Can't Live Without Romance

“Lil brother, do you really think the Rixians are going to put a man on the moon before us?” Graham, the eldest amongst the Mellark brothers, asked.

“I heard the Rixians' rockets are stronger than ours,” Rye, Peeta’s other brother, said.

The biggest news in the country was the Space Race. Panem was competing with Rixa, a former district. Rixa was once formally known as District Thirteen. It was the largest district of Panem until they decided to separate. After they won the War of Secession, District Thirteen separated and began its own country in the 1800’s. They became Panem’s biggest rival as they were always competing to have the upper hand on the world stage.

“They also have a satellite, too,” Glenn, Peeta’s father, said. “No, telling what type of pictures they’re taking of us.”

“Now, now, you must calm down,” Adena Mellark patted her husband's leg. “Remember what the doctor said, Glenn, no excitement for you.”

“It sucks that they’re ahead of us,” James, Graham’s oldest son, exclaimed from the floor.

“James, language,” Adena admonished.

Graham’s wife, who was pregnant, ducked her head before giving Graham a look. Graham addressed his son. “James, that is not an appropriate language for a Mellark.”

James mumbled, “Sorry, grandmother.”

It caused nervous laughter in the small group of celebrants.

Katniss found it strange to think of the Rixans as the enemy. When the world became engaged in a world war, Panem and Rixa became allies for an instant. As soon as it was over, Rixa and Panem went back to being rivals. Panem considered itself a democracy, and Rixa was a military state-run government. They were progressive about women. They allowed their women to fight in the war, and even had a woman leader.

Women in Panem didn’t have the same opportunities. Katniss was part of a small group that wanted to make a change. The women’s movement was gaining popularity as women continued working even after the men came home from the war. They had managed to get a few women elected as senators. Things in Panem were changing. Katniss had been involved in the latest election. Christine Paylor, a Senator from District Eight, was running for President. No one thought she would win, but it was exciting.

However, Katniss couldn’t talk about what she was doing with Peeta’s family. It wasn’t appropriate to speak about politics during dinner. Or any other time while on the Mellark compound.

In Peeta’s home, from what she had observed and from what little Peeta told her, Adena Mellark wore the pants in the family. The boys, as she called them, never dared to step out of line.

“It is unpleasant that those Rixians are ahead of us. But our scientists, no doubt, are working around the clock to get ahead,” Adena said while sipping her cocktail. Her cold blue eyes observed the family.

“They did send a dog into space,” his brother Bannock said.

“Sputnik,” James snorted. “What kind of name is that?”

“FIDO IN SPACE!!” Rye said, tickling his nephews.

Adena looked annoyed but said nothing. She held out her glass, and Rye’s new wife, Misty, immediately refilled her glass.

Katniss would never serve that woman hand and foot. She would rather get shot in the foot.

“I heard the men in the space program can’t be around their wives or girlfriends,” Rye said, getting up.

“The program didn’t allow Blight, Felix, or Sejanus to see their families. The last time I saw those guys was a couple of months ago.” Peeta put his arm around Katniss's shoulder.

“I don’t think Katniss would make it without Peeta,” Rye joked, winking at Katniss.

Katniss blushed.

“Let’s leave Katniss alone. I know if you were involved in the space program, I’d be a nervous wreck every time you were chosen to go up there,” Misty said.

“Peet’s never going up there, he doesn’t have the right stuff,” Graham joked.

Peeta didn’t reply.

Katniss focused on television. They were showing a long shot of the all-new rocket for Orion 1 to launch. The three men inside the new space capsule were Sejanus Plinth, Blight Jones, and Felix Ravinstill. Claudius Templesmith’s voice was narrating the events. The three astronauts entered the transportation vehicle with their pristine white space suits.

“These new space suits that our astronauts are wearing are easier to maneuver in than the suits used in the Nova project and comparable to the ones used in the Spartan program. They are now the white color that our beloved president favors. And they have a new compression system that will keep our astronauts safe as they make a space walk.”

The entire nation was glued to their televisions right now. The tension and excitement filled the air as Peeta’s parents celebrated their anniversary.

