Chapter Nine
Haymitch was up early that morning. He fed his geese, poured a generous amount of liquor into a steaming cup of tea for himself and left the remaining tea in the pot for Effie for when she wakes up. It was odd to be awake before her and he pinned the slight change in habit on her pregnancy.
He swiped the brief Effie had completed and made his way to the library. Checking the time, he noted that the library would only be opened in ten minutes so he took his time walking over.
From the distance, he could see Emily, District Twelve's only librarian and resident bookworm unlocking the library's front door. He allowed her ten minutes to settle down before he strode in and headed straight to the check-out counter.
"Morning, Emily," he greeted. "This has to be sent over to Plutarch Heavensbee's office. So, if you don't mind, I need the fax machine."
"Mr. Abernathy, you know where the machine is. You've been receiving documents from the same fax machine for the past weeks," the bespectacled girl told him impatiently. She already had a book opened in front of her. "Please just help yourself."
He narrowed his gray eyes at the girl. For such a small, vulnerable looking person, Emily had very little patience.
"Just trying to be polite," Haymitch said over his shoulders as he walked over to the where the machine was located.
"Effie must have rubbed off on me," he muttered as he waited for all the pages to be sent through. On his way out the library, he passed by the check-out counter and left some coins for using the facsimile machine. He waved Emily off when she wanted to issue a receipt.
"Maybe you could claim back from the Council or the Capitol for all the money you spent sending and receiving documents once you've won," Emily joked, handing him the receipt.
Satisfied that he's completed what needed to be done, Haymitch walked back into town. It was still rather early when he left the library and that being a weekend meant that some of the shops open slightly late for business.
Haymitch lingered by one of the shops until the owner, a frail looking old man shuffled to the front door and flipped over the closed sign.
"Don't remember you ever buying anything from me before, Haymitch," the old man commented. "You were always down with Ripper; bless her soul."
"This isn't for me," Haymitch smiled, bringing the packets of biscuits and crackers to the counter for him to ring up.
"Ah," the shop owner nodded knowingly. "Of course, now that you're married, you have responsibilities, eh? Buying things for the missus, I assume?"
Haymitch gave a curt nod. He drummed his fingers on the counter impatiently as the old man slowly packed his items. "Sorry," Haymitch muttered when he received a disapproving glare.
The front door was still locked when Haymitch reached his house. He glanced down at his wrist watch and frowned slightly. Usually, by this hour, Effie would be out and about humming to herself as she tended to her garden. It was something she usually did on a Saturday morning now that she had finally settled down on a hobby she's happy with.
Depositing the paper bag on the kitchen counter, Haymitch climbed the stairs up to the bedroom. The room was empty. The bed was still unmade and the covers were thrown back with one of the pillows lying on the floor.
"Eff?" he called out. "Eff – what the – what are you doing on the bathroom floor?"
"Go away," she said weakly. Her head was resting on the edge of the toilet seat pillowed by her arm. The other was clutching a wet towel. She looked quite pitiful. The role reversal was not lost on him and Haymitch quelled the urge to laugh.
"What the hell is wrong with you?"
"Not now, Haymitch. Leave me, please."
"Get up, Eff, come on," he held out his hand for her.
"I can't. I tried. But each time I move I get dizzy and nauseated. I feel I should just stay here in case I throw up."
"That's your strategy?" he chortled. "To sit here the entire day?"
"You have something better?"
"How do you take your tea?" Haymitch asked. "Two sugars, yes?"
Effie nodded into her arm, not even bothering to look at him. Haymitch returned a few minutes later balancing a cup of tea and a plate of dry crackers with a blob of honey at the side. He kneeled next to her on the bathroom floor.
"I've got you tea. Drink it," he ordered. "There are crackers, too. Bought them from town on my way home. I read somewhere that it'll help to settle the stomach."
She cracked her eyes open and looked at Haymitch in astonishment. Slowly and almost hesitantly, Effie reached out to take one of the crackers from the plate.
"Where did you learn about the crackers?" she asked as she nibbled on them.
Haymitch's knees were beginning to ache so he flopped down on the bathroom floor. He leaned against the bath tub with his legs stretched out in front of him.
"From one of your pregnancy pamphlets lying on the coffee table," he answered. "Where did those pamphlets came from anyway?"
"I took some from the clinic when I went for my check-up. The rest was from the Government. They gave me a pregnancy package once they found out through the blood screening that I was pregnant. Apparently every pregnant woman receives one by the first month of their pregnancy."
