Chapter Ten – The Fun And The Fury
Haymitch began to rant about the Careers, insisting they'd always been aligned with Capitol interests.
Katniss yawned. She was tired. It had been a long day and they had to get up early.
"Show us the stairs," she interrupted.
He gave her a nasty look, but stood up. "Give me that list boy."
Peeta tore the paper from the tablet and handed it to Haymitch who quickly folded into quarters and put it in his pocket. "Follow me."
He led the couple into his bedroom, and then into the closet. There was a hanging hook on a side wall. Haymitch pulled it down, and pushed against the back wall. It was a hidden door, similar to the one that led from the dining room into the kitchen.
They followed the victor down the metal stairs to a landing where a small table and two chairs were set up. A pillow and blanket lay on top of the table, along with the mockingjay statue.
"Can you enter the apartment on the 11th floor from here?" Peeta asked.
Haymitch nodded.
"Why don't you hide in that apartment then?" Katniss questioned.
"Too many ghosts."
They all went back upstairs, exiting through the closet. Katniss and Peeta said their goodnight to the victor and went to their bedroom.
"I wish he would hide in the apartment downstairs," Katniss said. "I don't want to end up in jail if the authorities find him here."
"I think he'll probably hole up in the stairwell," Peeta said. "And with the pin and the statue jamming the cameras we'll be okay. It's only a few more days anyway until we can go home."
A few more days of humiliation, Katniss thought.
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Haymitch wasn't around when they got up, but evidence of his presence was. A plate littered with crumbs and a dirty glass sat on a side table in the living room. Katniss picked everything up and carried it into the kitchen.
When they arrived at the studio, they separated to get prepped for the show. Effie was already getting made up when Katniss walked in.
"I'm so angry with Haymitch right now," Effie told the woman who was painting a ladybug onto the side of her face. "I brought him to the Capitol to be on my show with Katniss and Peeta, and he's completely ruined his credibility as a marriage mentor by killing those two preps."
Katniss sat down in the chair.
"Good morning." Effie turned and greeted her. "Can you believe what Haymitch has done?"
Katniss shook her head.
"You poor dear having that disgusting man for your neighbor. You and Peeta should consider relocating to the Capitol and leaving that backwoods Twelve."
Katniss shivered at the thought. She turned to watch the makeup artist. The woman's hands were steady as she colored Effie's cheek, but her eyes were filled with tears. "Did you know Cassus and Lividus?" Katniss asked.
The prep nodded. "Lividus went to school with me." A tear ran down her face and she wiped it away quickly with the back of her hand.
"I hope they catch Haymitch soon," Effie concluded. "And his accomplices as well. That drunk couldn't have pulled it off by himself. He's in terrible shape you know."
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Effie's set had been completely rearranged for the third episode of the show. The chair that Elleway and Dr. Aurelius had sat in was gone. A low, long table had been placed in front of the sofa where Katniss and Peeta sat. White cardboard and a couple of black markers sat atop the table. A glassed-in booth was sitting on the right side of the set.
"Good morning," Effie said into the camera when the red light came on. She turned to Katniss and Peeta.
"You poor dears have had it rough these past few days as we've explored every facet of your relationship."
It was all Katniss could do to keep a straight face. Was the woman crazy? They'd spent the last two days having false accusations thrown at them. Nothing about this was real.
"Today we'll have some fun," Effie continued. "I'll ask some questions of each of you. You'll write down your answers and then we'll see how well you truly know each other.
Katniss exchanged a nervous glance with her husband.
"Peeta, you can go inside the glass booth first while I question Katniss."
Peeta got up and walked behind the sofa and entered the booth.
"Now that he can't hear us, we can start," Effie said, winking at Katniss conspiratorially. "We'll begin with something simple. What is Peeta's favorite color? Write it down on one of the cards in front of you."
Katniss picked up a marker. She knew the answer to this. It was sunset orange. Peeta had mentioned it the first time she'd taken him out to the woods when they'd returned to Twelve after their wedding. He had said he wanted to see her hunt and that he'd never been outside of the fence.
