CHAPTER 47
The Possibility
We were all starving. Well, at least Peeta and I were.
We pass the bowl with the pasta and now we're all eating.
Haymitch finally breaks the silence.
"So are you two lovers again?", he asks with a big mouthful of pasta. It's disgusting.
Peeta and I both stop eating, without knowing which of us will answer. And what to answer.
"Haymitch", Effie warns.
"What! I caught them making out in the kitchen! I supposed they'd finally gave up their differences. But that relationship won't get anywhere though. The flashbacks and she being a mutt and all", he says.
"Haymitch!", Effie scolds.
"Just shut up, please. Shut up", he says to Effie rudely.
Effie sighs quietly and looks away.
"Ouch", I say. after they're done. That hurt.
"Really Haymitch?", says Peeta clearly angry.
"I'm not feeling very good", says Haymitch getting up and walking away, he leaves behind a disgusting scent that smells of alcohol. He gets out of the house and I think he falls because I hear something crashing.
I begin to get up.
"It's okay Katniss. I'll get him and talk to him", says Peeta already on his feet and following Haymitch closing the door behind him.
Effie sighs, "Sorry, Katniss".
I take a moment before I say, "Why is he acting like that, Effie?". I pause. "How long has he been acting like this? Why do you let him? Does he treats you well?".
"It's not that Katniss...".
"Then what is it?", I say a little too harshly.
Effie stays silent for a moment, then she says "There's something you need to know".
I question her with my eyes.
She sighs before she says, "He began feeling bad the other day, so we went to the District's Hospital. They checked him and then the Doctor said he has a drinking problem".
"You don't say", I snap.
Effie ignores it and keeps talking "If he doesn't stop drinking now and taking the medicine the Doctor gave him, his liver could start failing and he could...", she trails off.
"And what, Effie?", I ask afraid of what she might answer.
"He could develop liver cancer and we would have to find a donor...and...", she doesn't finish the sentence. Instead, she takes in a deep breath and says, "But that's very unlikely to happen".
"So is he okay?" I ask quickly.
"Yes. As long as he takes his medicine and stops drinking. Don't worry, I'll keep and eye on him".
"Are you sure? Will he be okay?", I insist.
"Yes, Katniss. There's nothing to worry about, we just have to take care of him".
I nod slowly, "Okay.". But the worry is still there. A few seconds ago I wanted to scream and slap him, but now I'm worried about him...
"But let's not talk about this", she says trying to cheer me up.
I let her, I really don't want to think of the possibility that Haymitch... I can't even think about it.
"Yeah, yeah. Let's talk about some other thing", I say a little distracted.
"Why don't we prepare some coffee?", Effie asks.
"Sure", I say with a small smile.
Effie and I clean the table and prepare coffee, then, we go and sit on the couch.
"So there is something I wanted to tell Peeta and you but he's not here so I'll just tell you", says Effie. "Remember Beetee?"
I nod.
"Well, this last few months he has been working on a little project. With help from the government and other specialists, he's about to inaugurate a museum", she pauses. "I'm not very good at this so I'll just give you the invitation", she takes out something from her purse and hands it to me.
It's a fancy white envelope, I open it.
"Miss Katniss Everdeen, you have been invited to the inauguration of Beetee Latier's Technological and Historical Museum. It would be an honor to have you there"
The other envelope is Peeta's invitation. It says the same as mine but it's addressed to Peeta Mellark. Then there's the address, it's going to be on District 3.
"It's funny how you used 'little project'" I tell Effie still looking at the invitations.
"Everyone is going", she says.
"Who's everyone?".
"Me and Haymitch-".
"Does Haymitch wants to go?", I ask incredously.
"No but I made him", Effie says. "Anyway, Johanna Mason, Annie Cresta -Oh! I forgot to tell you this. Annie invited you and Peeta three days before the inauguration to a Hotel in District 4. Johanna is going too, and I think Gale and Enobaria and some others".
I cut her. "Gale?", I haven't heard anything from him for a while.
"Uhm yes, I think I saw his name on the list", says Effie and I just nod.
