"Noah, above everything else, make sure you are kind to others even if they aren't kind to you," his father's words play in his head as he watches Ivy-June Abernathy get pulled aside by Ms Trinket, yet again, for taking Titus' tricycle when it wasn't her turn.
Noah continued to watch, even while Ivy's big brown eyes welled up in tears as Ms Trinket scolded her, loudly. Issuing the threat of a note to be written to her parents, which wasn't nice. Ivy already had plenty of notes written home, the whole class knew it, but that didn't change her attitude. Maybe if Ms Trinket were nicer to her, Ivy would be nicer to Ms Trinket and the rest of her class.
"Noah, it's your turn," Rosy calls out to him, a hula hoop in her outstretched hand. He stares down at the toy, than over at Ivy who is seated in the corner of their gated playground crying.
Taking the colourful ring from Rosy, he runs over to Ivy whose dark brown hair picks up when she sees him standing in front of her.
"What?" she sniffles wiping her nose on the back of her hand. "Go away."
Noah puts on his best smile, "Do you wanna come play with me, Rosy and Jackie?"
Ivy's blotchy red eyes grow even wider. Looking past Noah, she locks eyes with the other girls who look confused and unhappy. "I don't think they want me to."
"Then I'll just play with you," Noah smiles. Ivy's big eyes blink again as he stretches out the hula hoop for her to grab. "Be careful! There is lava everywhere! If you're not holding onto the rope, you can't see the invisible stones and you'll fall!"
Grasping onto the hoop tightly, Ivy pulls herself up with a tinkling giggle that makes Noah smile wider. "You have a pretty laugh," he tells her as he has her jump on the stones.
Noah doesn't notice Ivy's face flare in a blush but she didn't care whether or not he saw or heard her say thank you. She was just glad to finally have someone to play with.
Long after Johanna and Ivy have fallen asleep, Haymitch lays wide awake staring up at the ceiling. His mind whirling with his daughter's excitement from earlier on in the day. Johanna insisted on talking to the Odairs at drop off the next morning, but Haymitch knew he wouldn't be able to sleep unless he got it off his chest tonight.
Folding back the duvet, he slides out of bed and into the dark kitchen. The time flashing off the microwave reads midnight but that doesn't stop Haymitch from picking up the phone and dialling Finnick's cell. Finnick works late, so he's probably still up. Haymitch hopes so at least.
"Well, isn't this a surprise," that familiar drawl doesn't miss a beat upon answering on the third ring, "When was the last time Johanna Abernathy bothered to call me?"
"I don't know you'll have to ask her," Haymitch smirks, leaning up against the counter. "Considering you see her in person every day, I'd think it'd be unnecessary to phone. Don't you?"
"Then what's so urgent that it couldn't wait until morning, Haymitch?" Finnick laugh is dry and a little impatient. Maybe he woke Finnick up after all.
"Ivy came home all excited today, said she made a friend," Haymitch cannot refrain the smile that stretches across his face as he speaks.
"Is that so?"
"I'm sure my little girl and her vast imagination rocked your son's socks off."
"Annie and I had to read him three books each before he yawned," Finnick replies. "He really liked playing with Ivy too. Think now's a good time to be setting up play dates?"
"I'll double check with Hanna. You'll know in the morning."
"Sounds good," Finnick answers with a yawn. "Well, goodnight."
"Goodnight and thanks."
"I didn't do anything. But you're welcome. Sleep well," Finnick hangs up on him, leaving the dial tone to sound loudly in his ear. Hanging up the receiver, Haymitch could still feel the sting of stretched muscles at the corners of his mouth as the flutter of his stomach eased.
Carrying his overly tired body through the hallways and back into their bedroom, he leans across Johanna and places a kiss to her head before sliding in between the sheets on the other side.
"Haymitch," she calls groggily, trying to peer over her shoulder. "Where'd you go?"
"Kitchen," Encircling his arms around her rounding stomach, he pulls her close as he mumbles into the nape of her neck.
"You're gonna have a gut if you keep snacking," she scolds.
"More of me to love then."
"Well aren't I lucky?"
Haymitch smirks amidst of a kiss to her exposed shoulder blades, "I'd say you are, but I'm biased."
"Conceited much," Johanna says, turning around in his arms to expose her smile.
"You wouldn't have me any other way, now would you, sweetheart?"
Rolling her eyes, she places a small kiss to his lips. "Goodnight, Haymitch."
His chuckle cracks a fraction above a whisper as she shifts in his grasp. "Hold on, don't go back to sleep on me just yet. I wanted to let you know I gave Finnick a call; he said something about a play date, you up for that?"
"As long as it's not in the next twelve hours," Johanna yawns, pushing back into the warmth of her husband's embrace. "Your second child and I would really like our rest."
The yawn that passes from his lips, surprises him, when he leans down to kiss the top of her head, "I guess there's no rush."
Just as the beginnings of a dream preoccupy his mind, Johanna's voice travels through the air, "I know we had our doubts, but I think we're finally getting the hang of this parenting thing. I'm kinda proud of us."
"I'm proud of us too, Hanna."
"I love you, y'know."
"I love you t—"Haymitch's mind interrupts his words as it relinquishes him into a soundless sleep.