*several weeks later*
Haymitch and I still hide our love, Seneca is never around anymore, I'm quite thankful for that. The Games were over shortly, the District 12 tributes were killed horribly too soon.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Haymitch and I sit on my couch watching the television. I start to have an odd feeling in my stomach. I've had it for the last month or so but I don't pay much attention to it, it must just be all the food I've been eating. I do my best to ignore the feeling and take in a few deep breaths.
"You alright?" Haymitch looks over at me.
I nod slowly and smile. "Just perfect." I get up and walk to the kitchen. "Want anything?"
"No thanks." He says keeping his eyes glued to the t.v.
I get a glass of water and stand by the counter for a moment. I lose control of my stomach and vomit on the sink.
Haymitch stands. "Effie? Are you okay?"
I take in a few shaky breath and wash everything down the drain. "I'm better now... I just need to freshen up." I still feel a little nauseous, maybe I have something in my medicine cabinet. I walk to the bathroom. As I pass the mirror my appearance catches my eye, just something different about it.
I lift the bottom of my shirt and place my hand on my stomach, maybe I've just gained a little weight, nothing too drastic. I open the medicine cabinet and notice the test I've always left in there, a pregnancy test. Then it hits me. I'm late, I've been late. For a long time. It explains it all. My increase in appetite, my weight gain, the nausea. I'm pregnant.
I put my shirt back down. A huge smile makes its way onto my lips as I rush out of the bathroom. "Haymitch! You won't believe it! I have the most amazing news!" I sit next to him and grabs his hands.
"What? You bought more liquor?" He smiles.
I hesitate for a few seconds. "No..."
"Oh, well what then?" He says sounding a little bit disappointed.
"I think I'm pregnant." I smile even wider.
His smile quickly disappears off his face. He drops my hands and looks down at my stomach.
"You're happy right?" My smile fades away.
He stands up and looks back at my face. "No." He goes upstairs. Leaving me alone, well, not entirely alone.
I can't decide whether to feel sad or confused. No, I'm infuriated, he's the father for sure. I've only been with one man and that one man is the one and only Haymitch Abernathy and he's going to be a father whether he likes it or not.
I go upstairs and into my room where he sits on the bed with his head in his hands. "Haymitch, can we talk about this?"
He sighs and looks up at me. "Sure." I sit next to him. "How do we get rid of it?"
"Excuse me?!" I'm appalled and hurt by this. How could he say such a thing?
"Effie, I'm not ready to have kids, you're not ready to have kids. Our love isn't legal. We can get into trouble for just dating! Think about the consequences for having a CHILD together. Do you know what they can do to me? To you? To the baby?"
"They can't do anything to it if its a citizen of the Capitol." I say trying to reason with him.
"Yes they can, sweetheart, when are you going to get it through your thick skull that the Capitol isn't fair? It never has been!"
"They've been so generous for all these years!" I try not to let my anger get the best of me.
He stands. "No! They haven't! You're getting that thing out of you whether you like it or not!"
"Haymitch no! I have waited so many years to have the chance to have a baby and now I finally it. I'm not letting you take that away from me." I say with tears starting to run down my cheeks.
"Fine. But I'm not taking responsibility for it." He walks downstairs.
I follow behind him. Sobs trying to escape my throat. "No, Haymitch, I can't do this alone. Please, I love you. You can't do this to me. To us..."
"I just..." He opens the front door. "Goodbye, Princess." He closes the door behind him.
I open the door and stand on the front steps. "Haymitch Abernathy!" I yell out to him. He turns back to look at me. "I will not be a single mother because you aren't man enough to take responsibility for this baby!" I slap my hand over my mouth.
Everyone on the streets have their eyes on me. Soon I'm surrounded by flashing lights and people asking stupid questions. I fight my way back inside. I close my door and lock it. I close the curtains and sit back down on the couch.
I rest my hand on my stomach. "Hey, its okay. Daddy just....needs some time to think. He'll be back in no time." I sigh. "Or at least I hope so..."
