Effie had a pile of dresses and skirts on the end of her bed that no longer fit. Haymitch was watching the kids move about the darkening arena. "I know your ears work, you should be going anywhere. Like that doctor said." He warned.
Effie put her hands on her hips and shook her head. "I have to go see him. He cancelled the 6 pm meeting yesterday. I really need to speak with him. I need to smooth things over. There's hours left in the game. The feast last night was proof of that."
"All I'm saying is whatever you could possibly say to him probably won't change his mind on anything." He sat up and picked up the last dress she just threw on the bed. "What was wrong with this one?"
Effie gave him a scathing look, "Oh you mean the fact that I couldn't get the zipper up?"
He frowned and set the dress down. He reminded himself not to ask her about clothing for the rest of the time she was pregnant. It seemed to be a touchy issue. Effie pulled on a navy blue dress and whined as she struggled to zip it. "Come help me with this."
Haymitch got up and gently tugged at the zipper. It was snug but he got it zipped for her. "There." He said and kissed her temple.
Effie plucked at the stretchy lace material and sighed. In a way she was lucky the games would be over and she could start hiding out. Her body was going to balloon outward over the next weeks. It was already too noticeable. The lace was forgiving around her ribs and flowed away loosely around her hips. She fastened a golden belt around her waist and matching jewelry. "The doctor said I've gained 8 pounds. 8 pounds and I have nothing that fits anymore!"
"Relax. You still look beautiful." He reminded and looked her over. She didn't look pregnant in the dress. She looked like she had gained some weight but she could easy just play it off on the decadent food.
"That's not what I was asking about." She fussed with the belt.
"But it's true." He glanced at the close up on Katniss and Peeta in the forest. It was late afternoon in the Capitol but the arena was pitch black.
Haymitch grabbed her waist and kissed her hard, even though he knew she'd be upset over her make-up.
"I have to go." She reminded and pecked his lips one more time.
"There's a good chance the games are going to end while you're with him. Eff… We need to consider somethings." He reminded and stopped to fill up his glass of whiskey.
She glanced at the clock and turned back to look at him, "What's that?" She asked quickly.
He took a long drink, "What happens when the games are over?"
She sighed and looked down at her belly. The loaded question she was afraid to spend any time on. Now he was asking and she had no answer. "I don't know."
Haymitch swallowed another significant gulp of his drink, "You haven't thought about what having this kid means for us when the games are over?"
Effie folded her arms and fell quiet for a small portion of time, "I have… I was thinking I'd stay here. I'm close to the best doctors."
That answer wasn't good enough for Haymitch. He was the selfish sort and he wanted Effie to choose otherwise. "I can't stay here with you."
"You could…" Effie reminded. "I can get a new apartment. A bigger one."
He polished off the remnants of his drink and set it down with a soft clink. "I can't stay here. You know that. Every minute I spend in this place only reminds me of the hell I went through. I have to go home to 12."
Effie checked the clock again and turned back to Haymitch, "I can't just up and leave with you. I have affairs to take care of here."
"I can't leave you here. You shouldn't have to do this alone. I can't go to 12 and just wait around until it's time for the kid to be born." He said quickly knowing Effie was dangerously short on time for meeting with Seneca Crane.
Effie let out an exasperated breath, "The Capitol is my home. I just can't abandon it. What can District 12 offer me that I can't get here in terms of what the baby needs?"
"Me." Haymitch said selfishly. He threw that card at her knowing she needed him just as much as he craved being around her.
Effie's gaze softened, "I can't do this now.." She kissed him softly, "I wish the choice was easy, but it isn't. I need to think. I can't do what's best for me. I need to think about what's best for the baby."
"Come to 12, Effie. I'll take care of you. My home in the Victors Village is plenty big enough. There are doctors in 12 who can help you. What's best for the baby is to have both of its parents there for it. Traveling back and forth is just exhausting and it'll draw more attention."
