What if?- A Mockingjay Story

Chapter 49

What if?
What if there's something wrong with Peeta? What it's one of his doctors calling to say something is wrong? What if he's still in the Capitol? What if there is something wrong? What if I should just actually find out who it is on the other line?
What if? What if? What if...
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"Hello?"
I say nervously into the phone. Soon enough I hear on the line

"Hi Katniss! It's Annie!"

I let out a quiet sigh of relief but the worry of Peeta's whereabouts are hidden deep within my voice

"Oh Hi Annie!"

She says to me

"Okay I need you to listen carefully and do the one thing I am about to tell you and DON'T ask questions"

What is she talking about? Despite my confusion and eagerness to ask many questions I say uneasy

"Okay..."

She tells me

"Okay, this is not my idea by the way.... In a moment go into Peeta's house and enter his art room. There you will find what you need. See you soon..."

See you soon? I say

"Annie wait!"

But she's already hung up. What's going on? I now for a fact I can't go over there now as Sophie isn't fed nor dressed. So I have to hold off going over for 20 minutes as I have to feed Sophie her breakfast and change her into her clothes. I then lift her up in my arms and make my way over to Peeta's. I grab his spare key which sits underneath a watering can at the side of his house and allow myself in. With Sophie on my hip I make my way down the hall and push open the ajar door that leads into his art room. When I enter one thing immediately catches my eye. A easel stands across the room, the light seeping in the window shining directly on it. It holds a canvas, painted on it a picture of the sea, the waves crashing against the sand and withdrawing it into the sea as the sun sets in the background. Up in the corner of the canvas is two small pieces of paper, pinned into place by a small bright red pin. Not far below it is another pin, a yellow pin holding an envelope. I put Sophie down for a second and unpin the envelope and the pieces of paper from it's place before picking up Sophie and bringing her toward an old dusty couch across the room, placing her on my knee as glance at the pieces of paper which turn out to be train tickets. To district 4, which in some ways confuses me even more. But I push that confusion away for a moment and open the letter. I immediately recognise the writing, confirming who the letter is from. I then read out the letter for Sophie to hear as well as myself

Dear Katniss and Sophie,

I know you probably were expecting me home yesterday. I know you were probably waiting for me so I apologise for that. But you see Katniss I have noticed how stressed we've both been over the last while so I decided after I went to the capitol that it would be nice if we went on vacation, all of us. On the canvas you will have seen by now two train tickets, for a train at 1 O'Clock. This train will bring you to District 4 where we will be staying with Annie and Finn for the next few days. Trust me with this, I promise this will be great. Love you both and will see you soon.

Peeta

I let out a faint laugh of disbelief. But I know it's real, its just the fact that even when he was going to his hell basically he was thinking about a vacation. His consideration for me and Sophie during all of this touches me. I tell Sophie with a grin

"Looks like we're going on holidays Soph"

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"You knew about this?!"

I ask Gracie who is now grinning at me. She says

"Of course I did. We all did"

I raise my eyebrows and ask her