Dear Haymitch,

I know by the time you read this letter, you will be furiously mad at me. I understand and I will not hold it against you. I did not leave to hurt you or get back at you. This is the only way for everyone to get what they want. I want to say thank you for everything you have done for me. Please do take care of yourself and the kids. I wrote separate letters for them as well. I want you to know that I have never loved anyone as much as I love you, Haymitch Abernathy. You're the only one.

Love,

Effie

Haymitch stared a long time on that piece of paper. She's gone. He checked the closet and everything of hers are gone. She left without saying goodbye to him or the kids and she didn't even write her reason for leaving. He asked himself if there's anything he did wrong. Did he go too far last night? She did give him permission. Why would she leave him like that after they caught up with each other? He left his room and Katniss and Peeta are already waiting for him in the living room.

"What did you do?" she asked right away.

"I haven't done anything, sweetheart. Got me a note too", he answered while waving Effie's letter.

"Why would she leave just like that? Things are finally fine", Peeta muttered.

Haymitch put the letter on the table and went to the kitchen. He knows he doesn't have any bottles left since he threw them out when he became sober but he now needs it desperately. Last night was great. They were happy and it's like all a dream for when he wakes up, she's no longer sleeping next to him. What happened? Effie never leaves without saying a proper goodbye even when she's mad at him.

"I'm going to try and call her apartment. I will let you know if she will answer", Peeta said but he didn't turn around.

"I'll call Plutarch too. Maybe he knows where she is", Katniss added and the two left his house.

He stayed at the kitchen staring at Effie's tea at the counter. She mentioned she wants to quit coffee and drink tea instead every morning but she cannot shake her caffeine addiction. He laughed so hard at her that she threw him a glare. He teased her about how he can quit alcohol but she cannot quit coffee. It's how his day went, remembering her and their memories together. She's not dead. She's just gone from his life. She left him. That's it.

The kids did not return with news. Maybe they failed to get any. Couple of days passed and still nothing. Sae visited him after she learned what happened.

"Well, you're not drunk so that's good", she muttered when she saw him on the couch. "You haven't eaten anything and that is bad", she added.

"Why are you here?" he asked.

"Watch your tone there boy. I came here to feed you so you need to be grateful", she answered.

Sae served him with soup but he only looked at it.

"You have to eat", she said.

"Did she tell you anything? She can't leave just like that", he asked now sounding vulnerable which he never show to anyone other than Effie and now Sae.

"Oh, Abernathy…I wish I can give you something but no, she did not say anything about leaving. Last time I saw her was when she got scared shitless by that guy and that was it", she answered.

Haymitch is losing hope. He wanted to know her reason but he couldn't find any. She's been happy with them. He knows it. She was smiling and laughing and the people of Twelve finally accepted her. Why would she leave after all the work she has done?

"She wouldn't just took off like that. Effie is always proper. Saying goodbyes in letter is not her style", he muttered.

"Well, if you knew her so well like that then I guess you got your answer. What if it's not really the kind of goodbye you're thinking about", she suggested.

They looked at each other for a moment. She's right. He knows her better than anyone else. Effie only writes letter if she wants to avoid the conversation and she's not like with them. If she wants to say goodbye, she does it face to face. When he and Katniss left the Capitol, Effie was still mad at him but she came still and said her goodbye in person. Something is off. She wanted to avoid conversation with him if she will tell him she's leaving. She's been very off after the announcement of the tributes for the game. She said she was just tired but she's happy she wasn't included. He bought that like a fool but now he can see it clearly. She's masking it.

"What did you?"

"I pulled some strings".

She pulled some strings. His guts already told him that her 'friend' who 'stole' her name from the bowl may not be real but he looked on the other side because he's in a celebratory mood. He got up and went to read her letter which he had read so many times in the past few days. I did not leave to hurt you or get back at you. This is the only way for everyone to get what they want. She said it's the only way for everyone to get what they want. She's not leaving him for herself. She's leaving him for other people. Who?

"Haymitch!" Katniss called after bursting from the door.

"What?" he asked.

"We found her. Plutarch called this morning", she answered.

"So, she's back at the Capitol?" he guessed.

"Oh, she is back, yes, and she is engaged too", she said.

This time Sae stood up.

"What?" she asked.

"She's engaged to Felix Garth", Katniss answered.