45.
Effie was so nervous she almost felt like throwing up on the dead flower beds on either side of the porch. She glanced at Haymitch who offered an encouraging smile – or what he probably thought was an encouraging smile but, truly, it was more of a wince. He had his hands in the pockets of his grey pants, his black woolen jacket tossed over his grey button-up shirt… He would have worn the black beanie if she hadn't made a fuss and forced him to leave it in the car. Still, he didn't look his best with his shaggy hair and the few cuts he had given himself shaving the previous night – she deeply regretted having begged him to do it now. She wasn't sure why it was important because she still loved him even if he would have looked much better in anything else.
Taking a deep breath, she smoothed her own creased grey jumpsuit and rang the doorbell before she could talk herself into running back to the car and the bored soldier who had driven them.
They could hear the ring of the doorbell from outside. It was as grandstanding at the house with its imposing brown door with the brass knocker shaped like a lion with an open mouth. A cavernous sound that wasn't pleasing at all to the ears.
Her breathing quickened a little and she had to make an effort to calm herself, count her breaths, visualize a candle… Haymitch's hand landed on her shoulder and squeezed gently in support. Still, it felt like forever instead of minutes before the big door finally opened on a woman.
Her face was odd and that was the first thing she noticed. She was wearing a lot of make-up but not enough that Effie couldn't see her face didn't look quite right. There was a plastic look to the cheekbones and the sides of the eyes and mouth seemed unnaturally smooth. Her lips seemed swollen too although it might have been the glittery lipstick. And her hair… A wig, probably, a vivid turquoise blue to match the purple puffy dress she had on. The global effect was overwhelming. But the woman's eyes… The woman's eyes were blue and they were the same as her own.
The woman must have been her mother.
She took all that in, in a second.
It was the same time it took the woman to do her own visual inspection and for her face to crumple in fury when she spotted Haymitch.
"You have some nerves!" the woman – her mother – spat, immediately glancing behind them with obvious worry. "Come in before the neighbors see you! Did you have to bring him, Euphemia? Will there be no end to the humiliation?" Both Effie and Haymitch opened their mouths but they couldn't say anything. The woman had a surprisingly strong grip and she dragged both inside by the wrists before slamming the door shut behind them. Then she glared some more, straight at Effie. "I see I was right. Your father thought you must have been very indisposed for you to have your drunkard write instead of doing it yourself. I said after all you put us through there was no excuse for you not to write yourself except if you were on your deathbed. Clearly you are not. Why, you do not seem to be injured at all, contrary to what this horrid man led us to believe."
There was a pause as her mother needed to breathe and Effie took advantage of it, frowning a little because she truly did not like the way she was talking about Haymitch. "I…"
"I cannot imagine what you thought you were doing!" her mother cut her off, raising her voice a little. "Do you have any idea what we went through? Did you care at all? Cavorting with rebels! Running away without even leaving a note!" The woman sneered at Haymitch. "The company you keep! Really, there is no…"
"Elindra, what is all this shouting!" a male voice thundered from down the corridor. "I am trying to work."
Effie blinked as a man came striding in, an angry expression on his face that morphed into relief when he spotted her. The relief was quickly schooled into a blank mask though and Effie, who had started smiling, felt her lips freeze until her mouth hurt a little from the strain.
"Euphemia." the man said. It must have been her father.
There was an immediate familiarity to the man, something she couldn't quite identify but… He was her father. She knew he was. He must have been.
This wasn't at all what she had imagined. Her heart was racing, her fingers were prickling, the itch at the back of her head had flared sometimes in the middle of her mother's speech and she could feel the beginning of a headache behind her eyes…
At a loss, she glanced around. Anything to not look at the two people in front of her. She didn't know what to do with them. Her father looked weird too. His skin was unnaturally smooth, the dark blue hair, clearly dyed, on his head were too carefully combed, the suit he had on was deceptively simple… Everything about him screamed wealth.
And the house… The entryway was grand. But it was all white and glass with the random touches of black. It reminded her of the white world. It was uncomfortable. It was…
"Can you believe the nerves of your daughter?" her mother started again. Effie tuned her out. Her mother's voice was like a staccato, the rattattattat of a gun… There were so many echoes in her mind but they slipped through the cracks to disappear and…
She took a step back, bumping into Haymitch who immediately placed a hand at the small of her back.