Within a short time Katniss realized that with Peeta's heavy tread she wouldn't be getting much, if any game that day. He was scaring all the animals away. They'd found other ways to entertain themselves though and had eventually fallen asleep. They woke up when the sun was beginning to descend. That's when Peeta had mentioned that shade of orange as being his very favorite.
Katniss sighed at the sweet memory and wrote sunset orange down on the card.
"Name a surprising habit of Peeta's that you discovered after your marriage?"
Katniss bit her lip. Every day she was discovering new things about her husband that she didn't know. She searched her brain to think of one that wasn't too revealing, yet would clearly indicate that their marriage was strong.
She'd been surprised when they'd moved into their home in Victor's Village that he insisted on sleeping with the bedroom window open. She had secretly wondered if Peeta did it on purpose to make the room colder so he'd have an excuse to wrap his arms around Katniss to keep her warm at night. If so, she didn't mind. In fact, she rather liked it.
Sleeps with the window open, she wrote.
"Next question. What is your favorite food that Peeta makes?" Effie giggled. "Because we all know what a good cook your husband is."
Katniss groaned. This was a hard one. She liked everything Peeta made, although it was definitely a toss-up between cheese buns and lamb stew. She picked up the card and wrote lamb stew.
"Now our final question," Effie said. "What is Peeta's biggest fault?"
"Oh this is easy." Katniss grinned.
Effie raised her eyebrows in surprise.
"He's too nice."
"That is so sweet," Effie gushed, before reaching for Katniss' stack of cards and turning them face down on the table.
Cressida cut to a commercial and a stagehand opened the door to the glass box and let Peeta out.
"How was it?" he asked Katniss as he walked back to the sofa.
"No cheating," Effie chided him. "Katniss, go sit in the box before the commercial ends."
Katniss stood up and walked over to the box. She went inside and sat down on a padded chair. As soon as the stagehand closed the door, music began to play. The show must have started again because she could see Peeta taking a card and writing something down. But she couldn't see his face or his card so she had no idea what he was thinking or writing.
She sat bored in the box for several minutes until Peeta had answered all the questions and a stagehand opened the door and told her to return to the sofa.
Katniss sat down on the couch, leaving a bit of space between her and her husband as Cressida ordered. The stack of cards each had filled out was placed on the low table in front of them.
She glanced at Peeta, curious as to how well they would do.
"Well, well, well that was certainly enlightening," Effie addressed the camera when the red light flashed on. "Let's go over your answers now.
"Peeta what is your favorite color?"
"Sunset orange."
"Hold up your card Katniss," Effie instructed.
Katniss showed the card to Peeta and then turned to show the camera.
"You both were right," Effie chirped.
Effie continued. "Peeta, what habit did you have that surprised Katniss when you first got married?"
A nervous look passed over Peeta's face. "Sometimes I snore," he explained. "At least my brother used to complain about it."
Katniss shook her head and raised her card, Sleeps with the window open.
Peeta raised his eyebrows. "Does it bother you?"
She shook her head. "No, it's just something that people don't do in the Seam."
Peeta looked puzzled.
"Because of the coal dust."
He nodded.
"What is Katniss' favorite food that you make for her?" Effie asked?'
Peeta grinned. "I know this. It's cheese buns. Katniss loves them."
Katniss groaned, holding up the sign. Lamb stew.
"Oh," Peeta said, looking surprised.
"I love your cheese buns, but, well, I could live solely on the lamb stew."
"Now our last question for you Peeta," Effie announced. "What would Katniss say is your greatest fault?"
A range of emotions crossed Peeta's face in the few moments before he answered honestly.
"I could be braver."
Katniss held up the sign reading, He's too nice.
"What do you mean?" Peeta asked, startled by her answer. But there was no time for conversation. Katniss could see Cressida pointing at the clock, indicating that time was running out.
Effie spoke quickly. "Now for your first question Katniss. Who did Peeta say is your very closest friend in the world, other than himself of course?"
"My sister Prim."
Peeta held up a card that said, Prim.
"Lovely," Effie said. "Question number two. "Where did you two share your first kiss?"
