Chapter 10: Katniss, the New Baby
At last, about five years after Estes and I get married, I fall pregnant and give birth to a beautiful baby girl. Estes says she has my attractive facial features, but the baby - whom we name Katniss - is even more striking with the Seam looks of her father.
One day, when Estes returns from his weekend morning hunts (he rises early on Saturdays), I join him with Katniss as he goes to make his trades in the Hob, the illegal black market in District 12. While there, we run into two famous faces at the bar.
Cassiope Fletch and Haymitch Abernathy - District 12's Victors and heroes - are being attended to by Ripper, the liquor lady. I hug Cassiope when she waves me over and give Haymtich a friednly smile. "Hello, Haymitch."
"Hello, Lillian," he nods. He doesn't appear to be drunk yet.
Cassiope gasps at the bundle in my arms. "Is that...? How old is she?"
I beam. "Three months."
"You're glowing." We girls look back to Haymitch at his comment, which he gives with a smirk that is almost warm. "The way you look at the little tyke. You're glowing."
I blush even as I try to hide my smile. "Estes would say something like that when I was carrying her."
My husband now approaches, as if on cue, and gives me deep kiss. "Time to go, my love. Thanks, Cassiope, Haymitch."
"Bye!" The Victors wave us away.
It saddens and shakens me when, only a few months after that encounter, Cassiope Fletch dies. We hold a fine funeral for her, we folk of the Seam - my adopted people. Haymitch officiates.
As the years move on and the seasons change, Estes begins to take our toddler and soon small child out into the woods with him to hunt. He teaches her how to swim as I sit on the edge of the lake, laughing as Katniss reaches my arms. Estes shows our daughter the plant for which she is named, saying, "As long as you find yourself, you'll never starve."
During the weekdays, Estes goes to work in the mines while I stay home and take care of our child. I soon begin a lucrative Healing practice that now cares for the Seam instead of the Merchants.
It's not an easy life. But I am so happy, that sometimes I forget how financially miserable we are.