"Do you want to go?" he asked quietly.
"Go?" her mother huffed before she could nod – and she would have nodded. "Imagine that! You are certainly not going anywhere, young lady! Not before you give us an explanation and quite a few apologies! I cannot believe…"
"Lin. Be quiet." her father said softly.
It hardly seemed enough to stop another rant but her mother's head whirled toward him with shock. At the tone or the nickname?
Her father didn't look at her mother, he took a step forward and outstretched a hand toward her. "Effie?"
That was better, she decided, that she could handle. So she bravely grabbed the offered hand with a tentative smile. "Hello, Daddy."
The blank mask shattered into surprise and worry. It only got worse after she decided that was because she hadn't properly greeted him and she dropped his hand to give him a hug.
He didn't hug back immediately and, when he did, it was only to barely place his hands on her back. It wasn't a great hug and she was disappointed when she stepped back.
Her mother was gaping at her. Her mouth was open but nothing was coming out of it. Effie thought about taking advantage of that small feat to hug her too but she didn't really want to, so she just retreated back to Haymitch's side. Where it was safe.
"Your letter said she was injured." her father said, urgency in his voice. "What is… She sounds like a child."
He was talking to Haymitch over her head.
Effie didn't like that.
She liked the implications even less.
"Did I do something wrong?" she asked Haymitch first, just to check.
He shook his head. "No. Just… I think you call him Father. Daddy's a bit… childish."
"Oh." She frowned. Yes, she supposed that made sense. "But Father, really?" She wrinkled her nose. "That doesn't sound very warm."
"Mr Abernathy…" her father cut in, his anger perceptible despite the otherwise polite tone. "An explanation, if you please."
Her mother had closed her mouth but now she was watching Effie like a hawk.
She didn't like that either, too aware of the creased jumpsuit she had tried to smooth as much as possible…
"I was captured and tortured and experimented on." Effie answered. "Isn't it just rude for you to talk over my head like this? I am perfectly capable of understanding you, you know."
Her mother gasped again.
Her father remained perfectly rigid. "My apologies."
Effie hummed, not quite convinced that apology was sincere because his eyes kept sliding back to Haymitch.
"What do you… What do you mean captured and tortured?" her mother asked, studying her with even more attention. She made a gesture, as if she wanted to reach for her, make sure there were no wounds hiding under the grey fabric… But she aborted it. "You do look pale but grey has never done anything for your complexion. And your hair… What have you done to your hair? It is positively wild."
Effie blinked at her. "Are you always so worried about the way I look?"
"Appearance is everything, Euphemia." her mother scoffed.
And that found an echo inside her. She could almost remember it, the itch was…
She shook her head.
Haymitch stepped forward, his hand coming back to the small of her back. "The Capitol had her arrested when the Quell went to hell. By the time I got her back a few months ago…" He swallowed hard. "Look, there's no easy way to say this so… They wiped her memories clean. She's doesn't remember anything past the last few months."
Her parents both seemed at a loss.
"No." her mother finally retorted. "No, that is quite impossible. The Capitol could not have… They did not have her. They arrested us, you see. Questioned us like criminals. And it was all about your whereabouts, Euphemia. Why would they do that if…"
"You were arrested after we'd gotten her and the other victors out." Haymitch interrupted. "We think they wanted an insurance in case the memory thing hadn't worked."
"But why?" her father scoffed. "That makes no sense. Why would they care if…"
"Cause hurting her is hurting me." Haymitch sighed. "And this whole thing… This whole thing was about me."
Effie pursed her lips. "I am the amnesic one. It was a little about me too."
Haymitch's lips twitched with amusement and his grey eyes softened when he looked at her. But they looked sad. Like always when they talked about that.
"This is…" Her mother's blue eyes darted from Effie to Haymitch. "You do not remember us?"
For the first time, Effie heard a genuine emotion in her mother's voice. Not just anger or indignation but something more fragile.
"I'm sorry." She winced. "But I do remember I had a grandfather who played violin and a few others things. I just don't remember remember. It's complicated to explain…"
"Well, the hallway is not the place to discuss it." her father commented, a bit pointedly.
