Chapter 2
When I wake up, the sun is shining through the open windows. District 12 is waking up. I hear Effie's voice in my mind saying "Up, up, up! It's going to be a big, big, day!" Because it is. Today we are going to District Four to visit Annie on her birthday. "Peeta," I say. "Up, up, up! It's going to be a big, big, day!" He cracks a smile before he can open his eyes. "I don't want to get up." moans Peeta, his voice still half in dreams, but I think I know what he really wants. I lean down and wake him up with a soft kiss. "Alright you two lovebirds, the hovercraft isn't going to wait for you two to come up for air." Says the taunting voice of Haymitch. We both jump apart. "I hope you don't mind," he says with a smile, "I let myself in, didn't know I'd be interrupting something." "It's fine, Haymitch," says Peeta, "Next time, just let us know when you're downstairs." He helps me get out of bed. Haymitch's eyes grow wide, he hasn't seen me for some weeks now and my stomach must be a surprise to him. "Are you sure they aren't twins?" he asks.
The hovercraft ride to District Four is smooth. When the doors open, I am reminded of my 1st visit here on the Victory Tour. We are hit by a salty wind that overwhelms me. "You ok?" asks Peeta. We are not used to this salty and windy environment. I nod firmly. Annie is waiting for us, her birthday isn't until tomorrow, but we wanted to get here early so we could spend the whole day with her. We will be staying for a week, because exactly 5 days after her birthday is the anniversary of Finnick's death. This year it will be 15 years.
When we arrive at the receiving gate, Annie is there with her son eagerly waiting for us. We each take turns saying hello, because it has been quite some time since our last meeting, I think I was 5 months pregnant. We arrive at Annie's house and I see that Annie prepared breaded shrimp. It was the only food that tasted normal when we first visited Annie; it's the only thing I like to eat here. "Annie," I say, "You remembered this was my favorite." Annie smiles, "Well actually, I have to give Caspian credit, he was the one who remembered." "Thank you, Cas." I say. "Oh, it was nothing," he says quietly, "I just remembered because I never saw you eat anything else here." He is the perfect mix of the two of them, with Finnick's sea green eyes and Annie's quiet personality. He says just enough to be polite. I don't think that Annie would have done very well with a son who looked and acted like Finnick, they are both calm, I don't think they have ever disagreed with each other. But he defends his mother fiercely, just like Finnick did. On one of our visits here, Caspian had some friends over while I was out on the pier, when one of the boys said that their teacher was "crazier than Cas's mom." Caspian then delivered a punch that sounded like it hurt and threw him out of the house with no words. I never saw that boy in the house again. Caspian is the only thing that keeps Annie safe and sound and he knows it.
Haymitch has never been on a vacation trip here, only on the Victory Tour. He eats more than he can hold, and he says the wine is the best he's ever tasted. "And I've had plenty of wine in my life." Making everybody laugh. After lunch, Annie and Caspian take Haymitch sightseeing around the center of town. The house is empty except for Peeta and I. We go out to the pier to look at the view, in District 12, the only nice view is the knoll that looks across the meadow, but I don't go there because the last time I was there was the day Prim was reaped. I stand in Peeta's arms and fit my head right under his and we stare out into the ocean. This ocean looks never ending; it goes on for miles and miles. It's times like these I play my game, I list the wonderful things that have happened to me today, seeing that Annie and Caspian are ok, being able to share a good time with them, and Peeta, he is always on the list, even when he does have flashbacks, I feel a rush of gratitude for him. I show it to him by kissing him, he responds gratefully, his hands find my waist and I hold the nape of his neck. It's the perfect kiss, on a pier, during the best moment of the sunset, when all the colors are giving a soft, warm glow. It might as well be a storybook ending after all we've been through.