Aloe Mellark: The Hunger Games Epilogue

Chapter 8:

The sun light streams in through the kitchen window as dad places blueberry walnut pancakes in front of us. We look at each other then at the huge pancakes. Going to miss this. I pour half a bottle of syrup onto my pancakes as Rye pours half a tub of whipped cream on his. Dad turns to face us and stops.
"Wow. Enough syrup and whipped cream? " He chuckles as we pour more to emphasize our point. Mom walks down the stairs weating a black sundress with little white gems on it to look like stars. I remember mom wore this dress the day of the District 12 families who died in the bombing. Beautiful and quite suits the mood today, if you ask me.
"Morning, mommy." Rye says through a mouthful of pancake.
"Rye, first: don't talk with food in your mouth," she smiled at dad as he hands her a stack of pancakes. "Second: enjoy your breakfast." I know she doesn't want to say it, but this will be the last time we eat as a family until after the Games, but that's only if I can manage to win.

After everyone finishes eating, we walk down to the center of town. The whole walk there no one says a thing. We just listen to the sound of our shoes hitting the pavement. Whenwe arrive, there are banners hung everywhere, and balloons on all the light posts. It's like their trying to make it a festival. Sickening really. I look at the stage and see two bowls and a podium. The one bowl had hundreds of names in it, while the other has two.
Rye and I.
I reach for Rye's hand and he holds tightly. There is no way I'm going to stay while we watch my baby brother die. I couldn't live with myself. We stand I  silence for maybe 10 minutes until mom breaks the silence.
"Look. The Reaping is going to start right away. We just want you to know that we love you guys so much!" Mom wipes a tear from her eye before it falls. "We though it would only be fair to let you know that your father and I took place in that vote. I chose to do the games and your father did not." She looks at the ground. Why would  he vote no and she vote yes? Mom and dad do everything together! I can only looks at the ground as she speaks. Why would she want to put people through that when she just lead a rebellion to stop it? My world is spinning as my mom wraps her small arms around me.
"I'm so sorry, Aloe." Mom can't control the tears as they fall straight down. I can't feel any sympathy for her, but instead I feel betrayed. Mom always told me that the Games ruined everyone's lives when she was young. Now I find out, after 17 years, that she voted for them to continue.

Now i can't help but wonder; what else did they keep from me?