Life With No Games

Chapter 2: Effie

When Peeta gets back we all enjoy the cookies.

"You're the best family in the world!" Peeta says and takes a bite out of his cookie.

"The kids made them." I say and take a bite out of my own.

"But it was mommy's idea!" Rue says

"And she helped us Dada!" Finnick agrees with a mouthful of cookie.

I smile, grab a basket and put some cookies in it. "For Uncle Haymitch and Aunt Effie." I say when the kids ask what I'm doing. "Effie wants to talk to me. Probably about my outfit."

We all laugh.

I walk to Haymitch and Effie's place. Effie and Haymitch got married a couple of years ago and Effie has had trouble adjusting to not being in the Capitol.

"Hello dear!" She says when I arrive. "Come in come in!" Effie's hair is in a huge pink wig and she's in a short pink poofy dress you might wear at a really fancy party. It may seem weird to you but I've seen this for the last 20 years.

I walk into their house expecting it to be messy like before, but the place is perfectly clean. Every inch is perfectly polished. I barely recognize it!

"This place looks spectacular, Effie!" I say, amazed.

"Thank you Katniss." she responds and puts her hands over her heart. " It took a while for Haymitch to finally agree to stop drinking!"

I gasp! Haymitch not drinking! That's like a dog without a leash! "Haymitch stopped drinking!" I sit down in the living room trying to take this in.

"Well he said he would but I've caught him a few times." Effie says with a laugh

I laugh as well. "That sounds like Haymitch!" She nods

"I love him but he needs to get used to me. I'm staying."

I totally understand. It has been a big change for both of them, living with each other. Effie is a perfectionist and Haymitch is well not.

I hand her the basket of cookies. "The kids and I made them." I say and she smiles.

Haymitch comes in with Cinna the puppy and stops when he sees me.

"So you finally decided to show up." Haymitch says grumpily.

I laugh "Don't be so grumpy!" I say "Just because you're not drunk all the time doesn't mean you have to be grumpy all the time!"

He scowls "Look, sweetheart. I don't care whether I'm drinking or not, I'm still the same!"

I put my hands up playfully and smile.

"Dearie, I was about to make tea." Effie says "Would you be a darling and make it for us now that you're back?"

Haymitch crosses his arms and frowns and Effie sighs. "I'm so very sorry Katniss but I have to go into the kitchen for a moment. Why don't you talk with Haymitch." She leaves the room, her heals the only sound left in the house. Cinna spots me and starts barking.

"Hi Cinna!" I say in a high-pitched voice. "How are you? How are you?" He barks happily and that answers my question. I rub his head, sit and look at Haymitch.

"Why did you actually stop?" I ask with big curious eyes that Prim would always get.

"What do you mean?" He responds, crossing his arms again.

"You know what I mean." I say, annoyed. "You wouldn't just give it up! You LOVE alcohol!" I don't mean to yell, I'm just really curious and surprised.

"Fine!" He says. He takes a long breath and explains his story as fast as he can. "A couple weeks ago I was having a glass of wine and I..." He pauses and takes another deep breath. "I had difficulty breathing. It's hard to explain, but I knew I had to stop and it's been really REALLY hard."

I sigh. I always knew alcohol had side effects but it never occurred to me that Haymitch might have them. I go over to him and hug him. We barely have moments like this. Moments when we feel a connection. Moments when it's like he's actually in my family and one that's not full of sarcasm and tension. "Well I'm glad you're okay Haymitch."

He nods sadly, but finally says "Thank you Katniss."

I look at him with sympathy in my eyes. "I'll always be here Haymitch. I would be dead if it weren't for you." I remember when I was in my first games when I had a really bad burn. Haymitch saved me by giving me that cream no matter how expensive it was. He still got it for me. So I owe him my life.

Effie comes back and freezes when she sees me and Haymitch so close. She smiles and finally says "It's so nice that you are having bonding time, but Katniss you and I need to discuss a very serious cause."

"Of course Effie dear." Haymitch says and kisses Effie on the cheek. She blushes and fiddles with her wig. Haymitch picks up Cinna and leaves.

"How did you get him to be so sweet all of a sudden?" She asks, still blushing. "You weren't always the friendliest." She looks like she offended the president when she says that. But I know what she means. I was never good at making friends. Charm does not come easily to me.

I shrug. "I don't know actually." I say. She puts down the cookies and tea and sits in the armchair across from mine.

"As you know Katniss, the annual victor's day is coming up and we must be prepared!" I sigh every year is like this. I love Effie, but every single year we spend hours talking about how to act and what to wear. "This year is extra special." She explains

I perk up "Extra special?" I ask

Effie shakes her head, embarrassed for me because I don't know. "This year marks the 4th quarter quell Katniss! You should know this."

It's been 25 years already. I'm amazed. I think back to when Snow made the announcement - when I realized I was going back into the arena. When I realized I needed to save Peeta.

" I'm thinking Rue has your braid and a flower in her hair like the one you buried Rue in. For your son, I have so many good ideas!" Effie says, she starts to blab on and on but I'm not listening. What will I tell my kids? Every year victor's day passes with a parade and a party. Rue and Finnick just think we're hanging out with friends, but there will be extra special things happening this year and I might have to tell them. I don't want to. I was thinking I would tell them when they were 10, 20, dead. Not when there are 8 and 5!

"What do you think Katniss?" Effie asks.

"I need to go Effie." I say quickly. "We can talk later." Effie looks up at me with confusion in her eyes, but when she sees the panic in mine she says.

"Well if you really must go we can talk tomorrow. You are a very busy woman, Katniss Mellark."

"Thank you Effie." I say, hug her and run out the door.

I sprint back to the house and spot Peeta and the kids. He looks at me the same way Effie did and also sees the panic in my eyes and tells the kids. "Mommy and Daddy need to talk. I'll be back soon."

We walk upstairs and into our room. Peeta closes the door and I sit down on our bed. Tears spill out of my eyes and Peeta sits down next to me and hugs me "I guess you talked about more than clothes." He says, rubbing my back.

"It's not what we talked about. It's what we didn't talk about." I say, trying to dry my tears even though they are just replaced with new ones. "It's the quarter quell anniversey!"

Peeta stops rubbing my back and we look into each other's eyes both thinking the same thing.

"What are we going to tell the kids!" I say tears flowing even more.

" I don't know." Peeta says, a tear rolling down his. "But if we don't tell them the capital might. I know Peeta's right. The capital could do a whole speech about the games, the rebellion. Who knows what our kids will think.

"Finnick's only five but I'm worried about Rue. Eight is the age where you're getting older but still young."

"Well, one thing for sure." Peeta says standing up. "We have to tell Rue."