Our Life After

Final Touches

*Katniss's POV*

So, I'm 8 months pregnant now, one month until I am due and Haymitch and Effie's wedding! I am so excited.

So, we sent out the invites a month ago, and with much debate on that subject, we shrunk the wedding to one of 50 people.

Haymitch invited a few people, and I feel for him because most all of his friends are dead. They were killed many many years ago in The Hunger Games. He invites some people he knows from our district and a couple of guys he knows from District 7.

He only invited 10 people total. It was very sad. But he was satisfied so I didn't bother him about it.

We made Effie only invite her closest Capitol friends, and she invited 35 people, on account that they wear normal clothes to the wedding. Nothing super Capitolish.

They are getting married August 6, a week before I'm due. The ceremony will be in the meadow, with the reception in the old town hall, which is no longer fancy, just one story with nice touches. No more marble walls and craziness. Just nice curtains and chandeliers and stuff.

Every thing was settled, and today Peeta is bringing cake samples for them to choose from.

He brings about 20 different cake flavors. It takes over a hour to decide which one they like the best. They take small bites of squares of different cakes with different frosting and try each multiple times.

They end up choosing a chocolate cake with cherry filling and a French vanilla frosting with decorations that will be chosen later.

We leave Peeta with Haymitch, and I take Effie dress shopping. I show her to a store we have here in District 12 that wasn't used much during the Games, but it is used plenty now.

She walks in and starts crying.

"Effie," I say, "What's wrong?"

"Everything...... they're all just so beautiful. I've never seen something so simple and beautiful in my life."

We walk around for an hour, pick out like 15 dresses, try them all on for another hour, put some back, try them on again, and before you know it, we've been there 4 hours.

When we narrow it down, Effie chooses a white dress that stops just at the floor, not so it drags the ground, and it has a big bow that ties around her waist that is colored with about 50 shades of yellow, all streamed together.

The dress has 3/4 sleeves that each end with a matching yellow bow. The neckline scoops low enough to see her full collars bone and just high enough that it doesn't show any cleavage.

Her dirty blonde hair will be curled and falls just to the base if her chest. The veil has pink and yellow flowers as a headband and falls to her waist.

I think she'll be beautiful when the day comes. While I'm helping her get out of the final dress, she says something that grabs my attention.

"Katniss, I'm sure you're wondering why we're having the wedding so soon."

"Well, yes, it has crossed my mind."

"Okay, so please don't freak out when I say this. It might be a little alarming, and I want to make sure you don't freak out. Maybe you should sit down....."

"Effie just tell me!"

She looks surprised at my urgency, closes her eyes, and says it all really fast and clumped together.

"I'm pregnant with Haymitch's baby and we want to get married before I start to show. I'm 2 months pregnant right now."

"Oh my gosh! I am so happy! Congratulations!"

I scream and give her a big hug, as big as my huge abdomen will allow, and I cry on her shoulder because I am so happy for her.

I wonder if Haymitch is telling Peeta?