"So you're four weeks into –"
"No," Effie shook her head and scooted over to where Haymitch was. Settling next to him, she took the cup of tea in his hand and blew out the surface of the cup before tentatively sipping the hot beverage. "Nearing the sixth."
"Did you read those pamphlets, Eff? One of them had a pregnancy tip about morning sickness," Haymitch queried.
"Didn't see that one," she said, dabbing the wet cloth on her face. "I feel so overwhelmed, Haymitch. There are so many things to read, to know and to take note off."
"It looks very informative to me. I saw stuffs about maintaining a healthy pregnancy, post-natal care and vitamins – are you taking vitamins?"
Effie smiled into her cup. She wondered if it was a good sign that Haymitch actually bothered to read through those brochures. There was a sudden feeling of warmth spreading through her at the possibility of Haymitch showing a tiny bit of interest in her pregnancy. How else could she explain him taking the initiative to buy crackers for her knowing that it would help?
There had been several changes in Haymitch that she noticed. All of them subtle but they were there, nonetheless. Things he did that showed he had maybe begun to accept the fact that she was pregnant.
She was not asking for him love her but this child was his, too and she wanted him to accept and at least care for the child. She knew what she said to him that day when she told him the news of her pregnancy but she was angry and he had been angry, and the words that they had exchanged were meant to hurt the other party more than anything.
Effie had no idea how long this law would last and Haymitch would be going off to the Capitol the next day to try his case. But with what little time she has between now and the law being dissolved, she vowed to at least attempt to instill enough care in Haymitch for the life growing inside her so that even when the law was repealed, he would still want to be a part of their child's life. Effie had no delusion of a happy family but if Haymitch could visit his child a few times in a month post marriage law, it would be enough for her.
"There was something I found quite worrying," Haymitch said suddenly. He dipped his little finger into the blob of honey on the plate. "They mentioned pregnancy mood swings. Are you going to be crying and throwing a bitch fit or something?"
"I don't know," she shrugged. "It's not like I've been pregnant before. It must be true if it's in the pamphlet and I read the same in my book, too. Why? Are you planning an escape strategy when I lose my head?"
"Yes," he replied, lips twitching upward in amusement. Haymitch licked the honey off his finger, dipped it again and held it out for Effie to lick it off. "I think if you have something sweet, it'll help with the queasiness."
XxX
That evening, with Effie out of the house on a shopping trip with a reluctant Katniss, Haymitch made his way over to Peeta's house. Peeta looked surprised to see the older man standing on his front porch but welcomed him in nonetheless.
"To what do I owe this pleasure?" Peeta grinned. "Is it about the interview?"
"Nah," Haymitch shook his head. "Not yet. I'm going to the Capitol tomorrow so we'll see how it goes with Paylor."
"Alright, so…"
"So…" Haymitch removed a dry wooden palette from the sofa and sat down, his eyes roaming the cluttered living room. After months of living with Effie, he wasn't used to being in a room that wasn't neat and tidy. "Need a favour. If it's not too much for you, keep an eye out for Effie while I'm gone, will you?"
Peeta walked over with a bottle of beer and handed it to Haymitch who looked at it in distaste. "Something wrong with Effie?"
"Don't you have something stronger?" he asked instead. "Whiskey or something?"
"Nope. So, what about Effie?" Peeta prodded.
"Don't tell me that woman didn't tell you. If she hasn't told you personally, she sure as hell would have informed Katniss who would have told you."
Peeta smiled knowingly. "A child on the way, yes? Congratulations, Haymitch."
Haymitch grunted in response and averted his gaze uncomfortably when Peeta trained his eyes on him.
"I get this feeling that you're not thrilled. I remembered you telling us at the bakery, Haymitch," Peeta said in that quiet soothing voice Panem fell in love with. "You wanted to repeal the law and avoid having to sire any children, and correct me if I'm wrong, but I think Effie being pregnant was the reason why you've been drunk at the bar for the past week, right?"
Haymitch shrugged not bothering to affirm Peeta's suspicion.
"Effie's upset. She was here a few times looking terribly lost and miserable. But she's Effie – after a few days, she gathered herself up and told us she was done moping and would rather focus her energy on the baby."
Haymitch was silent. He stared at the patterns on the rug, his fingers absent-mindedly shredding the label on the beer bottle.
"I know the circumstances of your marriage were less than ideal. It's no use being angry with her, it's happened. I think it's a blessing."
"Of course, you do. You like kids," Haymitch scoffed. "What do I even know about those brats? All I know is that they all always end up dead."
"Not all," Peeta said. "You got me and Katniss out. That's something."