"So...? What do you think?".
"Well I don't know. I have to tell Peeta first".
"Oh, well okay. I'll just tell Annie that you're still making up your minds".
"No! I'll give her a call later and tell her if we're going or not. I want to say hello anyway", I say. And it's true. I feel bad for not talking to her. I don't hate her but I thought she hated me. And I can't believe she's inviting me and Peeta when she doesn't have to.
"Okay", says Effie smiling. She looks at her watch. "Oh, maybe I should get going and check on Haymitch".
I would ask her if she wants to stay a little more but I want to think about this whole thing.
"Okay", I say.
Effie gets up and begins walking to the door, I follow her.
"Well, sorry for today, Katniss. Tell Peeta the food was delicious", I smile at her, she hugs me for a brief second and then she goes.
"I'll tell Peeta to return home when I get there!", she says.
"Okay! Bye, Effie!", I wave and then close the door.
It's just a few minutes after Effie leaves when Peeta returns.
He closes the door behind him, "Hey", he says.
"Hey", I say. "How did it go?", I ask.
Peeta walks towards the couch, and sits beside me. He turns to look at me, he opens his mouth to say something but before any sound emanates from his mouth, I say "What is that?" with an alarmed tone.
He has a big bruise on the side of his jaw. Well, it's not a bruise yet, it's a red blow, but it could be a bruise if I don't do something.
"I'll get the ice", I announce walking towards the fridge before I even ask how it happened.
"It's okay, Katniss. It's nothing", he says. But with a bag of ice, I'm already walking towards him.
"How did that happen?", I ask sitting beside him and pressing the bag to his jaw. He flinches a little, his face twisting with pain. It must really hurt him.
"Did Effie told you?", he says.
"About Haymitch? Yes. But she said there's nothing to worry about, if he stops drinking and taking his medicine, nothing bad will happen, right?", I ask.
For just a brief second something flashes across Peeta's face, but I can't identify it. A second later he nods shortly. "Yeah, let's hope so", he says taking my hand.
There's a quiet moment after that, when I remember why I'm pressing a bag of ice to Peeta's jaw, but I don't know.
"But how did this happen?", I ask.
"After I took Haymitch home, he just launched himself to the sofa, but this time was different, he didn't seem right. So I asked him what was going on, he didn't wanna tell me but after insisting, he finally told me about the... problem", Peeta says. "I didn't even let him finish, I went straight to the kitchen and began emptying all the alcohol he had. Breaking the bottles into the sink. When he heard the noise, he came. But he was too drunk to have a steady pace. By the time he got there, I had already emptied all his alcohol. He went crazy and... well he did this to me".
He says nothing after that. "And then?", I inist.
"I think he regretted it, so he apologized and then we just talked...", he looks away.
"Wanna talk about it?".
He shakes his head slowly. "I would really like to talk about something else", he says quietly.
Softly, I say "Okay".
For a while, we stay quiet and besides the blow, Peeta looks really tired, and I wonder if he's not telling me something, I could say he looks almost sad.
Maybe I should be too, but I don't want to, I will hold on to what Effie said, Haymitch will be okay. He has to be.
I pull my feet up and watching Peeta's sad and tired face, I quietly say, "Come", I pull him down with me so his head is resting on my lap, usually, Peeta's the one who holds me like this, but right now is him whom I'm holding. I caress his hair in a circle, and hold his hand.
I hate to see Peeta like this, he's making me sad too. What Effie said begins to get lost in my mind, and the concern and the fear I have for Haymitch, the possibility... it haunts me.
"He's going to be okay. He has to", I say mostly to myself than to Peeta.
/ FEEDBACK IS DEEPLY APPRECIATED! What do you think of the Haymitch situation? Do you think he'll be okay? I don't want to spoil anything, but even if we can forget about the problem right now, it will come back maybe, some time... If you enjoyed the chapter, please FAVORITE it and leave a review if you'd like :) follow me, and if you want a follow back, just ask for it! Have a nice afternoon/day/night wherever you are! /