Chapter One Jo and I Ten Years After
The crickets were chirping and the evening was warm with just a hit of a breeze blowing through the trees. Johanna and I were sitting in the porch swing my arm around her shoulder just reflecting. Stormy was off on a sleepover with one of her friends, so it meant that tonight we would have the house to ourselves.
"Hard to believe it's been ten years now Jo," I said quietly, "Guess we made the right choice to stick together, or was I wrong?"
Johanna turned to me and bent her head to kiss me.
"No silly, why do you ask that, fishing for complements are we?"
I squeezed her and grinned, "No actually something happened at work today that got me to thinking."
Sitting up a little, she asked, "What happened at work?"
"You remember Channon the woman who married that guy over in District resources, Alron is his name I think."
"Yeah, didn't they get married a week after we did," replied Jo as she mussed my hair.
"They're calling it quits, just like that," I said with a shrug, "It got me to thinking about us and the stormy time we went through in the beginning."
Johanna remained quiet for a moment as if thinking about something, then with a touch of alarm in her voice said, "Are you suggesting we do the same?"
I looked at her and in an alarmed voice replied, "What? Good God no, no I was thinking that with all the trouble we went through we've stuck it out, and from what I can tell, our love has just grown stronger."
I reached over and squeezed her close, pressing my lips to hers for a long passionate moment, then whispering, "Jo I love you now more than I ever have, we've made a good life together, I've got my Jo and Stormy, my family I could ask for nothing more."
We cuddled for a few moments then she asked, "Last week when I was at Annie's she asked me about Katniss and Peeta."
With irritation in my voice, I said, "I told you that Maysilee told me that she and Peeta have all but cut themselves off from the rest of the "world," Haymitch confirms it."
"Considering the fact that you two used to be so close don't you have even the slightest interest to see her again," inquired Johanna.
I knew what she was up to, when Jo gets bored, she likes to goad me to try and get a reaction, but I wasn't falling for the bait this time.
"Look Jo," I calmly replied, "I've told you a million times, sure, Katniss and I were in love, or at least I thought so, but things changed, I had one small hope after we rescued her along with Bee Tee and the others after the Quarter Quell we could re-ignite the old spark, but fate had other plans, plans that as far as I'm concerned worked out for the best, I got you, and to be perfectly honest, there were a lot of things I started to see in her I didn't care for, then when she went off the deep end blaming me for Primm's death…Well, that just confirmed what I had suspected, look Jo, it's been too long, too much water under the bridge, I'm sitting with the only love of my life right now, and since it's obvious you need further proof, I think it's time we go upstairs."
Jo got what she had been seeking, but it was true, fate had decreed my life with Katniss was not to be, but I know now I got the better of the deal.
A few days later I received a call from my mom about what the rest of my family was up to, "I've got a few days off son," said mom, "I was thinking of stopping by and visiting, it's been awhile since I've seen you and Jo, plus my favorite granddaughter."
"So how is everybody," I asked.
"Vic's still with weapons development in 13, he told me they are talking about a promotion, but he tells me he's got too much to do now, but maybe if they offer a big increase in salary.
Posy will be starting college this coming fall."
"Does she still want to be a doctor?" I asked.
"Oh yes, that's all she talks about, however she did tell me she want's to see you guys before school starts."
"Tell her we eagerly await her visit, Jo especially," I replied
"Rory told me he talked with you a couple weeks ago, so you know what he's up to."
"Yeah I ran into him over at District resources, both of us were in a hurry so we didn't get a whole lot of time to talk, but he mentioned the possibility of some sort of a re-union, so I guess we'll see on that," I replied.
Having said all there was to say, we wished each other well and hung up. I certainly hoped we could arrange a family get-together, my family had become Jo's, having lost her's to the murderous Snow regime; Johanna had become practically a big sister to Posy.
Whenever they got together, they became as thick as thieves. I still wonder what really went on that summer when Posy turned sixteen and she and Jo spent a week at Annie's, whenever the subject comes up all I get is a lot of giggling from my sister, and Stormy. Jo wont say a word other than a sly smile. Annie won't say a thing either, and Daniel gets scared and blows me off with, "Mom will kill me if I tell." So the mystery remains, although I suspect it was mostly running around naked on the beach.
One Month Later
Someone over my head must have figured I didn't have enough to do, or in a convoluted way figured I needed a trip. I received word today that there was a situation out in district seven that required my attention, and "Oh by the way, you can take your family." Further inquiry revealed that they were getting a lot done out there with limited resources, glowing reports were coming out of there, and your's truly was requested to go up there and check it out. That evening at supper looking at nobody in particular, I said in a low voice, "Wonder what they're doing up in your old district?"
"I dunno," Jo replied, "And I don't much care, why?"
"They want me to go up there, to check things out, seems someone is making waves by doing something right, it's got District admin in a tizzy as things like that generally do, anyway they tell me I can take you and Stormy, feel like a change of scene?" Her mood changed in a heartbeat,
"I don't know," she said with much hesitation, I might just pass, it's been so long now, too many ghosts and bad memories, I-I-don't know…Let me think about it."
"Well I have to let the travel office know by tomorrow, so they can arrange the tickets."
"Damn it, Gale," she snapped, I said I'd let you know." Running her hands through her spiky hair she spoke with extreme annoyance, "I don't need this right now, I'll let you know."
I knew better than to press her so I went back to eating saying nothing more, later that night as we crawled into bed, I took her in my arms and softly said,
"I'm sorry for upsetting you like that Jo, it's a long trip up there, I thought we could all use a little get-a-way, but I'll tell the travel office just reserve one round trip ticket ok?"
