I waver through the crowd of people in the hospital, holding my stomach, as if to tell everyone, "move away, I'm pregnant." But today, it's not my day. It's Johanna's day.
I find Haymitch and Effie standing outside of room 310, along with Annie. It was amazing I got here alone. Peeta had work at the bakery, but I couldn't miss a day like this. I drove for one of the first times by myself, and I'm actually not very bad, despite my stomach being as big as my whole body.
"How is she?" I ask excitedly. I never thought this day would come. Today, Johanna would welcome three beautiful babies into the world, and I can't wait. I am so happy for her.
"She's good.." Haymitch starts. "Keeps asking for you. Go on in."
I give Haymitch a smile, before entering Johanna's hospital room.
"Hey, Brainless..." She says softly.
She looks terrible. I'd only seen her in the hospital once, which was when she returned from the capital. She looks even worse than then.
"I'd be mad, but you're in labor so I guess you can get away with it today." I say with a small giggle.
"I can get away with it anytime, because you love me." She starts. "But this pain really is-ohh." She moans, grabbing ice out of a cup and gnawing on it. "I'm telling you, just beware of the contractions. They're absolutely terrible." She says.
I just nod. The truth is, I'm terrified of the whole idea of birth. The only time I had seen a baby born, was back when district 12 didn't have a clinic. A woman my family had known for years had her baby at our house, because of my mother's nursing skills. Something went wrong, and she and her baby died. It makes me sick just thinking about it. My mother was upset for weeks.
"Where's Alder?" I ask, trying not to think about her.
"He went to get me more ice. I've been chewing on it all morning to help with the pain."
"That's good." I reply.
"Katniss?" She asks. "I don't mean to be weird, but can I hold your hand until the next contraction passes?" She breathes.
"Of course." I say with a smile as I hold out my hand. Johanna grips it, and I swear, she almost breaks my hand.
I can't believe that in less than three months, I'll be going through this. And I'll be holding my own child in my hands.
"Hey, babe." Alder whispers sympathetically to Johanna as he enters the room. "Oh, hello, Katniss."
"Hey." I whisper.
"I got you more ice," he starts. "The nurse said she is going to come in and check how far along you are. You may have to start pushing soon."
"Okay." Johanna says as she clenches my hand again.
A few minutes later, a nurse is barging through the door to check how many centimeters Johanna has dilated.
Sure enough, she is at 10 centimeters, and she has to begin pushing.
___
I sit in the waiting room with Haymitch, Effie, and Annie for four long hours. Most of my time has been spent watching my stomach move up and down. I've come up with a game, actually. Every time it's little foot or hand presses up against my stomach, I press on it, and it goes right back down. I can't help but laugh every time. It's just becoming real that there is a little human inside of me.
My daze is broken by the sound of small cries coming from the hallway. I look over quickly, to see Alder walking towards us, holding two babies.
"Oh my gosh." I say as I shoot up out of my chair.
Alder is holding two boys, one named Jax and the other named Kai. Jax has Johanna's dark, dark, almost black, hair. And Kai, has little tufts of bright blonde hair, which is very unusual, because Alder and Johanna both have dark brown hair.
Looking at Johanna's children melts my heart. They both look exactly like their mommy.
"They're so beautiful, Alder." I whisper as I play with their little hands. "They look exactly like you and Johanna."
Alder gives me a smile.
"Can I go see Johanna?"
"Yes." Alder says. "She wants you."
I walk as quickly as I can, and enter the room slowly. I see Johanna on the bed with her daughter.
"Hello." I say in a squeaky voice. "Who might this be?"
Johanna gives me a wide smile. "This is Rowan."
"She's so gorgeous, Johanna." I whisper.
"Katniss?" Johanna whispers.
"Yeah?"
"Thank you... Thank you for always standing by me and being genuinely nice to me. Even if I have been quite the bitch. I just feel so.. Just happy now a days, and sometimes I think I have you to thank for that. I love you like a sister."
"I love you so much, Johanna. I'll always be here for you.. And your wonderful children."
YOU ARE READING
Life After Mockingjay
Fanfiction"After everything we've been through, two hunger games, hijacking, a rebellion.. There are still moments when he clutches the back of a chair and hangs on until the flashbacks are over. I wake screaming from nightmares of mutts and lost children. Bu...
