him back, lovingly. When she pulled back, she nodded, and covered his hand with hers.
“I think that’s the best idea. Let’s have a few ready and then we’ll name it when we see it. Whatever seems to be the best name.”
Because really, how could you pick the perfect name for a child you’d never met?
***
“Exactly.” It made perfect sense. “Aspen should definitely be on the list.” He really liekd the name, and how it sounded. For a boy, or a girl, really.
He turned his hand in hers and gave a firm squeeze. “All right. Let’s go to the store,” he said, and let go of her hand. He didn’t particularly enjoy going to the store, but he certainly liked the convenience of it. Madison Valley was a far better place than Panem would ever be.
***
Madge smiled. She used to like going to the store but she was so tired anymore. So tired and so exhausted. She was going to be glad when the baby was born so she didn’t have to share her very limited energy anymore.
“I love you,” she said softly. Sometimes she didn’t feel like she said that often enough.
***
“I love you too,” Gale said with a big smile. He’d be glad when the baby was born too, for a number of reasons. One of those reasons was that hopefully she’d have more energy when the baby was out of her body.
“And you,” he looked down at her stomach and lay a hand against her.
***
Madge couldn’t help but smile because she felt the same way. Not just because the baby was half Gale and together they’d made something amazing, but because she loved it as an individual, on its own, even though they hadn’t actually met it yet.
She smiled at him and leaned in to kiss him softly.
“So let’s go.”
***
He held his hand in hers until they reached the door, at which point he let go so they could go out. He reclaimed her hand ince the door was locked, and they started toward the store to get the things the needed for a nice lunch at home.
[OOC: Wrap!]