"Hello anyone home". I knock on the door again. Silence. After 10 minutes I turn the knob and walk in, I will my feet not to turn and run. Katniss said I would have my work cut out for me with this new job, what an understatement that was. Hard work I am not afraid of, but whatever is living under that dirty dish tower in the sink is liable to bite.
"Hello is anyone here" I holler louder this time. Still no answer but I see Haymitch passed out at the table and decide to get to work on that tower.
As I am rinsing off the dishes I feel a cool blade by my neck and his hot liquor filled breath in my ear.
"Do you mind telling me what the hell you are doing in my house?"
"Do mind getting that knife away from my neck." He puts it down and I turn to see his confused, sleep dazed look turn clear. "Jesus Hazelle, what are you doing here?"
"Well besides almost getting stabbed Katniss said you could use a house keeper.
"And you agreed to help me"
"No Haymitch you hired me and I am charging double for life threatening incidents."
"Sorry about that I am not used to having unexpected guests"
"Really", I say holding up an empty bottle of white lighting, "because it looks like you threw quite the party".
"Yeah speaking of that I need to see Ripper, so you can let yourself out."
He storms out of the house and heads to town leaving me to decide if I should just leave, but as I think about my kids I get to work instead.
I am upstairs cleaning the bathroom when I hear the door open a few hours later followed by a string of curse words. I assume it's because Ripper is not in business right now, and Haymitch's precious liquor supply is out, but I hear him storm up the stairs. I walk out to find him glaring at me. "I told you to see yourself out, meaning leave not destroy my house".
"Destroy your house I believe you have done a fine job of that yourself I just made it to where you could see the floor, and it didn't smell like a wild boar lived here." I storm down the stairs and grab a bowl from the cabinet. "This your supper I figured with the hob out of business you haven't had a hot meal in a while, I am however going to take some home for Posey she is still recovering from the measles , after you pay me that is."
When I look back at him that fire in his eyes is gone, he somberly reaches in his pocket, pulls out coins. He presses them into my palm then storms upstairs.
I realize what I have done when I hear sobs from the bedroom, after 25 years the mere mention of her name still brings him to tears.