The family ties of Lily Juniper Abernathy (book 3)

Chapter 5

Haymitch

Where was she? It was getting dark and the more time that passed the more concerned I grew. A message had come on to the answer phone telling me Lily was going to mental rehabilitation. I only hoped her fears hadn't swallowed her and my fears were realised. I couldn't lose my daughter. I wondered if Finnick had gone to her appointment with her. Maybe she was with him. I dialed the number of the fish mongers.

"Come on boy! Answer the phone!" I growled

A smaller voice answered "Hello! This in the fishmongers, umm...Do you want some fish coz if you don't then, you have the wrong numb-"

I stopped him "Hi Charlie- is mommy there sweetheart?"

"Grandad? Why- why are you calling here?"

"Coz..." I decided not to tell him why "Charlie is your mom there or not?"

"No...Why?"

"Your dad?"

"Yeah, he came back about....Ages ago?"

Ages ago wasn't a good time for me.

"Will you get him please?"

"Yeah 'kay- Daddy, granddad's on the phone? He said two seconds- he's serving Mrs Danson- that really gossipy woman..."

"Okay." I sighed

"Granddad?"

"Yeah?"

"Did you just call about mommy or are you buying fish?"

"No sweetheart, I'm just calling about your mom."

"OK. You know this place where she's gonna get help?"

I swallowed hard "Yeah."

"She'll be back won't she?"

"Dunno kid."

A knock rattled on the door. Great, that's just what I needed

"Don't hang up Charlie someone's at the door."

"Ummm...Okay!"

I pulled the door open: Oh God this was just who I needed- not.

"What are you doing here?"

"Haymitch, our daughter is going into a mental home! Why else would I be-" She looked around wrinkling her nose "Why else would I be here?"

"Ummm...Come in?"

Effie

Why was Haymitch so surprised I was here? My daughter was having a mid-mid life crisis. Of course I was here. I thought we'd brought her up okay- well, my part in bringing her up anyway. I knew I should've kept her in the Capitol but, when she was 15 she went to live with her dad. She'd always been a daddy's girl and I suppose I couldn't help that. I really did think I was doing things right with her- even though me and her dad weren't together we made regular trips to let her see him. I wasn't a bad mother here but in the Capitol it confirmed the very fact.

"Where's Lily?"

He suddenly looked really uncomfortable "Umm..."

I stared at him "You don't know where she is DO YOU?!" I screeched

"Woah! She's 21 years old Effie- I can't exactly ground her can I!?"

"YOU CAN WHEN SHE'S GOING TO A MENTAL INSTITUTION!" I screamed

"Oh yeah," She said slamming the door behind her "Mental institution- gonna lock me up and throw away the key?"

Haymitch

I looked at her, she looked back. Her hair was straggled and she was red in the face. I'd been in an arena- that redness wasn't blushing or flush- that was blood stain that'd been feebly wiped away. I looked down and froze

"Lily, where's your butterfly necklace?" I said slowly

That was my my mother's and now my daughters. If it'd been mugged whoever did it I would track them down and rive it from their cold, dead hands.

She sighed "I sold the chain- to get some money to save for Charlie coz this might become more than 3 days- but, I gave it away."

"YOU GAVE THE BUTTERFLY AWAY?!" Effie screamed

"THE MONEY MOM! I-GAVE-THE-MONEY-AWAY: WHY WOULD I GIVE THE ONE PEICE OF MY GRANDMA THAT I HAVE AWAY FOR NOTHING?!"

She froze "Oh."

"Who'd you give the money to Lil?" I said, breathing a sigh of relief- although, I'd like to know next where the blood came from. She was completely selfless- one thing that came from neither me or Effie. It was an element of my mother.

"Sae, to look after her and Jodie." She mumbled "I was going to save it for Charlie but, bussiness is always good at the fishmongers so, it was a spur of the moment thing?"

"What about the blood?" I said softly

"What blood?" Effie said

"It doesn't matter about that." She shrugged

"Lily, why is there traces of blood on your face?"

"WHAT BLOOD?!" Effie said louder

She paused and muttered "I killed a wolf today in the woods."

Me and her mother said 'what' in unison.

"There aren't any wolves in 12 Lily? In fact, I think they went excint when the Capitol started making mutts..." I said firmly

"It was there dad- Ask Katniss, I traded her it."

"...Oh- and, you killed it?"

"Yeah, it chased me into a bush- Sae gave me a pocket knife for the money coz she felt like she was robbing me- it was going to rip my head off so, I slashed it's throat."

"So, what did you get from Katniss?" Effie said slowly, still seeming confused

"I got protection." She muttered

"What?"

"I didn't want any goods, so, I asked for her to look out for you Finn and Charlie while I'm gone."

I smiled "It's three days Lil?"

"It could be longer." She whispered "So, I wanted to be sure everyone will be okay."

She bundled some stuff into a backpack- a change of clothes, slippers, and one of Charlie's teddy bears. The van pulled up outside.

"Right," - their were tears in her eyes "I'll be back in 3 days...Hopefully."

We both nodded

"Promise me you'll bring Charlie to see me on the second day? I haven't seen him for two days already?"

"We will." Effie murmured

She nodded as two men in white suits came to the door. They had restraints in their hands

"They won't be necessary, I'm coming quietly."

One of the men gave a single nod. The door shut and to my shook Effie started crying on my shoulder.

"She's strong." I muttered "They won't break her."