The family ties of Lily Juniper Abernathy (book 3)

Chapter 8

Finnick

She'd been away too long. I could tell for two reasons:

1. We were sat in complete silence. Her head was in my lap and as I stroked her hair she was staring into space. I don't know whether it was nerves at returning home but she seemed really withdrawn and distracted by everything

2. Charlie- he cried harder and harder everyday that passed until it got to the point I had to drag him through the square to Effie or my mom and wait for them to sort him because he'd deemed me a liar- he told me it was too long to be 'soon'

"Finn," She mumbled finally

"Yeah?"

"Charlie is going to hate me."

"Why?"

"I've been away too long."

I gulped and mumbled "You noticed too?"

She sat up and nodded "Last time you brought Charlie, he didn't even talk to you."

"I know....He's dying to see you and have you home, so, that'll sort itself out?"

She nodded "I'll talk to him if he doesn't decide to be nice to you."

I smiled "Thanks?"

She paused and muttered "Is my mom still there?"

I nodded "Looks like a permanent arrangement to me?"

She looked horrified "WHAT?!"

I shrugged "Well, she was only staying the three days you were in rehab but then it just got longer and longer?"

She groaned "She's going to be breathing down my neck all the time!"

"She's been looking after your dad with Katniss and Peeta though so maybe it's a good thing."

Lily

My dad. He'd only come once the whole time I was there. Wrote me a really emotional letter about how it was hard for him to come see me that way. I understood so I told him he didn't have to come again if he didn't want to. And he didn't. It reminded me of the re-enactment: I told him he didn't have to mentor me so he went. Katniss was my mentor instead: and that was probably a good job too- it made me strong enough to walk the length of that arena to the corpuernica in those last few moments until me Finnick and Rosie were out alive.

The train pulled into 4.

"I need to pick some stuff up for my mom, quick stop?" He offered

I nodded- I could do with a break from this dammed train. He carried me across the flooded platform and placed me on my feet at the top of the steps. As we walked along the river he took my hand. I flinched on contact and he rolled his eyes stroking the back of it with his thumb.

"Not funny." I growled

"You don't have to flinch when I hold your hand Lil, I'm not exactly going to throw you into the river am I?"

"I dunno, you threw me into a reservoir?" I teased

He got hold of me, pulling me into his chest and mumbled "Don't make it tempting ."

"Like to see you try?" I sang "Anyway, you said a quick stop?"

He nodded pulling out his mom's house keys as we walked past the fishermen to the victor's village.

"HEY FINN! GIVE US A HAND YEAH?" One of them called as they heaved on a large net

"I can't- I'll miss my train?"

The boys oohed.

The one who asked for his help said slyly "You going all 12 on us?"

"And what's that supposed to mean?" I said quickly

He chuckled "Lily, you know what it means- he doesn't catch fish like we do in that reservoir?"

I shrugged "As long as he still catches them?"

"Yeah Larus, so back off?" Finnick said grinning

I'd met Larus at my week in 4. He was Finnick's friend. They'd met on the beach when they were 10. He'd come to our wedding and he, Finn, and my dad had a lot of district banter going on.

As we walked further up Larus started making chicken noises behind us.

"What are we getting?"

"Some of my mom's stuff- she left some of her jewelry and stuff in a box." I saw the blood drain into Finn's face. I smiled and he grinned knowing what I was going to say "Go on?"

He threw the keys to my feet and ran back to the bank heaving the net onto the bank with his friends. I strolled into the village and as I went examined the key rings on the key. Annie had a woven love heart with 'Mom' painted on the centre. I smiled- I had one that Finn had made, letting Charlie write 'mommy' in the middle in wobbly writing. It was on a length of ribbon that just fit around my wrist. She also had a little perspex keyring with Charlie's picture in it grinning with is hair all ruffled and wet on the beach. I loved him so much. I unlocked the door, and sure enough, there was a little wooden box with a bronze latch. I'd seen it on Annie's dressing table before. She always took it with her when she was staying somewhere for a long time. She'd decided to move to 12 and see Charlie grow up properly. She had just set up a nursery set up beside the market so, now she'd laid down the foundations of her new life she wanted Finn to collect this. I slipped out and locked the door behind me.

Finnick

I gave one final heave of the net. It burst out at the bank and fish spilled from it.

"Nice haul Odair? Good to see you've still got spine?" Larus said, poking me in the chest

I poked him back "Must do?"

"I wouldn't start on Finn, Larus- if anyone's got spine it's Lily-Jay Abernathy- and he's married to her?"

I shrugged "She makes me happy?"

"She scares Larus Finn, he told me." Fluctus said. I grinned "Oh right?"

Fluctus was a year older and Larus's littlest brother- his mom and dad are in their 60's. According to his dad because he's a swimmer his sperm is pretty good at it too: at which point his wife bats him round the ear with the end of his fishing rod. I wished I had a little brother. One thing I knew is that I didn't want Charlie to be an only child. It's lonely. No other way to put it. I'd mentioned this to Lily and she reluctantly agreed with me. She said she knew Charlie was going to be left with emotional scars from seeing her scream.

We headed back on the train and a couple of days later we arrived in 12.

She jumped off the train and ran at full speed through the rock with her backpack. She turned suddenly stood at the top of the hill "Come on! Charlie's not getting any younger?!"

I smiled and followed.

We got to her dad's. She ran inside and Charlie jumped into her arms. She swung him around in circles until they both collapsed on the floor laughing. I smiled again. My world was spinning.