Katniss turned her head away from the television set. The Mellarks were a well-to-do family. They owned several bakeries in District Four. Katniss grew up without the monetary security that Peeta had. Katniss had lost her father as a young girl to another dangerous job; her dad tested airplanes after the Second World War. They lived in the middle of nowhere, in ramshackle houses, so that her father could continue to fly as a test pilot for Panem Air Command. He was involved in the development of jet engines. He died while testing an airplane. The last thing she wanted was to fall for a man with a dangerous job. Why couldn’t he be a baker like the rest of his family?

The camera switched back to Claudius Templesmith and Caesar Flickerman. They were smartly dressed in heathered sport coats.

“This is an exciting day in the history of Panem. We will be trying out the new propulsion and capsule named Orion.”

“Yes, this is indeed an exciting day in Panem history. Right now, our three brave astronauts are being transported to the CSM, Caesar.”

“Claudius, explain to our home audience what a CSM is.” Caesar smiled at the camera.

“Well, Caesar, the CSM, is the command service module; the new CSM is larger than the spacecraft made for the Spartan. It holds three astronauts.”

“It must be a mansion compared to the Nova capsule, which only held one astronaut."

“As I understand it, Caesar, the mission is named after Captain Burdock Orion Everdeen.”

“Hey, Uncle Peeta, isn't that Katniss' father's name?” Bannock asked.

Mrs. Mellark gave her a funny look. No one in the family knew of her pedigree. They all thought she was a backward girl from a coal mining town. A picture of her father appeared on the television screen. There was no doubt that Katniss took after her father.

“Her father was a pioneer in the jet age.” Peeta winked at her as he spoke to his nephew, “He nearly broke the speed of sound. They teach us his pilot maneuvers at the academy. Without his sacrifice, they wouldn’t have found out about the fuselage leak in that jet plane.”

Bannock looked at her with awe in his eyes. “I didn’t know your father was a pilot.”

All of the attention was on Katniss. She loathed it; she wanted to squirm, but she knew the best way to avoid more questions was to be polite and deferential. “My daddy did his duty. Those men on that screen. They’re the real heroes.”

“Who do you think will go up on the next Orion missions?” Mr. Mellark asked. Although the Panem’s Space Program had announced a new set of projects with the goal of landing a man on the moon. They had yet to announce which pilots were going to be reaped for the missions.

“Dad, you know that’s classified,” Peeta said.

“Come on, Peet,” Rye said, grinning. “You can give us a clue, can’t you?”

Katniss saw the glint in Peeta’s eyes, and she knew there was more he wasn’t telling her. Peeta was good at hiding things. He had to be given his profession of choice.

Peeta was a hotshot navy pilot who was recommended for the space program because of his instinctive combat skills in the air and his good looks and charm in front of the camera. He was the youngest amongst the astronauts, and he was called the ‘Rookie,’ because of it.

She met him when her car broke down on the side of the road. He and his friends were drinking at a local bar when she walked in, soaked, looking like a ragamuffin. Peeta said he’d taken one good look at her and swore he was a goner.

“Sorry, Dad, I can’t say anything.” He stretched and stood. “I think I need a walk, Katniss?”

When they stood, his mother gave her a disapproving look. Katniss didn't avert her eyes. If Adena sensed a weakness in you, she would exploit it. She’d seen Peeta’s mother reduce people to tears with her words. Peeta told her he didn’t get along with his mother, and Katniss, having met the woman, understood why.

Peeta escorted her outside. Their backyard was huge and included a gated swimming pool.

“So I hope we didn’t scare you too much this weekend.”

“Huh,” Katniss said.

“Where are you?”

“I was thinking of my sister.”

“Oh,” Peeta said next to her.

Katniss nodded. “She would love the pool.”

“Next time we can bring her,” Peeta stopped walking.

Katniss looked up at the sky, rubbing her arms absentmindedly.

“You’re thinking about your dad, aren’t you?” Peeta put his arms around her.

Katniss leaned back into Peeta’s arms and closed her eyes. “How’d you know?”

“Because it’s my job,” he placed a tender kiss on her cheek. “By the way, did I tell you how beautiful you look tonight.”

Katniss looked down at her modest shift dress. She’d forgotten she’d worn the dress for him. She could feel the sting of a blush on her cheeks. “I wanted to look special.”

