Chapter 9: Advice from the Drunk

Haymitch's POV

I have been starting to drink heavily since the death of my family. And yes, I count Rosemary amongst my family; she would have been the mother of my child.

I still go to the school, but I don't do as well as I used to. I mostly see it as an excuse to get out of the Village and out of Cassiope's hair. No one bothers with me, though I am a Victor and thus a star, and that is just fine by me.

Except for one day, when a Merchant - of all people! - approaches me. Cotton Hawthorne is a classmate of mine, though because of class lines, we have hardly ever spoken. I suppose, being a Victor now, I outrank him on the economic food chain; Victors tend to be in an economic class of their own.

"Hey, Abernathy... can I ask you for some advice?"

I blink, genuinely surprised, but cover it up with a noncommittal shrug. "Sure."

Cotton points down the hall. "See that girl over there?"

I do. Hazelle Benhke would be pretty hard not to notice, with her darker complexion and deep green eyes. But she's Seam!

"I know," Cotton nods. "But I've never cared about that. And if you and that Fairchild girl could go sneaking about, who's to say I couldn't have a relationship... with...?" He's staring at Hazelle longingly. I know that look. Though I would never admit it, I used to look at Rose like that sometimes. And so I decide to honor her.

"Go after her," I nod. "Go after her," I repeat so that Cotton does not misunderstand me. "And good luck."

Cotton smiles, and races off.


Cotton's courting must work, for Hazelle Benhke is quickly charmed into a marriage proposal and then a Toasting.

It is done in secret, at the edge of the woods. The only guests are Hazelle's family, so I go to support Cotton. I even rope Cassiope into it.

The happy couple toast a piece of bread over a large bonfire, and then seal it with a kiss. They happily dance away to cheers, and we party long into the night.


A few weeks later, I receive quite a shock when Hazelle Hawthorne, nee Benhke, appears on my doorstep.

She offers to do my laundry for me for extra work and money. Seeing as how Cotton is having to work in the mines after his family disowned him over his marriage, I accept, wanting to help anyway I can.

It feels weird having someone other than Cassiope in my house. But Hazelle works hard, does a good job. And I pay her handsomely.

It is an arrangement that works for many years, even as Hazelle goes on to have and raise five (yes, five!) little ones of her own.