"It's not unusual for her to invite us over for tea in the afternoon. It is odd that she insisted her brother come along too, don't you think?" Katniss posed to Peeta as they walked hand in hand to their daughter's home with her son two steps behind.
"Maybe she has big news?" Peeta suggested.
"Maybe I'm going to be an uncle?" Mitchell chimed in.
"Hush, Mitchell" Katniss corrected. "We don't know that."
Katniss reflected on how much her daughter's path had diverged from from her own. Their daughter had married Delly and Thom's eldest son, Sam, and moved into town from Victors Village.
"She's only had four years of marriage, do you think she's pregnant?" Katniss whispered to Peeta.
"Does it matter? To her, it's safe now, She didn't grow up with the same fears as you did," Peeta reasoned. "Sure, she's younger than we were when we married and then considered a family, but I trust her judgement."
Virginia's name had been selected out of an old atlas. Mitchell's name was chosen because Peeta wanted to honor our squad member taken during the Capitol Siege - and to always remember the consequences of his high jacking.
The threesome reached the front door and knocked.
"Mom! Dad! Mitch! Thanks for coming over today!" Virginia gushed as she beckoned us further into their home. Sam stood behind her, hands gently placed on her shoulders. He released her so she could hug her family. She pulled us into their sitting room where tea and small cakes had already been set out.
"Sweetie, looks like you've been busy," Peeta observed.
"Dad, I've been saving a special recipe you taught me. I even gathered vaccinium and strawberries mom showed me in the woods for the perfect touch," Virginia added. "Sam, can you start the tea?"
Katniss noted her nervous tone, this must have been big, whatever it is.
"Additionally, Grandmother sent me a test from District 4 - so we'd know far in advance one way or another!" Virginia explained.
She sets a tray of cupcakes before us, stands up and wrings her wrists.
"I'm pregnant–" she starts when she's cut off by my outburst.
"Virginia Pearl!" I exclaim and hop up to hug her. She stops me and motions to keep me my seat.
"Mom," she take a deep breath, closes her eyes, and exhales. "We're pregnant and baked you, dad, and Mitch special treats so you'll know the gender of your first grandchild!"
I'm taken aback just a tad as I stared down this innocent tray of cakes. They looked so simple, with white frosting. How could they hold such an important fact?
"We'll this is incredible and so thoughtful honey," Peeta effused calmly.
How was he so collected at this news? I could hardly process it. I had trouble believing my own pregnancies and jaws older, so to grapple with the idea that my baby was having a baby is mind boggling. I sat down and reached a shaky hand out to the proffered treats. I noticed that Peeta and Mitchell had each selected one too.
I looked across the sofa to Peeta and asked the question he knew the only response to, "Together?"
"Together," Peeta affirmed.
The three of us bit into our cupcakes at the same time. Strawberry flavor burst across my palate, "Ooh! A girl!" I garbled through a mouthful of cake, nearly spraying crumbs into my lap.
"Blueberry!" Peeta exclaimed, "A boy then?"
Virginia's smile widened, "You're both right! We're having twins!"