"Oh!" her mother explained. "Of course. How rude of me! Come in. We will have tea in the smaller drawing-room. You have to excuse the mess, we do not have any staff anymore. The maids all fled when the rebels invaded the city and the butler gave his notice well before that… It is a mess. Even Dorota is gone, can you believe it?" The question was addressed to Effie but her mother's smile froze on her lips. "You would not remember Dorota, I suppose. She was the housekeeper. She has been the housekeeper since you were… Oh… Six, I believe. It really hurt my feelings that she left, let me tell you. I thought we were friends. Well, friendly. One is not friend with the staff, after all… That did not seem to matter however. She wanted to go back to her family. As if she would have been safer in the lower parts of the city than here. Preposterous."
Effie honestly contemplated the possibility that her mother didn't need as much oxygen as the average human because she could talk without pause. By the time she was finished with this little speech, they had reached the smaller drawing-room – prompting her to wonder if there was more than one and what sizes the others were because this room didn't look small.
She snatched Haymitch's hand before he could sit in the armchair her father designated and dragged him to the couch with her. She wanted him close.
Neither of her parents looked particularly pleased by that.
"Tea." her mother insisted as if someone had contradicted her. "I will fetch it. Unless you would rather drink something else, Mr Abernathy?"
The tone was barely polite, rather aggressive, and clearly aimed at ridiculing.
Haymitch, thankfully, didn't rise to the bait. He answered with one of his charming smiles that Effie knew to be very fake and squeezed her hand.
"Haymitch's fine, you don't have to call me Mr Abernathy." he said. "And tea's good."
"Haymitch does not drink anymore." she added, lips pursed, with a disapproving look for her mother.
If the woman was taken aback, she hid it very well.
"How nice." her mother answered without batting an eyelash. "Why don't you come help me in the kitchen, Euphemia."
It wasn't a question. She tossed Haymitch a nervous look but he flashed her another encouraging smile that looked a little like a wince so she reminded herself she was brave and nothing would happen to her when he was nearby. She stood up and followed her mother with the unpleasant feeling that she was walking straight into the wolf's den.
She lingered a few feet behind her mother as she led her through the house.
It was even worse than at the Mansion here. The itching, the headache… She clenched her jaw and forced herself to keep moving, to ignore the tendrils of fog caressing her mind…
"Tell me everything." her mother ordered once they had stepped into a big kitchen with cheery wood cabinets and gleaming marble. Instead of preparing the tea like she had said she would, her mother sat down on a stool near the big island in the middle of the room with all the dignity and grace as if she had been sitting on a throne.
There was something in the woman's tone that made Effie obey without conscious thought on her part. She took a seat on another stool and started talking. She was concise though. She summed it all up as best as she could. The white world and her boy, the mess she had been when she had woken up in the grey world, the remembered feelings and the forgotten memories, the theories about the Capitol wiping her mind, the numerous simple things she struggled with, the episodes and the hope that she could eventually remember more even though it was risky… She even showed her the scar behind her ear.
"I see." her mother commented flatly when she was done. "And you believe everything this man has told you, don't you?"
Effie frowned. "If by this man, you mean Haymitch, then, yes, Mother, I do believe him. Feelings don't lie."
Her mother was watching her carefully with her lips pursed. "Your elocution is atrocious."
"Yes, well… Speech is sometimes difficult for me." she huffed, vexed. "All things considered, I don't think I'm doing too bad."
The woman sighed. "No, I suppose you are not. But, Euphemia…"
She was interrupted by the sound of running footsteps. The kitchen door swung open and two little boys rushed in only to freeze in their tracks when they caught sight of them. The smallest one must have been around four or five, the oldest eight or nine…
"Aunt Effie!" the bigger one exclaimed after a moment of careful examination. He sounded surprised but happy and Effie found herself smiling, easily accepting the hugs both boys gave her. The questions were a bit overwhelming. Where had she been? Why did she look weird? Was she staying for a while? Did she bring them a gift? Could she come and see how they had decorated the nursery?
They were so young… She couldn't help but think about the children who had been at the City Circle and…
It took a moment before their mother managed to send them away with a few snacks each.
"Lyssandra's boys." her mother said fondly. "They have all been staying with us since this war started. It felt safer. Lyssandra is…"
"My sister." She nodded eagerly. "Haymitch told me."
