Today isn't one of the good days. Katniss needs space sometimes but the kids love to cling to her. She puts Cliff, our 4 year old to sleep and hands Chrysa our 7 year old to me before going to hunt.

Chrysa's at that age when she questions everything she sees. Currently her focus is on the soul tattoo on my forearm, which is on display as I make the dough for some cookies. She knows about soul tattoos but since mine and katniss' are always covered, she doesn't know much about ours. She asks me timidly," How did you find mum with the soul tattoo?"

I smile and reply to her question with another question," What do you think my tattoo does?" Chrysa replies without missing a beat," what mum thinks!" and waves her arms around a little bit. I shake my head and tell her," No sweetheart, that's wrong." She looks at me and then out the window trying to figure this out. By the time I put the cookies in the oven, Chrysa says," I don't know daddy." I give her a bear hug, blow raspberries on her cheek and tickle her and say," you don't know? you really don't know?" She laughs and squiggles away from me. I rest my elbows on the countertop and say," The tattoo shows what you mum says." Chrysa's eyes go wide and then she realises what that means. She hits her head with her hand and says," But mum doesn't talk!" I can't help but laugh. I tell her," Do you this one time my tattoo only said Pass the bread for three days!"

That's when the timer dings and she jumps off the counter-top forgetting all about soul tattoos as she dunks the cookies in some milk...


Katniss has decided to cook dinner today. She wants to not be incompetent at cooking. I try to tell her she isn't... but she is really head-strong. I realise that arguing isn't going to help, so I decide to go into the backyard to play with the kids. Chrysa and Cliff are deciding the theme for Chrysa's 12th birthday, which is only three months away. I say Chyra and Cliff but Cliff has spaced out entirely as he swings on the swing set.

When Chrysa sees me come by, she asks me ," Dad, when did you get your soul tattoo?" I should have known she would ask this question. I sit on the patch of grass separating their play area from my kitchen garden and pat the spot next to me invitingly. When Chyrsa sits down I tell her," I got mine on a Sunday evening. There was a thunderstorm and it was raining heavily. I was sitting in the bakery watching the bread get baked. That's when I saw your mum shivering in the cold with some rags in her hand. I suppose she made me feel thunderstruck, and that's why I just kept staring at her till I smelt the bread burning and my mum came running into the kitchen. She told me to go throw the bread to the pigs. As I went into the rain, I felt your mother's eyes follow my every move and I could hear her stomach rumbling from across the road, so I quietly sneaked out and handed the bread to her.

"When I came back inside and began to dry myself I saw the tattoo on my arm which said but the clothes are really good sir. I got mine when I was 11 years old but your mum only got her's when she was 12 years old. I suppose you get your's a year before or after your partner does."

Chrysa had an unusually thoughtful expression so I asked her," but why are you asking?"

That's when Cliff decided to chime in," Because Briar Rosehearty got his 2 years ago! If Chrissy doesn't get her's now...bye-bye ugly troll Briar!" Chrysa stood up, smacked Cliff when the swing came our way and said," Hey! he's not ugly! AND I DON'T LIKE HIM!"

Briar Rosehearty was some hunger-games victor's kid and even though everything was better now that family still reared it's children like a war game could happen at any time!

I only told her," Come on sweetheart, that boy is very stupid... he doesn't deserve you!" Of course in my head, I did supplement that with nobody deserves you.. but the embarrassing parent was Katniss' duty not mine.