Only one word for the pain I was suffering now. Worse. The pain of giving birth was worse than all the pain I had suffered in my "Dark Days." Worse than Rue dying. Worse than Prim dying. Worse than the nightmares I have witnessed in my subconscious. Worse than being in two Hunger Games. But it was all worth it. My baby girl was born. My baby girl that Peeta and I had many arguments about, mostly about her name.
He whispered to me the night I told him I was pregnant, "We should name he/she after someone we knew that died. Like Finnick."
"Finnick? Name my baby Finnick? And have a sex-symbol for a role-model? I think not!" God, my hormones were already kicking in then. He didn't seem hurt, he usually never did.
"Maybe Rue."
I had to say I liked that one, but it seemed wrong to do that, especially since Prim died too. I think she would have liked to have my baby named after her more than Rue.
"I don't know babe. I don't think Rue would want me to name our baby that."
"Prim?"
"I'll think about it . . . ," and with that, I dozed off.
We didn't talk about it for months, 9 months to be exact. My stomach was huge and a pin drop would make me dilate. We visited the hospital every time we were supposed for a healthy baby, yet they still couldn't see whether or not it was a girl or a boy. Since we couldn't really brainstorm for any specific gender, the conversation never really came up. Once a "pin" dropped, the pain started. I was dilated up to five and the doctors were shocked I dilated so fast, without being influenced by morphling either. It was an easy birth; with only two pushes, she was out. My baby girl. I would like to say Peeta and I had looked at her at first sight and knew what her name was, but unfortunatley, the odds were never in our favor. We argued about this and that, Effie, Katniss, Johanna, Mags, all of the names we could think of. We spat until I eventually dozed off. I had a dream, one of the few good ones, where I was in heaven with my two favorite teens, Rue and Prim. They didn't seem to notice me. And they were having a great time. They were playing hide-and-seek (A game that Prim LOVED when she toddled) in the trees, having feasts of their favorite foods, just being the angels they always were. They eventually transformed into mockingjays and flew throughout the trees. And that's when I knew. When I knew my baby's name. Rue-Primrose Mellark.
I faded back into consciousness, almost floating back, like I was exceding from the heavens. I found that Peeta had snuggled his way next to me, the usual routine for the nights. I shook him awake, which he wasn't really happy about.
"Peeta, hun, wake up. I have great news."
"Hmm? Oh! Morning. What would you like to tell me?"
"I found our baby's name."
"Really? Tell!"
"I had a dream of Prim and Rue in heaven. They seemed so happy there, together. I knew that I wanted to name our girl after one of them for sure. But as I kept on watching them play, I realized that I could,'t name our girl after only one of them. I had to name her both and let her choose when she is older." Peeta gave me the "go on" face. So typical of him.
"We will name her Rue-Primrose Petal Mellark."