Two
Haymitch takes his time walking to the Hob. This business with Trinket was playing on his mind, and the fresh air gave him time to mull things over. There had been rumours of small civil uprisings in some parts of the Capitol – minor things – protests and petitions against Paylor's government. Effie Trinket was a very recognisable lady and her pardon and subsequent seat in the new administration had rubbed more than a few people the wrong way.
Haymitch shook his head, taking a hit from the new bottle of liquor in his hand. Even if it seemed out of character it was much more likely that the darned woman had gone on holiday and been distracted by something new and shiny. She from the Capitol, after all.
Haymitch barged into Peeta's house without knocking. Fresh bread was cooling in the centre of the kitchen table and he helped himself to a thick slice. Katniss joined him, still dressed in hunting leathers, her long braid hanging over one shoulder.
"Kids, have you heard from Effie at all?" Haymitch fills them in on his conversation with Plutarch.
Katniss scrunched her nose in thought. "Not in a couple of months, now you come to mention it. That's odd, she usually calls once about once a week."
"She calls you?" Haymitch asks incredulously. He ignores the strange pang of jealousy that flares in him – he worked with the escort for years and hasn't heard a thing from her.
"Yes," Katniss does a passable impression of her clipped Capitol accent, "Just to see how you are doing, my darlings!"
Peeta grimaces and places his floury hand on Katniss' shoulder. "Don't be cruel. Effie's obviously terribly lonely. She talks about work, and fashion and everything she should, but she never mentions any people. I don't think she has anyone else."
Katniss contemplates this, fiddling with the end of her plait. "Yeah, you're right. Maybe we should invite her to stay sometime."
Haymitch frowns. "So nothing from her recently though?"
"We had a postcard about six weeks back. From Four I think. She was on holiday?" Peeta pulls a wooden box off the mantel and starts to pull out envelopes. "She sends stuff sometimes, snippets from magazines and recipes and spices. You've not heard from her Haymitch?"
He ignores the sour taste in his mouth. "She doesn't call me."
"That's probably because your phone is disconnected." Katniss rolls hers eyes; Haymitch suddenly feels very foolish.
"Does she write to you?" Peeta asks.
Haymitch thinks of the large stack of mail clogging up his hallway – the one he always pointedly ignores until it gets big enough to burn.
"Uh. I've not checked recently..."
Peeta presents the postcard with a flourish. Pictures of the ocean cover one side, and the other is full of tiny pink writing. Haymitch has to squint to read it.
"Some work trip to Four's City Hall and then a vacation, she says. At least we know she got that far."