Peeta turned her around in his arms. She leaned up on tiptoe to press a kiss on his lips. She had to be careful because her lipstick would get all over him. To be honest, this wasn’t the path Katniss had expected for her life. She was part of the women's movement. She’d sworn off men and dating. She’d burned her brassière. How her path became off target was her chance meeting with Peeta Mellark. Love was funny; it had a way of creeping up on you. Here she was dressing up in his favorite color, a muted orange.

His forehead pressed against hers, “Katniss, I have to tell you something.”

Her lashes fluttered open, looking up into his azure eyes. “What is it, Peeta?”

“Back there when I said that it was classified-” Peeta drifted off.

Katniss' heart sank; her observation was correct. Peeta was hiding something. “You were chosen.”

Peeta let go of her, and he rubbed the back of his neck.

“When?”

“Your birthday.”

“My birthday,” Katniss whispered.

“Yeah,” Peeta lifted her chin. “Finnick, and Gale too. It’s us or another group. One of us will make ten loops around the Earth in the new rocket. Haymitch told me that they were leaning toward us. If all goes well, then it’s only a mission or two before we land on the moon.”

She turned her face away. She did the math and calculated by the launch dates which one of the missions he was going to be a part of, and the President boasted about the missions on national television. “Orion 7.”

“Kat,” Peeta let his hand drop.

“Peeta, can’t they choose someone else?” Katniss choked on the words. The fear of losing him was real. Of all of the men in Panem, her heart had to fall on a man whose job, by definition, was crazy. Left off here.

“Kat, baby,” Peeta said. “It’s my job.”

“Don’t you dare call me baby,” she spat angrily. She was incensed at herself for falling irrevocably in love with him. But she understood what he said. Astronauts were basically test pilots strapped into what was essentially a large TNT stick.

He looked into her silver eyes before leaning down and pressing a kiss on her cheek. “You’re even prettier when you're angry with me.”

His small peck diffused the situation between them.

“Ugh,” Katniss said, allowing him to loosely hold her. She instinctively stepped closer to him. Her hands slid up his chest. “What if something goes wrong, what if they don’t have the right calculations and you’re shot into outer space, or if something goes wrong with that metal hunk of junk?”

“It’s been twelve years, Katniss, since your dad passed away. Science has come a long way. I tell you, do you know they’ve got women mathematicians working at the space program? They call them computers.”

“Computers.”

“I swear they make the lot of us look like kindergartners with sticks and mud.”

Katniss was scared to lose him. She’d lived through the devastation that came with losing a loved one. “Just promise me you’ll be alright, and listen to Finnick. Gale’s a hot head.”

Peeta laughed.

“He’ll get you in trouble.”

“Like Finnick wouldn’t.”

“Finnick’s married to Annie, and Annie would skin him alive if he did.”

“True,” he grinned. “I can’t wait to get you alone tonight.”

Katniss felt the heat blossom and expand to the tips of her being. She’d been daring enough to allow herself to be with Peeta outside the bond of marriage. “Peeta, your parents.”

“Fine, just let me hold you.” One hand slipped her face, his hand touched her lip, while his lips kissed her exposed neck

Katniss breathed, “You have to promise to behave.”

“Scouts honor,” he growled before pressing a kiss on her chin.

“Peeta, you told me you were never a scout.” Katniss pulled away, giving him a pointed look.

He gave her a rakish look. “Okay, fine, I promise not to get frisky with you tonight.”

“Good.”

Peeta leaned his head down, his nose bumped hers playfully, before he gazed at her, seeking permission to kiss her. Katniss nodded, and her lashes fluttered, and a high-pitched squeak escaped her lips when his lips settled on hers.

“Hey, are you guys going to come back inside? Or are you going to stand outside necking?”

Startled by Peeta’s brother’s voice, Katniss stepped away.

“Rye!” Peeta groaned.

“Come on, you're going to miss them blasting off.”

He grinned at Katniss, “We'd better get in there.”

Together they walked inside. Everyone, by now, was sitting watching the television set. Katniss stood, Peeta next to her. He put his arm around her shoulders, and she snuggled into him.

Mission control could be heard counting down. Katniss put her hand on Peeta’s chest. The boys counted down silently, their lips moving.