Katniss remembered Peeta leaning over her, the warmth of his lips crushing hers, the feeling of her back pressing into the wooden door. It seemed like that kiss went on forever.
"In the office at the Mellark Bakery."
Peeta's jaw dropped. He held up a sign. In front of the fireplace.
Katniss gasped. What was she thinking? She had kissed Peeta, a peck really, after they'd had their fake toasting before the start of The Match Game. She hadn't thought of that kiss because it had been a kind of thank-you to Peeta for coming up with a brilliant solution to her predicament. The kiss in the bakery, well that kiss had changed everything.
"Didn't you remember?"
"It was just a peck."
"But you kissed me."
She was beginning to think Peeta's greatest fault was his attention to detail.
Effie interrupted their conversation. Cressida was waving her arms about frantically.
"The next question," Effie said, but the theme music began playing. A look of panic flashed in Effie's eyes. "That's all the time we have today," she announced. Effie turned from Katniss and Peeta to look directly into the camera. "Chins up and smiles on."
"That's a wrap," Cressida shouted.
"What happened?" Effie looked to her director. "How did we get the timing all wrong? There were still two more questions in the game. And the last one, which asked about when they planned to start a family, was so charming. It would have been the perfect way to end the show."
Katniss had been sitting on the sofa drumming her fingers on the seat next to her, but at Effie's words she reached for the stack of cards that lay on the table in front of Peeta.
Peeta reached out and put his hand on top of Katniss' to prevent her from grabbing at his answer cards.
She looked up at him. "How did you answer that last question?"
"It doesn't matter," Peeta said. His voice had an oddly discouraged tone.
Katniss stared at him. "What's wrong?"
"We can talk about it later."
Already a stagehand had approached the couple to remove the microphone on their collars. After a quick meeting to debrief them, Katniss and Peeta were excused. Effie told them to go home and rest up because that evening they'd be going on a fancy dinner date that would be filmed for the show.
As soon as they got into the back of the car, Katniss made an obvious display of turning on her mockingjay pin. "What's wrong Peeta?" she asked again.
He shook his head and didn't say anything for a minute. "We don't know each other very well," he finally admitted.
"Of course we do."
"Katniss we only agreed on two answers and to be honest I nearly wrote down Gale instead of Prim as your closest friend. But I didn't think that would be very smart. It would probably create another scandal altogether."
"He's not my closest friend," she replied. "Not anymore." But up until a few months ago, he had been. And technically Prim could be categorized as her sister, even though she was also her friend.
"How did you answer that question about having children? We've never talked about it."
"There are lots of things we've never talked about."
Katniss grimaced. Peeta was right. She always shied away from uncomfortable topics. It was easier to deal with things as they happened than to discuss them in advance. "Well, it's hard to have a conversation when I never know if I'm being recorded," she countered.
"That's not an excuse. You have the pin."
He was right. She turned away and looked out the window. How had things gone wrong so quickly? The previous shows had been quite hurtful, yet she'd come away feeling closer to her husband. Now this frivolous game had caused them to argue.
They didn't speak for the remainder of the car ride. The vehicle stopped in the front of their building and they went inside to the elevator. They were waiting for it to take them up to the penthouse when they heard a beep and the doors of another elevator opened. Out walked Cashmere and Gloss. Had they been inside the penthouse searching for Haymitch?
Katniss nearly jumped in surprise. She felt Peeta's arm wrap around her and even though she was upset with him right now, she was grateful for his protection. After their conversation the previous evening, she was beginning to think Haymitch might be right about the victors from One.
"Hey you two, great show this morning," Cashmere said. Her voice had a seductive lilt to it and Katniss couldn't help but notice the older woman checking out Peeta. Instinctively she moved closer to her husband.
"Funny seeing you two here," Peeta said. "Are you filming a show too?" His voice was smooth and Katniss admired the way he nonchalantly was digging for information.
"We're always doing something in the Capitol," Cashmere said. "Isn't that right Gloss?"
Gloss nodded.
"Have you heard from Haymitch?" Cashmere asked. "I hear he's still on the loose."
