Chapter 9

"I can't believe my mom fought the Elites when she was in high school. I mean she's always been a bit on the timid side. Street fights don't seem like something she'd take part in." Katniss utters softly as she picks at her dinner plate at the kitchen counter.

"I could see it." Johanna declares as she cuts into her steak. "I know your mom had a hard time after your dad died but she's always been a tough lady. She sees all kinds of violence as an ER nurse and does the job without flinching."

"Yeah but treating wounds and causing them are very different situations. I didn't think my mom had it in her to be the one throwing the punches." Katniss argues. She thinks about all those months after her dad died when her mom shut down. Caroline spent her days sitting in her old rocking chair staring at the wall and occasionally talking to herself. No amount of pleading from either of her daughters made her come back to life. It wasn't until Uncle Haymitch came to live with them that she finally started to come around and interact with the world again.

"That's because you just see the side of her that's your mom." Katniss jumps as a low, gruff voice speaks. She jerks her head in the direction of the voice to see Haymitch leaning in the kitchen doorway sipping from his coffee mug.

"In high school she was a real rebel child. Your mom was a town girl whose whole life was planned out for her. Her parents expected her to get her degree in nursing from a prestigious university of their choosing, then come back to work at her father's clinic and marry Daniel Mellark. She threw all their plans out the window when..."

"Wait Daniel? As in Daniel Mellark? He was mom's childhood sweetheart?" Katniss interrupts eyes wide with shock.

Haymitch shoots her annoyed look at the interruption then sighs and answers her question. "Yep Peeta's dad. Daniel was the son of Caroline's mother's best friend and they were always made to play together as kids. They started dating as teenagers but for Caroline there was no spark."

"Wow, I never knew they had history! No one ever told us that in all these years. It's kind of weird then that I fell in love with the son of mom's old boyfriend."

"Well that's ancient history. The past shouldn't affect you and Peeta. Now stop interrupting me." Haymitch huffs.

"Anyway, where was I? Ah the first day they met. So your dad and I went to your grandfather's office in the beginning of junior year to have a mandatory physical done for wrestling. He noticed a young mother trying to keep her sick little girl calm as they waited for their turn. Jack went over to the little girl and started singing The Valley Song to her." He pauses as he thinks back on that day so many years ago. Katniss thinks of all the times her dad sang that very song to her as a little girl.

"Your mom was working at the reception desk that day and she said she fell in love him at that moment. She always said even the birds fell silent when he would sing. She broke it off with Daniel that night. The next day in hall she walked right up to Jack and asked him out for hot chocolates after school. He immediately said yes, since he'd had a crush on Caroline for years, but didn't tell her because he knew she was in a relationship with Daniel. From that day on Jack and Caroline were always together. You didn't see one without the other."

"So they were the lovey dovey couple in your generation. Like Peeta and Katniss are to our friend group. In love to the point of making the rest of us nauseous with all their cheesiness." Johanna sticks her finger down her throat to imitate puking. Katniss glares at her friend, but knows her and Peeta are kind of attached at the hip most of the time.

"Yes they did act very much like Peeta and Katniss. Caroline's parent did not approve of her new relationship. When she announced her plans to stay in town, marry Jack, and attend the community college her parents were so furious that they basically disowned. They kicked her out of the house, they didn't come to her wedding, and they didn't come when she gave birth to either you or Prim. You're dad always felt guilty for being the cause of her losing her family but your mom assured him every time he worried over it that she had no regrets. He was her world, so when she lost him it took a while for her to remember how to live without him. I think it helped when I moved in because Jack and I are so much alike. It was like having a piece of him back."

Haymitch finishes his coffee and stands. "Don't be so hard on your mom, kiddo. She's so strong to have overcome that kind of heartache. I hope you never have to endure the kind of pain she was in. I'm heading off to the loft for bed. Goodnight girls."

"Goodnight Haymitch." Johanna calls over her shoulder as she stands at the sink washing her dishes.

"Goodnight Uncle Haymitch." Katniss whispers still mulling over all she learned that night.