Haymitch had a point and Effie frowned. It would be so easy to say yes, but what did that mean for her life? She was used to her way of life in the Capitol. She had family here. He didn't have family in 12. Staying in the Capitol was out of the question for him. Living in poor District 12 was something that Effie wasn't ready for. Did she sell her apartment? Or did she keep it and prepare it for the baby as well? She needed time to tell her family about the baby. She needed more time. She turned her eyes back to Haymitch, "I can't do this right now… Please let's talk later." She squeezed his hand and headed for the door. "I'll meet you in the lounge for the finale."
She hurried off for the Gamemaker's control center. Upon being escorted in by Peacekeepers, Seneca greeted her. "Effie, I was worried you wouldn't show up." He noted her late arrival.
Effie brushed her hair back and smiled extra brightly, "It took longer to get ready than I had planned on. I'm supposed to be in bed. I get tired quite easily since my episode a few days ago."
Seneca seemed to remember that and motioned for her to join him at his spot overlooking the whole command center. Many people bustled around and were preparing some type of creature for its entrance into the arena. A monstrous looking dog with a human like face cause Effie to shiver a bit.
"Understandable." He pointed to a set of chair by a tall countertop. "Let's sit, Effie."
Effie slid into her spot on the chair and looked over at Seneca. Where to start? "About the other day…" She started.
Seneca nodded, "It seems that I interrupted something serious."
Effie had a choice to make. Lie to Seneca and play off what he had witnessed to protect herself and Haymitch or admit the truth. The whole truth baby and all. Her stomach clenched, and she nodded nonchalantly.
"It wasn't." Effie lied quickly. It was honestly in her favor to do so. Doing so could help Katniss and Peeta. It was the type of answer Seneca would want to hear. "He was drinking and I was on some pretty heavy medicines. What you saw was nothing important."
"It looked serious." Seneca pointed out.
Effie smiled, "I'll admit a long time ago I sort of had a crush on Haymitch. I think you saw that coming around. He and I are just too different." She continued her lie. Effie was talented in her ability to act. She kept up her performance and made sure to make it believable.
"Really, him of all people?" Seneca sort of laughed which deep down pissed her off. She swallowed the anger and brushed it off in her typical dramatic fashion.
"I know.. I was foolish when I was younger." Effie smiled and made sure to add a flirtatious glance at Seneca. After all this meeting wasn't really about explaining anything to Seneca. Itw as about making sure her tributes were the ones that were alive at the end of the day. Victory was so close, she had to help bring it home for District 12.
"Does the same go for our history?" Seneca asked after a brief pause.
Effie fell quiet and greatly considered the best answer to feed him.
"No.. Well.. We were so young, weren't we?" Effie asked with a smile.
Seneca nodded, "Years ago.. 18 and 19?"
Effie laughed, "That seems like ages ago. But they were good times, were they not?" She looked over at him and kept up her charade.
The mutts had been released after a quick nod from Seneca when another gamemaker had asked for approval. Effie watched the screen with bated breath as the mutts mauled the boy who had pardoned Katniss not even a day ago. The cannon sounded for Thresh and Effie glanced at Seneca. His game was down to three now. Katniss and Peeta were moving quickly toward the cornucopia.
"They were…" Seneca answered, "I still have feelings for you Effie. Has that not been clear all this time?"
Effie felt her heart hammer. She had just figured Haymitch as jealous or paranoid but it was seriously true now. Seneca had never quite gotten over the break-up they had at the end of their trainings as personnel for the Hunger Games. She smoothed her dress and paused to give herself time to think. Mutts were barreling down on her tributes as they ran.
"Things are complicated, Seneca. Your position and my career… If we dated what would they all say? Everyone would assume District 12 gets special treatment." Effie said softly as her stomach churned. This was so nerve-wracking, playing out this elaborate lie and hoping desperately it let Katniss and Peeta live.
"They would say how well matched we are. Our careers drove us together. Earlier in our lives we dated and can you not deny is was good?" Seneca asked and watched the huge mutts chase Katniss and Peeta on top of the cornucopia that Cato had been hanging around by. Effie had a white knuckled grip on the railing overlooking the control center.