For a long while, the only sound came from the oven whirring in the kitchen. The smell of something baking permeated through the air and Haymitch's stomach grumbled; reminding him that he had not had anything to eat since morning.
"You know what your problem is?" Peeta asked with an edge on his voice. "You're stuck in the Games. Everyone else is trying to move on but you're still there. I'm not saying Katniss and I had an easy time forgetting the Games. It's always in our mind but at least we're trying, Haymitch. You have a chance, a real shot at a decent life – a wife, a kid, a family of your own - and you're going to throw it away. Effie may not be perfect but she is a wonderful person, you know. She could be intense at times with her manners and her schedules but that's who she is and she's been doing a damn fine job looking after you since you married her. Your house is clean, you're wearing clean shirts, and you're eating properly. Seriously Haymitch, look at me and tell me she's made your life a lot worse."
Haymitch looked up when Peeta challenged him. He stared at the boy.
"I don't see how being stuck in a marriage with me is good for her. I can never be the husband she wants me to be."
"No, Haymitch. My question is – has she made your life worst?"
"Yes," he answered far too quickly. Peeta's blue eyes turned icy. Haymitch blinked and looked away. "A kid, Peeta. My whole life will turn inside out."
Peeta shook his head.
"Give her a chance, Haymitch. It's difficult to love you when you hate yourself so much."
Love? He thought derisively.
"I can never love her. She's … She's Effie. She's not –"
"Not your girl?" Peeta queried. "She's dead, Haymitch. She's a ghost. You're holding on to something familiar because Effie scares you."
"I didn't come here for a lecture," Haymitch said crossly, putting his half-finished drink on the table rather forcefully. "Effie isn't well; morning sickness. Just… Look out for her while I'm away and call me if there's anything."
He stood up and turned towards the door.
"You know, Haymitch, I think the fact that you came all the way here to ask me that favour says a lot about you - that maybe just a tiny part of you cares about Effie and your child."
He didn't need to look at Peeta to know the boy was smiling to himself. He could hear it in Peeta's words.
"And feed my geese!" He said before slamming the door in his wake.
XxX
The lights streamed through the bedroom and onto the bed where Haymitch's sleeping form grumbled before pulling the covers up his head. Effie was already dressed and frustrated. She had been trying to wake him up for the past ten minutes and even pulling the curtains apart to let the lights in did nothing to help her plight. She really did not want to douse him with water – the bed sheets had just been changed two days ago!
"Wake up or you'll miss your train. If we're still married, it's cause you can't wake up! Haymitch! You have a law to dissolve!" she shook his arm roughly.
He sat up groggily. Finally.
"Get dress, Haymitch. I don't have time for this."
Effie paced the bedroom, chewing on her dry crackers silently as she waited for Haymitch to get dressed.
"Not that shirt! You can't appear before the President in that."
Haymitch frowned but said nothing. The day before Effie had been in a good mood -proudly telling him that she managed to help Katniss purchase a few maternity clothes. The wind had changed direction and Effie seemed agitated and edgy today.
"No, no," she shook her head in disapproval. "Take that shirt off. Wear the blue shirt; the one I've ironed for you and pair with that chino pants. Blue is a calming colour and that is the impression you want to give the President when you're in her company. Get her to relax and listen to you."
"Whatever you say, my queen," Haymitch muttered sarcastically, trying hard not to tell her to shut up.
He barely had enough time to butter his toast before Effie ushered him out of the house. "What is your hurry, woman? You're not even coming with me to the Capitol!"
"I'm not," she answered, locking the front door in a hurry, "but I have some shopping to do. I need to restock the kitchen and get nutritious food for myself and my child."
Haymitch stopped chewing his toast. It was the way she said "my child" that made him feel as though someone had gutted his stomach. Not their child or his child, but hers alone. Could he really blame her? He had made it exceptionally clear that he never wanted it when he told her she had messed up his plans, that a child was never part of it.
He turned around and stomped off.
"Haymitch?" she called out shrilly. "Wait for me! We can walk together!"
He ignored her completely and continued walking
"Haymitch!"
"I'll see you when I'm back on Tuesday!" he shouted.
Haymitch stalked off angrily, leaving Effie standing alone on the sidewalk in confusion.
I spent hours editing this chapter because I initially didn't like it at all. But, it looks alright now and I hope it's not a disappointment to anyone. Please review, it will be so helpful to know your opinions.
Just a slight disclaimer: Anything I know about pregnancy, I know it from that little bit of research I did. I would ask my mother about pregnancy but she would panic. So if there's anything that's not accurate (in this chapter or the next few) please let me know!
