What if?- A Mockingjay Story

Chapter 98

What if?

What if I'm dreaming? What if I'm going to wake up any moment and this will all have been huge lie? What if this is real? What if Gale Hawthorne, a killer really is the father of Sophie? And what if Madge Undersee, my friend I was told was dead is really the mother of Sophie?

What if? What if? What if...

---

My head is spinning as my hand tightly squeezes Peeta and the rest of my body feels numb. I feel Sophie nuzzle her head into my shoulder and without even being conscious of it the words slip from my mouth in a sudden splutter

"Madge?... Your...Your Sophie's mother?"

She smiles her eyes filling with tears as Sophie's eyes meet hers and she nods

"Yes, yes I am..."

Madge looks so much different, a lot more talk then when I last saw her but people do tend to change over 5 or 6 years. Gale of course I've seen in the last while but today looks different himself, and he seems guilty almost and uncomfortable as his hands are shoved in his pockets. Peeta takes Sophie from my arms and immediately Madge hugs me, her body trembles as she says

"I'm so so sorry but just..."

She pulls away and places her hand lightly on Gales shoulder

"Let us explain everything"

We follow them into the kitchen and together we sit down, Sophie gone to play with her toys, getting sick of all of the confusion. Madge places her hand over Gale's, Peeta's and mine are joined between us beneath the table. My whole body shakes, still electrified by this shock yet still taking it all in. Madge gives Gale a look, sad but telling him to explain. So then Gale turns to us, making eye contact for about 2 seconds before his eyes shoot to the table and his hands become fiddly as he speaks

"We got together in District 13, she was in hospital when we met each other again. And we caught up with each other and soon realised we... we loved each other....."

Taking in this all in I realise I didn't even know she was alive. There's a long uncomfortable pause as he shifts in his seat and Madge begins to speak

" We had a huge fight before he left for the Capitol, I begged him to stay. It was as soon as he was gone I found out I was pregnant. I had them once the rebellion was over but he was gone to district 2..."

They lock eyes for a moment in pain before Madge looks to us as she continues

"I thought I'd never see him again and when they were born I broke down. I couldn't eat, couldn't sleep. The first week with them was a disaster, I wouldn't remember to feed them. I couldn't change a diaper..."

Now Peeta speaks, his voice confused as he interrupts

"Them?"

Madge says, her face crossed with guilt even more than before

"Sophie's brother, Dara"

Sophie has a brother? Once again I am whizzing into this swirl of what ifs and confusion. My heart is thumping so loud now I have gotten used to the constant thumping in my ears. For a moment it feels like I am underwater, Madge's voice sounds muffled until a second later I feel as if I am submerging once more. I then ask her

"Where is Dara?"

She replies

"With his babysitter. I only could keep him with me because I got help.... I got a nanny who taught me...."