Katniss stared in shock at the figure that was standing before her. A combination of war and age had not fared well for her mother and she was not the same women who had left Katniss just a few years previously. Katniss hardly recognised her.
"Hello Katniss" said the woman. Despite the troubles of Prim's death and moving away, Katniss' mother still had the odd awkwardness in her voice that was reserved only for her.
"Mother." Her tone was harsh, and unforgiving. In hindsight, Katniss regretted speaking in this way, but it had the desired effect.
"Right well, I only came here for some of Prim's old stuff. I best be off then, they require me back in District 4 by tomorrow. Give Peeta my regards." And with that the woman left.
Katniss noticed she had not taken any of Prim's stuff with her. Whether there were other intentions to her visit or not, Katniss did not know nor care. Her mother had left her for a second time, and although they kept up contact for society's sakes, their relationship was dead.
Peeta came in just as Katniss' mother left, and the look of confusion on his face was priceless. "What's going on?" asked Peeta, as Katniss hugged him with perhaps more gusto than intended. "My mother decided to pay a surprise visit" sung Katniss, skipping into the kitchen; her mood considerably lighter. "Hot chocolate and cake?"
"Yes please" replied Peeta. Ever since their first experience with the beverage on the train, the two had become obsessed with the drink. After the war, there was a shortage of supplies as vital manufacturing plants were restored, and their beloved hot chocolate was unavailable. During this time, Haymitch had made jokes about withdrawal symptoms until Peeta had reminded him of the times when alcohol was scarce in District 12 and Haymitch had become insufferable from withdrawal symptoms. They knew it was petty, but having hot chocolate and leftover cake from the bakery had become a weekly ritual in their lives. Although neither of them admitted it out loud, they both knew that without the comfort of the weekly hot chocolate, cake and conversation their happiness levels would severely decline.
Soon enough, Katniss and Peeta were sat in front of the fire with generous helpings of white chocolate and raspberry cake and large, steaming mugs of hot chocolate. This week the main topic of conversation was Peeta's bakery, as Katniss had initially clammed up at any mention of her mother's visit. Katniss listened with great interest as Peeta talked animatedly about his plans for the bakery, and how every time a well-fed, nourished, loved child came into the bakery asking for a loaf of bread his heart would sing. That was one thing Katniss and Peeta shared- a love for seeing children happy. The memories of starving children abandoned on the street because their parents couldn't afford to feed them were all too fresh in their minds, and so frequently Katniss would wander through District 12 keeping a watchful eye out for any less fortunate children. In the past few years, there had been hardly any abandoned children, but there were some. It tended to be children of the parents who had escaped into District 13 who were left, as their parents had fallen ill from diseases as a side-effect of being malnourished for months.
It also made Katniss' heart sing to see the District full of people once again. After the war, when the citizens who escaped to District 13 had moved back, the whole District was practically empty. However, there was a large influx of people who had moved from the Capitol now living in the District. After all the dirty information regarding President Snow had come to light, many people in the Capitol felt guilty for the Games and so moved into the Districts. In particular, many people moved to District 12- Katniss thought this was because people felt sorry for the way her and Peeta had been treated by the Capitol, but she wasn't sure. Even now, after the many years since the war, you could still recognise the people of the Capitol. Painted skin, wild hair colours and elaborate clothes had all either faded or been discarded, but there was a clear discrimination against the Capitol people.
This in particular angered Katniss and Peeta. After being oppressed their whole lives, people of the Districts were now choosing to mistreat the Capitol citizens because of the way their leaders chose to act. Despite the repentance and selflessness shown by the Capitol people, for actions they themselves did not commit, District citizens were still not giving them the social justice they deserved. Capitol children were being laughed at in school. Capitol families were being given the worst tables in restaurants and for a short while Capitol people were not allowed to go to council meetings. This particular legislation was destroyed by Katniss and Peeta when they stormed a council meeting together and broke down the doors, allowing floods of Capitol people in. Katniss and Peeta officially did not have any political standing, but their opinion was as good as law in council meetings. Whether it was intimidation because of their social standing in the Capitol, or reparations for the ill-treatment of their lives, Katniss and Peeta didn't know, but they kind of liked having a position of power without having to attend all the boring meetings. They felt as if they had earned it.
