Hazelle grabbed Vick's shoulder, pulling him to a stop. Mustering up her stern look that was never quite real, she bent over and looked her third child in the eye. "Bed, now." She pointed to the room they all shared, and Vick, knowing better than to argue with his mother, walked off silently. Hazelle then turned to the subject of Vick's chase, Rory. "You too." He slumped off behind his brother. "Careful not to wake Posy!" she called softly after them.
She sighed and sat down in a lone brown chair in the corner of the room where a pile of clothes waited to be mended. Picking up a shirt of Gale's, she rubbed the material between her fingers. If only we could get him a new shirt or two; he deserves it. Gale...Gale. Hazelle straightened up in her chair. Where was he? She had sent him to take what little trash they could afford to throw away outside, but that had been...fifteen? twenty minutes ago? Gale was almost a man now, but still, a panic rushed through her at Gale's disappearance.
Not bothering to check on Rory and Vick, Hazelle rushed out back to the alley where the trash would've been taken. Looking around, her heart raced faster and faster until she finally saw him. He was slumped against the back wall of their house, his head in his hands. She flew down, trying to keep herself calm. "Gale?"
His head jerked up, and his hands immediately wiped at his eyes and nose while he cleared his throat. "Uh, Mom?" He started to stand, but Hazelle's hand was on his shoulder moments later.
"Gale, what's wrong? What happened?"
He tried a nonchalant shrug. "Nothing, just...enjoying the weather."
The breeze outside was nice, but Hazelle found the faint redness around her son's eyes and knew better. "Gale."
He looked down, knowing his mom had spotted the remains of his tears. "I'm fine, mom."
"Gale."
"I just...I just needed a break."
"Is it about Katniss?"
Gale stared intently off into the distance, trying desperately to stop the tears that were bound to come at the sound of Katniss' name. "I just miss her. And-."
He was surprised when Hazelle's strong arms wrapped around him, and even more surprised when his tears began to flow freely then. Without another word between them, she understood. She understood Gale's feelings for Katniss, for Peeta, for the Games, for those things and everything else, and she understood better than he did himself.
Hazelle stroked his back, and between heart-wrenching sobs, Gale tried to talk. "I-I'm sorry...I shouldn't cry...I just..." It broke her heart to hear these words.
"Gale, listen to me." She took him by the shoulders, her heart breaking at the sight of Gale's helpless expression. "It's alright to cry."
He started to shake his head. "No, I have to be-."
Hazelle shook his shoulders. "No, you don't. You cry, and you cry hard, because you deserve it." She took him in her arms again as his sobs slowed. "You've been a better man than I deserve to raise, and I am proud of you, no matter what. I love you, Gale."
After a few more moments, Gale wiped his eyes and nose and looked at his mother, who was now rocking on her heels. Searching for words, he finally came up with "Would this be a good time to tell you that Rory and I broke another one of your dishes?"
Hazelle laughed, and Gale smiled a teary smile.
"Come on." Hazelle extended a hand. "Let's go inside."