four I walk over to him and quietly put my arms around his waist as his eyes fill with tears. I keep silent as I know right now he just needs someone to listen to. Cato whispers,"He was my rock. When I was just a kid, he would be the one I turned to. I didn't have any friends until high school, so I hung out with my family. Dad got me through everythung and now he's just....gone." The tears slide down his face. He slips his arms around me and begins to sob silently. His shoulders heave. I lean into his chest, desperately hoping to give him strength for this. Cato continues, "The funeral is today. I said we'd come." He whispers, "he had a heart attack. It's hard to believe...he was so strong." Another tear falls off of his face. I reach up and kiss him. "Look," I say. "I'll go get the kids ready and you take all the time you need. Okay?" He takes a deep breath, and letting it out, hugs me once more before heading to our room and shutting the door.
* * *
After an hour of baths, trying to dress the twins, dealing with wannabe playtime, chasing, and catching breath, we are ready to head out. I strap the twins into the car, and sit in the front seat, waiting for Cato. I'm dressed in a black dress that goes down to my knees. It has a white strap around the waist and white gloves that reach up to my elbow to match. I styled my hair very simply, braiding it down my neck and having the braid sit on my shoulder. Lavender is the color of Myna's frilly dress, with a white frock on the front to match the ribbons in her pigtailed hair. Chase has a navy suit on, with a sky blue tie to accent. After a few minutes, Cato walks out and gets in the car, driving off towards the building where the funeral is behind held. He looks very dashing in his black suit and white tie, almost as well as he did at our wedding.
Cato is silent. When Mr. Jacov passed away two days ago, the Jacov family business passed onto Cato, as his two older brothers died in the Games and he is the sole surviving son. Will he have to run it? Cato isn't much of a business man. He would rather be training potential Careers than sitting at a desk doing paperwork.
Myna is quitly playing with her green blanket that she carries around every where as she sits in her seat. Chase calls out, "Mommy!! I wanna see Josie!" Josie is the puppy we bought for the twins' third birthday. She's a cross between what used to be called a Boxer, and a Germanic Shepard. Chase absolutly adores her. I turn around in my seat to face him. "We're going to Grandmama's house and then we'll see Josie. Okay?" His lip sticks out and begins to tremble. Oh no.
And before I can stop him, he begins to wail. Myna covers her ears as he cries.
Cato pulls the car over. He's fighting emotions I can tell. Slowly he turns around and says with a strained voice, "We are going to see Grandmama. Then we will go home. Understand?" Chase covers his head with his jacket and although we can't hear him, an occasional sniffle says that he is still fussy. Cato sighs and turns back around. I place one of my hands on his. He gently squeezes it before begining to drive the car again. Oh Cato. I know...I know.
* * *
The funeral is held at Cato's old house, or mansion rather. It has a long walkway leading to the front marble steps and mahogany front door. The house itself is about three stories, one of the largest District 2. An orchard sits around the back, as well as a finely-stocked lake. From what Cato said, his father loved to fish for sport. I carefully take Myna out of her seat and carry her to the front of the car. Cato grabs my hand and Chase's hand and leads us to the front steps of the house. I grip it tightly, hoping to give him strength to face this. Cato takes a big breath and knocks on the door. His sister Clarissa answers it. Her eyes are red and puffy from her crying. Cato drops our hands, and stepping forward, outstreches his arms towards her. She steps forward into the hug he is offering, sobbing quietly. They stand there with us watching. Chase looks at them, then at me. I lift my finger to my lips, making the sign for silence. He looks back at them and takes a step, then toddles over and grips Clarissa's leg tightly. She looks down at him and smiles briefly, bending down to embrace his little body in a hug. She plants a kiss on the top of his head. Cato turns to me and grabs my hand again, interlocking our fingers. Clarissa stands up, and picking up Chase, leads us inside the house. Inside, so many people are filling the spacious rooms. Family and friends, as well as employees of the late James Jacov are here. We make our way around the mass, greeting people. The family members are clearly grieving. Some of the friends are while others are there for show. Most of the employees simply want to look good in front of their potential new boss. But the worst part is yet to come.
The twins are off playing with a few of their cousins as Cato and I are speaking with his Aunt Bethain, his mother's sister. She's a gossip, and her head twitches constantly like she's just been shocked. But it would be rude to walk away, so we queitly stand there and listen to her babble. Finally something that she says means something. She says in a high-pitched tone, "Its a shame they never caught the person, or persons rather, who stabbed him." I'm in shock. All the color drains from Cato as he says, "What?"
"You know, the person who decided he needed to be...." She covers her mouth. "Oh no. You didn't know did you?"
I shake my head saying, "We thought he had a heart attack." Cato is silent for a moment. He says to his aunt, "Excuse me," before turning and leaving in pursuit of someone or something. I excuse myself as well, following him. I ask, "Where are you going?" I can tell he's struggling with his grief and newly found anger. "To find my mother." Cato says.
And after a little while we do find her. She is in a large room with two other men and a casket. judging from their appearance, both men are from the capitol. They are both about the same height, yet shorter than Cato. One is wearing a pink and teal suit piece while the other is dressed in a black tux. The man with the black outfit has dark magenta hair which is pulled into a fluffy pile on top of his head with a braid down the back. His eyebrows are arched so high on his forehead that they are almost completly invisible. His nose is normal, his eyes the color of sparkling jade.
The brightly dressed man looks even more ridiculous, I mean who wears pink suits these days? This man has blonde hair with electric blue streaks. His eyes are the color of gold, they have to be fake. His mouth looks like that of a cat's, all puffed up and fluffy, while his nose is completly covered in metallic yellow plates. To match his eyes perhaps? Honestly, do they have any idea how horrificly freaky they look?
Mrs. Anila Jacov turns to see us enter the room, with a fake smile on her face. She is dressed in a black evening gown, with a black hat to match. The hat has a small fishnet veil that coveres only her forehead and top of her hair, which is pulled back into a small bun at the back of her neck. Her blonde hair stands out against the dark colors. "Cato," she begins. "Its good--" "I want to see the body." Cato interupts. She looks startled and worn out. "But, dear..." She tries to protest. He shakes his head. "I want. To see. My father's body." He forces out through clenched teeth. His mother sighs and nods to the man in the black suit. He opens the casket and Cato and I walk over to it. The head and hands are covered in slices--knife marks. I'm assuming the rest of the body is too. Cato is silent as his mother fills in the bubble of silence that surrounds us. "You're father didn't have a heart attack." Mrs. Jacov whispers. "He was murdered."