"Naw," Peeta said. "I can't imagine he'd stay come back here. He's probably half-way to Twelve by now, don't you think?"
Cashmere eyed Peeta curiously but said nothing.
"We need to get going Sis. We don't want to be late for our meeting."
"Right," Cashmere said. "See you around."
A beep sounded and the elevator doors opened for Katniss and Peeta.
They got inside as Cashmere and Gloss left the building.
"Well that was interesting," Katniss said.
Peeta nodded.
When they got upstairs, they could smell Haymitch before they saw him as the reek of alcohol permeated the room. The victor was sitting on the sofa watching television and drinking.
He turned toward them and tipped his glass. "That was a great show today. Too bad I couldn't have been on it. I already know more about the two of you than anyone would want to know." His voice changed to a high falsetto, "Oh Peeta, don't stop, more, more."
Katniss' face grew warm. She glared at her husband.
"We don't have to open the window until right before we go to sleep," he mumbled.
"I thought you were going to remain in the stairwell," Katniss turned to the victor. "Cashmere and Gloss are staying in this very building. We just ran into them in the lobby. They even asked about you."
Haymitch snorted. "Of course they'd stay in this building. The television network owns it. What did you say about me?"
"I said you were probably half-way to Twelve," Peeta said.
"Smart thinking," Haymitch muttered. "The Peacekeepers should be here soon."
As if on cue, a loud rapping was heard at the door. Katniss jumped at the noise. Haymitch set his glass down and hurried off in the direction of the bedroom. Katniss had never seen the victor move so fast.
"It will be okay," Peeta mouthed to her as he answered the door.
The same two Peacekeepers from the day before were outside. "We're looking for Haymitch Abernathy," the gray-haired one said.
"He's not here," Peeta said.
"We'll determine that." He stepped forward and Peeta stepped out of the way to let the men inside.
The gray-haired Peacekeeper sniffed at the air. "So he's not here you say." He pointed to the glass of red liquid that sat on the side table next to the sofa.
"That's my drink," Katniss said quickly. She picked up the glass. It smelled awful, a combination of alcohol and a sweet scent that seemed strangely familiar. She put it to her mouth and swallowed it all down in a few gulps. Immediately her throat began to burn.
She gagged and coughed at the same time. Her eyes and nose begin to stream. She put her hands to her cheeks to wipe them dry.
"Your drink?" The Peacekeeper sneered. "He's in here somewhere," he told his partner. "Stay here," he ordered Katniss and Peeta.
Katniss nodded. She sat down on the sofa, already feeling dizzy.
"Are you alright?" Peeta rushed to her side. "Why did you do that?"
"You know," Katniss whispered. She focused on Peeta's blue eyes. It made the room around her stop spinning. Her body was growing warmer now. Her muscles had never been so relaxed, well actually they had been this relaxed but that was when… Her mind drifted.
"You could have pretended to spill the drink on the carpet or on yourself," Peeta said. "You didn't have to swallow it."
"You're so smart," Katniss mumbled. Peeta was clever, always thinking of creative solutions to the problems that faced them.
She vaguely remembered being upset with him a few minutes earlier, but she couldn't remember exactly why now. She looked at his blue eyes seeing the concern reflected in them. She was so lucky to have married such a handsome, wonderful person.
"I love you so much." Her voice sounded strange in her own ears, like it belonged to someone else. She reached out to cup his face, but her hand slid down and she wrapped her arms around his neck.
He leaned into face into her hair and whispered into her ear. "Katniss there are Peacekeepers searching the penthouse. This isn't a good time."
"But the pin is on."
Peeta pulled away and looked around the room quickly to be sure the Peacekeepers hadn't heard her. "You need some food in you to sop up all that liquor."
"The only thing I need is you," Katniss murmured, yanking at Peeta's hair and pulling him toward her again.
A throat cleared and Katniss dropped her hands to Peeta's shoulders to look at the Peacekeepers standing near the door.
"We're leaving now," the gray-haired one said. "But we'll be back."
As soon as they closed the door behind them, Katniss raised a hand to touch Peeta's cheek. "Where were we…" she began.