"Yes. Haymitch." her mother grumbled, turning to fill the electric kettle with water and switching it on. "It is a pain not to have a staff, let me tell you. It has been decades since I had to do any of that myself and I could have gone the rest of my life without revisiting that period of time." She filled a tray with a lovely blue teapot with red roses and matching cups, saucers and a small milk pot. "About Haymitch. Euphemia darling, I would not have him take advantage of you…"
Not this again…
She heard it enough from Haymitch.
She tried to tell her mother but before she could open her mouth, the woman was speaking again. It seemed to be a recurring thing.
"You do not like him at all, my darling." her mother said, sounding apologetic. "I do not know what kind of lies he filled your head with but you loathe him. Why, the numbers of times you told me you hated him…"
She narrowed her eyes at her mother, deeply unsettled.
In all those months, it was the first time anyone had said this.
And it was obviously a lie.
"I love him." she objected carefully, just in case it was a simple misunderstanding. After all, Haymitch had made it clear their relationship – or affair – had been a secret one. Maybe she had just been keeping it from her mother and…
"Is that what he told you?" Her mother clucked her tongue, watching her with compassion. "You do not, darling. You always wanted to settle down with a nice Capitol. Someone of good breeding who your family would approve of. You would never have debased yourself with a District ruffian. Never. If he told you anything else…"
Effie was appalled and she stood up, glaring at her. "Why are you lying to me?"
"Lying?" Her mother was the perfect picture of innocence and that threw her for a moment before she remembered Finnick. Finnick would never have lied to her. And Finnick had been aware of whatever existed between her and Haymitch. So was Johanna for that matter and she had never batted an eyelash at the two of them except to express disgust. Her mother must have realized she was losing her because she winced, pouring the hot water into the teapot. "Darling, I am not lying. He…"
"I love him." she repeated firmly. "I remember that feeling clearly. It is the first thing I ever knew for certain. And he never tried to take advantage of me. Quite the contrary, actually. You are a liar and you are trying to turn me against him for whatever reason and I do not like it."
She spun on her heels and headed back to the drawing-room, head throbbing and slightly nauseated. She wasn't sure if the nausea came from the disgust, the sudden panic that her family would try to tear her away from Haymitch or the raging headache.
She heard the voices long before she reached the door. They weren't quite raised but there was obviously agitation in them.
"She ain't staying here with you." Haymitch was growling. "She's coming with me."
"She belongs with her family." her father retorted. "We are grateful to you for returning her to us but…"
"I wasn't returning her. She ain't a lost and found." Haymitch snapped, his eyes immediately darting to her the second she appeared on the threshold. His eyes widened when he took stock of her and he crossed the room in a flash. His hand cupped her cheek and he was watching her with worry. "Are you okay?"
"I want to leave." she demanded. "They are liars and I want to leave. Coming here was a mistake."
"Liars?" her father repeated, clearly concerned too. "Sit down, Effie, you look like you are ready to collapse… What happened? Elindra, what did you do now?"
That question was addressed straight to his wife who had just arrived with the heavy tray. He sounded exasperated and that was the only reason Effie let Haymitch support her to the couch, that and because she did feel a little faint.
"She told me lies to make me doubt you. She tried to make me believe I have always hated you and would never willingly be with you, that I wanted a Capitol of nice breeding they would approve of." she told Haymitch through clenched teeth. "She made it sound like you were exploiting my lack of memories."
"Elindra." Her father was clearly gritting his teeth.
"Can we be sure he does not?" her mother huffed. "I was just…"
"Playing your usual little games." Haymitch cut in with a scowl. "But trying to lie to someone without memories? You know she was…"
"Elindra might not have gone about it the right way but you cannot fault us for looking out for her when she clearly cannot do it for herself." her father retorted. "It is our right…"
They were all talking over each other, arguing with each other, voices raised, and it only made her headache flare harder until she couldn't help herself anymore. She bolted to her feet, her hands pressing against her eyes.
"Shut up!" she shouted.
That seemed to shock everyone. Haymitch recovered before her parents though. He reached for her wrist and tugged until she sat back down next to him.
"I'm sorry, sweetheart." he offered with a wince. "How bad is it, the headache? Do you need your pills?"
He fished them out of her pocket and her parents' eyes immediately narrowed on the bottle as if they both suspected he was trying to poison her or…
"I am not a child and I am not an idiot." she hissed through clenched teeth, glaring at the three of them in turn. "I am an adult, memories or not, and I can take care of myself."
"I know. I'm sorry." Haymitch insisted. He was the only one to apologize.
