Just One More Dip

"Happy Labor Day everybody, the unofficial end of summer. We've come home to 12th Street in Panem to BBQ with my family. My dad cooks a great steak. And he's even putting on some extra veggies for my almost vegetarian husband. And to celebrate the end of summer I've got a little Prim story."

"Oh Christ Katniss, can't you tell a story about someone else. Last week was enough. Do someone else!"

"No Prim. I'm gonna tell the story I've planned, here sit next to me." I pat the seat next to me.

"Get lost! I'm getting a drink!" Prim goes to the other end of the deck and grab's a Mike's Hard Lemonade.

"Prim, grab me a black cherry one. THANKS!" Prim tosses it to me. "Whoa!" She walks over and sits next to me. "Thanks for sitting with me, don't worry, you'll enjoy this story."

"Whatever!"

The summer before our senior year, me in college and Prim in high school, Prim was a lifeguard at the pool at the Panem Club.

"Hey Henry! Stop running!"

"Brian! Get your butt over here. Listen to me, you better stop staring at Mrs. Ewing's boobs. Got it!"

"Brittney, what did I tell you! I'm watching you!"

I climb up to Prim's seat on the lifeguard chair. "Jeez Prim, you gotta lighten up on the kids. They're just trying to have a little fun."

"Katniss, if you don't stop them now they'll grow up to join a gang."

"So you think it's your job to keep a five-year old from joining the Bloods or the Crips."

"If not me then who Kit-Kat? I ask you again Katniss, if not me, who?"

"Don't you think you're being a little..." She interrupts me as usual and starts patting me on the thigh.

"Kat, look, look, look, look. Tommy Donovan is here. Oh my God he's a hunk!" She bites her finger to keep from screaming. "Just look at him. Football camp has done good for him."

"Relax Prim. He's still an asshole."

"But now he's a hunky asshole. Big difference."

"Prim, aren't you seeing Rory?"

"Rory, Rory, Rory. Can't you ever talk about any other guy. Shit Katniss, you'd think you had a crush on him or something."

"No Prim I was just saying..."

"I get off in five minutes. I'm gonna talk to him." She turns around, "how do I look?" She tries to lift her boobs, but that's no help.

"Your hair is beautiful as usual Primrose Violet."

"Oh there goes Brad Chambers. Not quite as good-looking as Tommy Donovan but his body is even better." I shake my head in disbelief.

"Prim. You really need to..." Before I can finish my sentence she is standing up and blasting her whistle.

TWEET...TWEET...TWEET... "EVERYBODY OUT OF THE POOL! NOW!" She pulls her sweatshirt over her head and flings it and the whistle. "Call for an ambulance!" are her last words before she dives straight as an arrow from my bow into the pool. I couldn't see what she was diving for but when she reaches the bottom I can see she is lifting a small child, I think it's a boy.

I lift the direct line to the police department. "We need an ambulance to the Panem Pool, drowning." I hand the phone to Madge and grab the pole with a hook on the end. When Prim gets to the surface she takes hold of the pole and I pull her in. Two men haul the boy out.

"Katniss, get my kit and start bagging him." I open her med kit and grab the resuscitator. I put it over his mouth and nose and I squeeze the bag. This forces air into his lungs. Prim takes the phone.

"Dispatch, tell the incoming unit that we have a small boy in respiratory arrest. He's being bagged." I continue to squeeze the bag, filling his lungs with air.

"Keep doing it Kat. I have a pulse, but he's still not breathing on his own." Suddenly a small boy runs up.

"Brian! Wake up. Let's play! Come on!" .

"Josh come here!" He's whisked away by a man. I look away just for a second and I see a woman crying in a man's arms. Might be the parents.

"Turn him Kat." We roll the boy on his side and he starts to cough. Then spitting and then he starts throwing up.

"I think it was the burritos." Prim says.

"Wow Prim. That was something. You were on top of it from the beginning. Hey look who's here." Rory comes walking up.

"Hi Katniss, Prim." Oh my God. Rory also went to football camp this summer and in one word, WOW! His chest muscles are well-defined, did I say WOW! And his arms are, WOW!

"Hi Rory. Welcome home. What position are you... WHOA!" Prim shoves me out-of-the-way. "Prim I'm gonna fall into..." I fall into the deep end and when I come up I see Prim twisting her hair in her fingers.

"You were great Prim." He says.

"You saw me? Thanks."

"Yeah. I just got here. My dad lent me the car."

"Gee it's nice to see you Rory. It wasn't quite summer without you around." She touches his arm and puts her other arm on her hip.

"It's good to see you too Prim. I thought about you all the time." Even Rory's voice has gotten sexy.

"You know I was just talking about you." She flutters her baby blues.

"Do you think we should help Katniss out of the pool?"

"Katniss who?" She takes his arm and starts to walk away. "Why don't we stop at Dairy Queen and get a shake."

"Sure Prim. A shake would be nice." And they go walking off.

"HAVE A NICE TIME. DON'T WORRY ABOUT ME!"

"See Prim. That was a nice story. Wasn't it?" I turn to Prim. "Prim? Prim?" She's no longer next to me. I look around for her and I finally spot her at the other end of the yard. She has her arms around Rory and she's kissing him.

"Okay, moving right along. From all of us at the Everlark's we wish you a Happy holiday weekend."