"That was a long time ago, Seneca." Effie reminded and flinched as Katniss narrowly avoided a stab from Cato. He seemed to see how preoccupied she was. Effie's eyes wandered to a smaller screen that held a live feed from the lounge area full of victors, stylists and prep teams. Haymitch was at the bar swishing whiskey around in a glass. He looked nervous as he watched the final battle sprawling out before his eyes.
Cato snatched Peeta and held a knife to his throat. Effie gasped and couldn't tear her eyes from the screen. Commotion erupted around the other gamemakers, preparing a cannon, firing up the mutts who were circling the cornucopia. There was Haymitch on the small screen drinking the whiskey too fast. Effie shut her eyes and pleaded with whatever type of higher being that would save Peeta.
In a flash Katniss shot Cato in the hand and he tumbled off the cornucopia. Mutts began to maul the boy and his screams carried out around the room. Effie felt sick at the thought of the boy being ripped apart. Her stomach churned and she gently pressed on her belly. More commotion as the cannon was readied for Cato. Katniss let an arrow loose and mercifully killed the boy.
Pure relief washed over Effie as she stared at the screen. District 12 won. They won. They did it. They didn't save one, they saved two. Butterflies erupted from her stomach, and her eyes found Haymitch being congratulated in the lounge. He looked surly still but he had a small smile.
"Effie?" Seneca asked.
Effie blinked, "Hmm?" She said softly.
"I said, I still love you Effie. I haven't stopped." He reminded, clearly seeing she hadn't heard him the first time.
Effie watched Katniss and Peeta hugging in the arena as the sun came back. ".. You do?"
He nodded as a voice boomed over the arena announcing what she had feared. They only wanted one victor. Katniss and Peeta looked crestfallen. They talked to each other, emotions wildly playing over their faces. No! Effie screamed in her mind. She looked back at Seneca, how could he revoke the hope that had gotten the kids through the game?
He leaned against the railing as Katniss offered Peeta something in her hands. The intent was clear that they wouldn't give them what the crowd wanted. They'd rather die than kill each other. A crew of gamemakers looked at Seneca for guidance. Let one of them commit suicide or change the rules.
Effie grabbed his hand and whispered, "Seneca please… change the rule back!"
"You haven't given me an answer, Effie." He held his hand up to make the gamemakers wait. Meanwhile Peeta stroked Katniss' hair and took a handful of berries. Nightlock berries. Effie panicked.
Effie grabbed Seneca's jacket and tugged him into her for a kiss. She shut her eyes and swallowed the betrayal that rose up in her throat. Seneca's hands pulled her closer and he kissed her back. This was wrong. So wrong. What will Haymitch say? Should she even tell him?
Effie broke away for air and Seneca motioned to the gamemakers to reverse the rule. Seconds to spare before the kids swallowed the berries. Effie stepped away from Seneca and fussed with her hair. She watched Haymitch chase a shot with the remnants of his whiskey and stand up. Katniss and Peeta were being lifted out of the arena. He would be meeting them in the hospital wing. Effie needed to be there. It was necessary but these kids meant so much to her. "I need to be there when they arrive. I have a lot to organize for the crowning and feast.." She stepped away.
"Come see me later?" Seneca asked and leaned in to kiss her cheek. Her heart thudded and not the way that it did when Haymitch kissed her. Years ago she loved Seneca when he was a boy. Time changes people and her heart was set on Haymitch.
"I'll see how late it is when I find free time." She said softly.
"Effie.." He said with a knowing look.
"Midnight?" She caved as her attention was brought to the hovercraft reaching Capitol airspace. Minutes separated her from her victors.
"Alright." Seneca nodded, "Go see you victors."
Effie hurried off ignoring the throbbing headache that warned her that she was pushing herself to far.
**So much happened! Let me know what you think. Should Effie tell Haymitch about what she did or would it be better to keep it a secret? I love and appreciate each review! You guys rock! **