"I will find you a doctor. A specialist." her father offered. "But, Euphemia, don't you think you would be better here at home?"
She didn't even have to think about that one. "No. I need to be with my children."
Her mother pursed her lips, a triumphant look in her eyes. "I do not know what he has been telling you but you do not have children."
"Katniss and Peeta." she countered. "They are mine and they need me. And I don't want to be here. I'm not sure I like you. I'm very sure I don't like this sort of scenes. I don't feel safe here. Haymitch makes me feel safe."
Her father looked hurt and she was sorry about that but her mother didn't really look surprised.
"Have some tea." the woman said in that tone that was more order than question. "You are right to chide us. We are all being rude. We can talk about this like civilized people. Can we not, Mr Abernathy?"
The reprimand was obvious and enough was enough.
"He isn't the one who started this." Effie snapped while her mother poured the tea.
"Isn't he?" her father hummed. "Because he admitted to me that nothing would have happened to you if he had not been involved with you… In my opinion…"
"If I want your opinion, I will ask for it." she replied, calmly but firmly.
"Euphemia!" her mother chided, apparently scandalized. "Attitude! Amnesia is no excuse for poor manners. It is bad enough you are talking as if you were born in a backend District."
Next to her, Haymitch took a deep calming breath.
She snatched the pill bottle from him and swallowed one along with a gulp of tea. Her eyebrows shot up at the taste though. "What is this?"
She examined the liquid in the cup. It was a rich brown and it smelled like fruit…
"Tea." Her mother frowned, taking a seat next to her father on the loveseat.
She shook her head. "This isn't tea… I don't really like tea and this tastes amazing."
She took two quick sips and had to close her eyes to better savor the flavor.
"It is strawberry tea." her mother insisted. "Your favorite, in fact. Unless your stomach is upset. In that case you prefer something herbal. And if your nerves are particularly frayed, you will go for some chamomile."
There was a hint of desperation in her mother's voice, as if she was trying to convince her she did know her…
"That doesn't taste at all like the tea in Thirteen." she remarked.
"Cause that was shit." Haymitch shrugged. "Should have tried their coffee… Even worse."
"Language." both she and her mother snapped at the same time.
She found herself blinking back tears but she wasn't sure why.
Suddenly, everything felt familiar and foreign at the same time.
The tea set and its pink flowers, the impersonal furniture, the puffy dress her mother was wearing…
She couldn't recall any of it but…
She was fairly certain she would have had a bad case of fog if the front door hadn't been slammed shut at that moment, followed by the hurried clicking sound of heels on floorboard… The sight of a woman striding in, looking quite desperate, distracted her enough that she managed to escape it a while longer…
"They would not tell me anything!" the woman complained before she was even properly in the room. "They would not even let me see him or take the clothes I brought him! It is a…" Her voice faltered when her eyes dropped on Effie. "Oh, darling!"
Effie was pulled to her feet and trapped in a tight embrace before she could do more than blink. She hugged back though. It seemed rude not to.
And when the woman gently drew her back without letting go of her arms to study her, Effie studied her back. Beautiful wasn't strong enough a word to describe her. She had glossy honey blond hair and the light-make up made her skin glow, her blue eyes were wide and enticing, her lips seemed made for smiling… Effie felt something like tenderness tainted with envy clenching inside her chest.
"Your victor wrote us you were injured." the newcomer said with obvious anguish. "Are you all better? You look tired. You have to excuse my outfit, I was incognito. It is safer to look District nowadays. Is that why you are dressed like one of them? Oh, I wanted to visit you at once, darling, but… Oh, you will never believe this! They arrested Rufus!" She squeezed her arms. "You will help me, won't you, Effie? You must know important people…"
"Lyssandra…" Her father – their father – cleared his throat. "Euphemia is injured. Do not overwhelm her."
Effie, frankly, rolled her eyes before meeting her sister's gaze. Sister. It seemed wonderful to have a sister. The only sisters she knew were Katniss and Prim and they had loved each other so much…
"I'm not injured." she argued. "I'm fine. I'm just missing a few pieces."
