Mockingjay: the dawning

Chapter 17: Plans?

Katniss

I hear 3 sharp knocks on the door that unmistakably belong to only one person.

Effie Trinket.

Peeta opens the door.

"Katniss! Peeta!" She says cheerily as she envelopes both of us in a warm hug. I must make a point to say that Effie has drastically changed since we first met her. She has since ditched the wigs for good, and wears her shoulder length honey blonde hair in loose curls around her shoulders. The heels she wears are less dangerously high, her nails are in a simple french manicure and her makeup is very paired back. Even her outfit is nothing like Effie from her escort days. A yellow cocktail dress with an a-line skirt and a chocolate coloured winter coat to protect her from the February weather of district 12.

"Are you ready to get down to business?" She asks us as she leads us to the study.

"I guess so." I say, with a smile smile and I hold Peeta's hand in my own.

"Tea or coffee?" I ask Effie and Peeta as they sit down in the study and plaster on a smile.

"Coffee as always, dear." Effie replies.

"Peeta?" I ask.

"Tea." He says

"With no sugar." I end his sentence.

Peeta looks up at me with a sparkle in his eyes and smiles.

Peeta

I don't know what's going on with Katniss.

She's playing the perfect hostess.

Not really Katniss.

"So dear, I know this is a peculiar question to ask at the beginning of the wedding planning process, but would you like to make the wedding cake?" Effie asks me.

"Of course I would! When can I start designing the cake?" I reply.

"As soon as we get the colours and theme. But you can start sketching the designs as soon as you like. But maybe keep it a surprise for Katniss shall we?" Effie says, quietly.

I immediately start drawing some ideas on the cake.

I see Katniss in the doorway with the tea tray.

"Now Katniss, we need to discuss dates." Effie says as she purrs herself a cup of coffee.

"I don't really mind as long as it is in the next 2 months." Katniss starts.

"How about April? Mid April?" I suggest.

"Fine with me." Katniss replies.

"That's so soon though," Effie exclaims.

"I think we should do it before Annie has the baby." I reply.

"Okay then. We should set a date." Effie begins.

"How about April 16th?" I suggest.

"Sounds nice. Spring will be in bloom." Katniss says with a smile.

"Then it's final." Effie says as she jots the date down on the little notebook she brought.

"What about guests?" She starts.

"Not many please," Katniss starts.

"Well the obvious ones. Haymitch, you, Katniss' mother, Annie, Beetee, Johanna," I start.

"We will have to invite Paylor, Plutarch and the others in the Capitol." Effie continues.

"Really?" Katniss starts, surprised.

"Katniss, we won't have more than the ones we must absolutely have." I say.

"Well that's decided then." Effie says.

We have this banter of Effie suggesting things, me augmenting the ideas and Katniss either liking or not liking them for quite a while.

Katniss is still uncharacteristically quiet.

I wonder what is going on that I simply cannot see.

Author's note:
Hey guys, I have a lot to say and I'm really sorry for the lack of an update and the length and quality of this one.  I've been ridiculously busy since the last update (I've been in a musical, completed a high level music exam, put on a play which I wrote, directed and produced myself and had school in between all of this) and I know it's not a good excuse.
I have been working on other pieces of writing that aren't fanfiction related and thank you to those who have read 'the golden gift'. I am contemplating writing more of it and not making it a one shot.
I am also working on a story that will publish shortly called 'Tales of a would be perfect'. I would really appreciate if you check my other work out.
The other thing is, that I am going to make updates on this fanfiction consistent, but less frequent - maybe once a week to fortnight. This is so I have time to make quality updates with real plot development.
The other thing I wanted to say was that I'm looking for some interested readers to pre-read the drafts of chapters and help me edit them. If you are interested, please PM me.

Thanks guys for nearly 700 reads 😊

Xx Avi.