She didn't say anything, so we kissed each other good night and I turned out the light. Sometime between then and morning I thought I heard sobbing, but I thought it must have been a dream, and quickly fell back to sleep. In the morning Jo was very pensive and quiet, I did nothing to aggravate her, and was preparing to leave for work, right after kissing her goodbye, she looked at the floor and quietly said, "Get three tickets," then turned and went upstairs.
Her behavior bothered me all day, I knew she held a lot of unresolved feelings inside her, but I had no idea this trip thing was tearing her up so badly. When I returned home that evening, Stormy met me at the door looking sad, "Mommy's crying," was all she said. I was up the stairs like a shot right into the bedroom.
Jo was lying on the bed quietly sobbing; I lay down beside her and took her in my arms.
"Oh Jo, don't cry I didn't mean for this to upset you If I had my way, I wouldn't go at all but I have no choice." I hugged her as hard as I could, my wife was hurting and I couldn't make it stop. Slowly she stopped crying and sniffed,
"I'll be all right, I knew this was going to come sooner or later I've only been fooling myself that I could go the rest of my life and never go back. Actually, I need this, but it's like having a bad toothache, you know you need to see the dentist, but you have to force yourself to go.
She then hugged me tightly, "Stormy has been asking me lately where I'm from and what it was like where I lived, I knew that sooner or later I'd have to go back, so I guess I suck it up and we go,"
Since Stormy would be missing school, her teacher gave her several assignments as well as a report to turn in on District 7.
"Actually I was planning on assigning the whole class to turn in reports on the various districts Stormy will have the advantage of actually visiting one, so I'll be expecting an exceptional report." we were informed by her teacher. With our missions firmly ingrained in our minds we boarded the train that would take us to one of the few districts I had never visited. I thought perhaps the train trip back to seven would bother her, but she spent most of the time with Stormy looking out the window pointing out things in the distance. After a day on the train, I asked her,
"How are you doing?" Giving me a faint smile, she replied, "Better than I expected, but we're not back at seven yet."
The two nights we slept on the train seemed to pass easily enough for her, we sat in our private room and only exited to take our meals, the train was only half full, this wasn't the time of year when people traveled, so it was just people like me on business, or heading back home. Late on the last night after we had put Stormy to bed, Jo and I went to the lounge car for a drink there was a man sitting nearby that kept staring at Jo, I was about to say something when he got up and came over and sat down next to us. Johanna glared at him until he spoke.
"You're Johanna Mason aren't you?" He asked. Looking perturbed, she responded with,
"What is it you want?" The man swallowed and offered his hand,
"I apologize for disturbing you ma'am, but my name is Weston Marks, I stood in in that square and watched as you were called, we were all praying for you Johanna, the next year my girlfriend was reaped, she came home in one of those cheap caskets so many of our people returned home in. You were her hero Johanna, she believed that if you could do it so could she, but what those animals did to her wasn't right…It wasn't right." Then his face brightened a bit as he continued.
"I've never forgotten her, never married, she still lives in my heart. Everyone says it was that girl from twelve that got things rolling, but I know it was you; you showed them what we're made of out here in seven."
Jo smiled and touched the mans arm.
"I'm glad you remember me Mr. Marks," she said with kindness in her voice, "Are you returning home to seven?" He nodded, "I'm on my way home from a business trip, buying equipment for one of the larger sawmills up that way."
"How's District doing these days," I asked.
Turning to me he replied, "Oh just wonderful, we're finally getting all the modern equipment denied us for so many years." He then asked Jo,
"Coming home for good or just a visit?"
"Just a visit," she replied, "Although my family is long dead, I need to bury some ghosts."
Then smiling, he said,
You're in for a surprise Seven's changed so much, you won't recognize it."
Out of curiosity, I asked him,
"How did seven get along right after the rebellion?"
Marks voice became a bit more enthusiastic,
"Oh it was hard at first, don't let anyone kid you, but when we started getting those ex-peacekeepers and capitol labor gangs, we were able to ship more timber and even go into a little farming, something we weren't allowed to do before." He then chuckled, "Oh how we worked our former tormentors, some accused us of working them to death but to us it was only proper justice for all that they had done to us, but they're all dead now, we say let the dead bury the dead, we still remember the sacrifices of those past on remembrance day, but everyone in seven looks to the future nowadays, yes ma'am, for what you started, we only have a bright future to look forward to."
He then got up, "Well thank you both for listening to me, I think you'll be pleased at what seven has become." With that, the turned and exited the car.
I looked at Jo, "So what do you think?"
"I'm glad for seven," she replied, however this doesn't change a thing, Liam, Ivan, Greta, their all dead, I have to finally come to grips with that, I'm hoping this trip will let me do that, to let the past go for good, I've allowed those bitter memories to enslave me all these years, sometimes I feel that Snow is still getting his revenge. When you first asked me if I wanted to return to seven I was scared, fearful of what it might dredge up, but now I know I must do this, not only for my sanity, but for Stormy's as well. You know that day you came home to find me crying upstairs?" I nodded.
"I called Annie and talked to her, she told me to go, told me,
"Jo, you need to put your past to rest, remember them as they were, they wouldn't want it any other way, just as I'm slowly accepting my loss, so should you."
That night as the train gently rocked on its way north, Jo and I cuddled close, embracing our deep love for each other, tomorrow she would return home for better or worse, her past still had claims on her that had to be resolved.