Lyssandra frowned at that but finally seemed to notice Effie wasn't alone. "Oh, Haymitch! I apologize, how rude of me! It is so nice to see you again. So you were with him all along?" That question was directed to Effie but she quickly tossed their mother a triumphant look. "I told you she was with him. I am glad, Effie. The Peacekeepers were not happy with you. They interrogated us, it was horrible. I told them Haymitch probably kidnapped you." She shot Haymitch an apologetic look. "It seemed like the thing to say so we would all stay out of troubles, not that I thought you would have. It just seemed clever to lie. I was worried, understand… But I knew you would have run away with him, Effie. It was always so obvious you were in love with him… And running away… So romantic."
Effie shot their mother a venomous look. At least, someone wasn't lying about her feelings for Haymitch…
"Lyssa, sit down so we can fill you in." Euphemia demanded, her tone terse.
"But Rufus…" Lyssandra tried to argue only to fall quiet under one of their mother's tyrannical looks.
Her sister sat down in an armchair and accepted the cup of tea their father passed her, apparently not a fan of strawberry tea, and listened to a quick summary of what had happened to Effie.
"So you do not remember us at all?" Lyssa asked, all genuine dismay. "How terrible… But the Capitol would never… I mean, I was scared they would be rough with you a little bit… It is war after all. Was war. But torturing you? Experimenting on you? You are a Capitol citizen, this…"
Lyssandra looked at their parents but neither her mother nor her father had looked particularly surprised and neither had tried to argue the Capitol wasn't capable of it.
Effie rubbed her eyes. The painkiller had helped with the headache but she was tired and a bit overwhelmed. The fog was still there, albeit slightly muted for now.
"Can we go?" she asked Haymitch quietly, while their father tried to explain to Lyssa that the Capitol was in fact a less than ideal place contrary to what they had apparently always told her all her life.
"Sure." he agreed immediately.
"No, wait!" Lyssa placed the cup of tea on a side table, prompting a slight horrified sound from their mother who said something about glass surfaces and coasters. Not that Effie heard because Lyssandra was suddenly kneeling right in front of her, grasping her hands in hers. "Effie, you have to help. They arrested Rufus. My husband. They… They are going to put him on one of those trials and they will kill him, I just know it! But it is a mistake, Effie, a mistake!"
Haymitch groaned and he didn't look pleased when Effie looked at him, a bit lost.
"There's no mistake. He was a Gamemaker." He sighed. "I'm sorry, sweetheart… They're gonna arrest anyone involved in the Games. The Gamemakers and escorts are only the first wave."
Effie frowned. She didn't like that he was calling her sister by a pet name. It didn't bother her when he used it with Katniss, Johanna or Annie but she didn't like it when he called Lyssandra sweetheart.
"But you can do something." Lyssa insisted, tightening her grip on Effie's hands. "You have the Mockingjay's ear. And you love Rufus, Effie. If you could remember…"
"She'd remember what?" Haymitch scoffed. "His groping her at parties? Even Crane couldn't stand him and Crane and I didn't see eye to eye on much, let me tell you."
Lyssandra gaped at him, obviously shocked and offended. "My husband would never."
Haymitch clearly had more to say but he seemed to take pity on her sister and held his tongue. Effie licked her lips.
"Katniss has been hurt." she told Lyssa, as delicately as she could. "And she doesn't really have that much power, you know. I don't think I can do anything for you. I am truly sorry…"
Lyssandra searched her face for a long moment, seeming to sway between anger and despair, before eventually turning to Haymitch, letting go of Effie's hands to grab his own.
Effie hated that.
Her sister kneeling in front of him, clutching his hands…
Haymitch didn't seem any more pleased with it, he tried to get her to let go but Lyssandra's grip was strong.
"You can do something." she begged. "You are important. They are saying you were a key player of this rebellion, that you were their tactician… And you are the Quell Victor, surely that carries weight! You know people. You could…"
Haymitch made a face. "I can't."
"If you could help, we would appreciate it." their father smoothly cut in.
Their mother didn't say anything and it seemed to cost her a lot to keep silent. It was obvious that she loathed Lyssandra's display but Effie suspected she tolerated it because it meant potentially getting her son-in-law off the hook.
"My hands are tied." Haymitch repeated, shaking his head.
"We could pay you." their father insisted.
"Now you're being insulting." Haymitch grumbled.
"We will give you whatever you want." Lyssa nodded eagerly. "Anything. I will do anything."
She would do anything?
And was that sudden hint of cleavage utterly necessary?
