Chapter 25: Visit from Old Fling

Katniss's POV

The baby's wails wake me up in the wee hours of the morning. Careful not to wake Peeta, I rise from the bed we share to nurse our infant daughter.

"There, there... let's go down to the kitchen so we don't wake Daddy, OK?"

But when I get down there, I nearly leap a foot in the air and scream.

A young woman is sitting at our kitchen table. She has pretty brown hair, a button nose and a round face.

"Can... can I help you?" I stammer, even though it's the middle of the night.

"Oh no," she smiles. "This just seemed like a nice place to wait for someone. And he should be here soon."

I eye her warily. What a strange response. "Are you lost?"

"No, I'm just dead," she says matter-of-factly.

I stare in bewilderment as the woman holds out her hand. "Rosemary Fairchild."

"Katniss... Mellark," and I shake.

Just then, the front door opens and a figure slips inside, armed with a knife. "Sweetheart? Are you OK? I heard voices." As Haymitch moves into the light, he drops his weapon and his beer bottle and stares. "Rose... Rosemary?"

The woman beams. "Hello, Haymitch."

But Haymitch stumbles away, as if ashamed. "I never wanted you to see me like this..." and he seems to be choking up, as if he might cry.

"Nonsense." Rosemary rises. "You've done quite well for yourself. New wife."

At this, Haymitch stops and almost looks chastened. Rosemary seems to read his mind.

"You needn't be faithful to me anymore, my love. You've found someone who can take care of you just as much as I could have. And you have the babies we never got to make on our own. Grandbabies, too. I'm proud of you, Haymitch. You don't need me anymore."

Haymitch raises his eyes to hers, but she suddenly kisses him firmly on the lips. How weird it must be to kiss a ghost. Could I kiss Prim like that, if I wanted to. "Goodbye, Haymitch." Rosemary turns to me. "Goodbye, my dear. And thank you for looking after him." She begins to fade away.

"Goodbye... Rosemary," Haymitch gets out.

I feed my baby, put her to bed, and bid Haymitch goodnight. Then, I return to my husband in bed in a daze.