"We're not doing this now." Peeta pulled her hand down from his face. "You're drunk."
"No, I'm not." But she was feeling tired and very, very sleepy. "I need to lay down." She let go of her husband and stretched out to lie along the length of the sofa. "Give me a few minutes. Then I'll be ready for you."
In less than a minute she was out cold.
Hours must have passed when she felt Peeta shaking her awake. Her tongue was thick and her mouth was dry. Her head ached.
"Wake up Katniss. Portia and Cressida will be here soon with the film crew."
Peeta put his arm around her back and helped her up into a sitting position. He held a glass of water to her lips, and she took a few sips.
"My head hurts."
"You're hung over."
"I'm never drinking anything again."
"That's a good idea. But to be fair that drink contained more than alcohol."
Katniss put her hand to her forehead trying to stop the pulsating beat that seemed to be consuming her head. "What do you mean?"
"Haymitch came back from the stairwell about an hour after the Peacekeepers left looking for his drink. When I told him you swallowed it all he was concerned. Seemed he didn't think cooking sherry had enough of a kick so he added some sleep syrup he found to make the drink stronger."
Katniss groaned.
"Here let me help you up. You need to shower. There's drool all over your face."
Embarrassed, Katniss let Peeta lead her back to their bedroom and into the large bathroom.
They could hear someone knocking on the penthouse door.
"Get cleaned up. I'll take care of that." Peeta closed the bathroom door.
Katniss stripped and stepped inside the shower. Dizziness overwhelmed her and she had to lean against the shower wall to keep from falling onto the tile.
She let the water pound on her skin, trying to wake herself up. Her brain was still cloudy.
The bathroom door opened a crack and Peeta called in. "Portia is here to dress you now."
"Great. I'll be right out." She tried to make her voice sound light and energetic, but she was dreading the evening ahead. She wanted to crawl back into bed and sleep off this fogginess instead of going out to dinner.
Portia had brought clothes for them, a sparkly red dress for Katniss that fell below her knees, and a dark suit for Peeta that made his eyes look even bluer.
"You're very pale," Venia said as she made Katniss up.
"I'm tired," Katniss explained. "It's been a long week."
The camera was on the couple the entire evening. It was supposed to be a fun, romantic date. But Katniss hadn't recovered from Haymitch's special concoction. When the waiter brought them both glasses of wine with their meal, Katniss pushed hers away and asked for water. She picked at her food. Even though it looked delicious, she couldn't trust her stomach. It was queasy and she didn't want to vomit on camera.
Fortunately Peeta kept a running monologue going - talking about Effie's show, revealing tiny innocuous parts of their life in Twelve, and even plugging his upcoming cookbook that would soon be published. Katniss marveled at how well her husband had figured out how to play the game of Capitol celebrity, talking for long stretches and saying nothing of consequence.
All she could manage were a few smiles and a couple of head nods.
Finally the meal ended and the couple was taken back to the penthouse. Cressida insisted that they kiss in front of the penthouse door. Inwardly Katniss groaned. She didn't like sharing this part of herself with all of Panem. Fortunately Peeta agreed. He pressed his lips to hers for a few seconds longer than a peck, but they both kept it chaste.
Afterwards he turned to Cressida. "Are we done now? We're both really tired."
The director nodded. "Get your sleep. You have a big show tomorrow."
When they got inside, Katniss headed for the bedroom. Once inside she stripped off her dress and climbed into bed, pulling the covers over her head.
"Are you still feeling bad?" Peeta asked. He'd followed her into the room, picked up her dress, and draped it over a nearby chair. He pulled the mockingjay pin from his pocket where Katniss had placed it for safekeeping, and set it on the nightstand.
"Yeah," she mumbled. "I just need to sleep this off."
She heard Peeta stomp into the bathroom, and listened to the shower turn on before drifting off. It seemed like only minutes later that he was shaking her awake.
"We have a problem."
She groaned. "What?"
"Our date made Good Night Panem. They showed you pushing away your glass of wine. They said it's because you're pregnant."