Effie pursed her lips and batted her sister's fingers until she let go of Haymitch's hands, narrowing her eyes at her. "Anything? What kind of anything do you have in mind, exactly? Because he is not free to do anything. He is mine, Lyssandra."
She hadn't meant to hiss but hissing she was.
The pure burn of jealousy was throbbing in time with her headache.
This had happened before, she knew that suddenly, she felt it.
"Don't crack a match just yet, princess…" Haymitch tempered, taking her hand. "She didn't mean it like that. And she's upset. Effie… Stop glaring, sweetheart, you know I'm a one woman's man."
She pursed her lips even harder. "My man."
That was for her sister's benefits.
"Oh, of course, I would not… I wasn't…" Lyssandra stuttered, flushing crimson. "I wouldn't… I…" Then she burst into tears. "The boys ask about Rufus all the time and I… I just want him back. Please… Please…"
Her mother, having probably decided enough was enough, collected Lyssandra from the floor and helped her back into her armchair, clucking her tongue.
"Calm yourself down. Ladies do not have fits like this." her mother ordered in that bossy tone of hers. "Of course, Effie's victor will help. Effie will make him."
"Effie doesn't make me do stuff." Haymitch protested and then rolled his eyes. "Most of the time." He shook his head, the vague amusement fading away from his voice. "Flavershym ain't my problem. I got enough trouble keeping my girl safe. I let them put a leash around my neck for her, I'm not risking it all for him."
"Your Mockingjay…" her mother started petulantly.
"Not that girl." Haymitch dismissed. "I meant…"
"He meant me." Effie finished before he could. "It seems like I am not the only one who forgot something in this room or do you not remember I was an escort?"
The touch of humor didn't help.
Her parents exchanged a worried look.
"But surely you are safe, Euphemia." her mother scoffed. "You were with the rebels, after all."
"More complicated than that." Haymitch sighed, meeting her father's gaze. He seemed to understand what Haymitch wasn't saying.
"I see." her father said. "But Effie's safety is secured?"
"Should be." he answered. "But I'm not gambling with it."
"Naturally." her father approved right as her mother tried to argue that surely there was no harm in trying.
That was nice, Effie silently huffed.
She squeezed Haymitch's hand. "I really need us to go now. Please."
He didn't argue. He got to his feet, slid an arm around her waist when he realized her legs weren't too steady and let her lean against his side… Her sister was still crying and looked inconsolable. Effie was sorry for her but she didn't know what to say.
Her mother tried to protest their going, insisting Effie should stay with them, move back in…
Truth be told, Effie would have rather moved back to Thirteen.
Her father walked them back to the front door, silent right up until he reached for the handle. He didn't open the door just yet though. He studied Haymitch for a long time. Haymitch stared right back and didn't squirm.
Then her father nodded, looking like he had swallowed something very sour, and offered a hand for Haymitch to shake. He did shake it, slightly surprised but also a bit pleased.
"Take good care of my little girl." her father ordered.
"I am not a child and I can take care of myself." Effie growled, annoyed. It was the second time she had been forced to remind them.
"I will." Haymitch answered, completely ignoring her.
He would pay for that later, she promised herself, once her headache was gone and she had rested a little.
Her mother came rushing – but not running, that would have been undignified – grabbing Effie's hand before she could try to push Haymitch out the door.
"You will come back to visit us soon, won't you?" the woman demanded. "I have plenty of pictures to show you. And we can tell you anything you want to know."
"How can I trust you when you tried to lie to me first thing?" Effie challenged.
Her mother winced. "You are far too blunt, Euphemia dear. We will have to work on your diplomatic skills as soon as possible, a lady simply does not blurt that sort of things. Then I will teach you how to pour tea properly. No one will be interested in marrying you if you cannot pour tea properly…"
That sounded like a joke so she laughed but, given her mother's expression, it probably wasn't.
She shot Haymitch's an impish look. "What do you think of my tea pouring skills?"
He wrinkled his nose, grey eyes twinkling. "I think it's a good thing I'm not marrying you for them."
Her father wisely opened the door and let them out while realization dawned on her mother's face.
The horrified expression on the woman's face was delightful.
I'm not back to updating this one every Friday but I want to get it over with so we can all move on so I'll keep you updated on tumblr (ellanainthetardis for those who don't already know).
Thank you to the few people who commented on every chapter without fail since the start, you were the reason I held out to this fandom for so long. 3