Madge

A loud knock woke Madge up. She got out of bed and stumbled to the door to find Cecelia on the other side. Tricia was in her arms; Timmy and Taiden were next to her.

"I'm sorry to bother you, but can you take Tricia now so I can get to work?"

What?

"I guess," Madge mumbled.

Cecelia handed her the child and a tote bag. "I filled it with diapers, wipes, a couple of toys, and some cheerios and a juice box she can have for breakfast. Can I leave the boys with you, too?"

"I'm not even dressed yet," Madge said.

"Okay, then. I'll find someone else." Cecelia reached for the boys' hands and set off in the direction of the stairs, as Madge closed the door.

Maybe I should look for Gale and tell him to watch his pretend kid until I'm fully awake. I'm sure he'd love that.

She deposited Tricia on the bed and looked through the tote bag. "How about you drink some juice while I find something to wear."

Madge opened the small closet where she'd hung her clothes. Tricia was wearing leggings and a sweater.

I brought those same items with me.

"Let's be twins, sweetie," she said to the little girl.

Madge eyed her body in the full-length mirror as she dressed. I shouldn't have eaten so much last night. She felt bloated, and looking at herself from the side she could see a tiny bump forming.

Great. Why couldn't you wait a few more days to make an appearance, little one? Thank goodness the sweater is loose.

After dressing, she walked the child downstairs. She met Gale at the bottom.

"How'd you like to go outside in the snow?" he asked.

Startled to be addressed by him after being ignored yesterday, all she could think was to say, "It snowed?"

"At least six inches."

"I can't. I have to watch Tricia."

"I'll find Cecelia and get her coat. Katniss and Peeta are already outside with Timmy and Taiden."

Gale scooped the little girl up into his arms setting the child off into a fit of giggles before Madge could respond.

"If you want to get some coffee first, Tricia and I will meet you outside. There's a carafe in the dining room."

"I stopped drinking coffee a few months ago," Madge said.

Gale's eyes narrowed. "Why would you give up coffee?"

Cause I'm pregnant.

"It tasted funny. I'll go upstairs and get my coat and gloves."

Well that was weird. But then we are supposed to be pretending to be married. But snow, ugh!

Madge spent the morning outside with the others making a snow family. At one point, she'd looked toward the house and noticed Effie and Haymitch in the living room watching.

I guess we're earning our pay by pretending to be a big, happy family.

And for a while Madge forgot that they weren't.

After they'd made several snow people, Peeta suggested a snowball fight. Madge brought Tricia inside to Cecelia because the little girl was complaining about the cold, and then came out of the house to find herself teamed up with Katniss and Taiden, against Gale, Peeta, and Timmy.

They took opposite sides of the lawn and got ready to do battle.

"How about you throw, and I'm make the snowballs," Madge suggested to Katniss.

She has the better aim.

"I'll make some too," Taiden said. However the boy's hands were small, so his snowballs were small, too, forcing Madge to be responsible to make most of the arsenal. Despite the cold, she grew warm as she worked.

Meanwhile snowballs were flying quickly from the other side of the yard. Madge was struck in the back several times. The first time she was hit, she turned her head to see who had thrown it. In that moment, another one went whizzing close by her face.

"Sorry," Peeta called from across the snow-covered lawn.

Next to him Gale snorted. "Why are you apologizing? You missed her."

I'll get you good Gale Hawthorne.

Madge turned back and got to work, rapidly piling snowballs near Katniss' feet.

After a while, Katniss grew tired. "You throw for a while Madge, and I'll make the snowballs."

The front of Katniss' coat was covered with snow. Apparently she'd been struck a lot.

Instinctively Madge ran her hand over her stomach. Would the baby be injured if she were hit in the belly with a snowball?

Probably not, unless they're throwing rocks covered with snow.

Katniss handed her two snowballs. Madge threw them both at Gale. The first missed but the second hit him in the ear.

"So we're going all out then?" Gale shouted.

The throws came at her fast and furious. Madge shifted from side to side, avoiding most snowballs, but a few landed on her torso, ranging from her chest as far down as her upper thighs.

The battle stopped when Madge accidentally hit Timmy in the face with a snowball and he began to cry.

Madge left her post and hurried across the lawn to comfort the boy.

"Some mother you are," Gale said.

His tone was teasing, but she threw him a dark look, before hugging Timmy. "Let's go inside and get you something warm to drink. Maybe some hot chocolate."

"I want a hot chocolate, too," Taiden said. He'd run across the lawn following Madge, a snowball in his hand. He shoved it into the front of Peeta's jeans, just below his beltline.

Peeta jumped back in surprise. "Why did you do that, Taiden?"

The boy grinned. "Katniss told me to."

"Oh sweet wife of mine," Peeta shouted as he dashed across the snowy lawn, holding a chunk of snow.

Is he wearing oven mitts instead of gloves? What a quirky guy. He'd be a good match for Katniss.

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Haymitch

After a large breakfast, Haymitch carried his second cup of coffee into the living room. The drapes had been drawn and his pretend children and grandchildren were on the large front lawn playing in the snow that had fallen the previous evening.

Haymitch couldn't remember a morning when he'd gone without reading at least half dozen newspapers. But it wouldn't be happening these next couple of days.

He was watching the children build a snow family when Effie joined him. In all the years, he'd known her, Haymitch had only seen his secretary dressed in her business attire with her hair teased high on her head, and her face artfully made up. He almost didn't recognize her when she came into the room dressed in a plaid shirt, khaki pants, and boots. Her shoulder-length hair was down and clung to her head in tight curls. She wasn't wearing a speck of make-up.

I didn't realize Effie was so pretty.

She sat down and looked toward the window, taking a sip from her cup of tea. "Look at your kids. They're sure having fun."

"I appreciate what you're trying to do. But you don't need to call them my kids. We're not related. But you're right. They do seem to be having fun."

"You don't mind this then – what I planned for you?"

"Not at all. It's actually very creative. You should be running the Marketing Department. You're far too clever to be stuck being my secretary."

A panicked look came over her. "I like my job."

"I'm just pointing out how talented you are."

"Thank you, Haymitch. I appreciate your recognition very much. By the way, I asked Sam to bring a Santa suit over today."

"Good. You mentioned something about gifts. Do we have gifts for the kids?"

"I have a whole closet of things for those kids."

"Good, good. How do anticipate this all playing out then? Open all the gifts tonight, or tomorrow morning."

A faint blush settled on Effie's cheeks. "That's up to you Haymitch. My mother always let us open one gift on Christmas Eve. The rest had to wait until the following morning."

He chuckled. "My mother did that too. But the present she let us open on Christmas Eve was always a pair of new pajamas." He paused. "You know, Effie, I don't think I've ever heard you speak about your family."

"There's been no reason to at work," Effie pointed out.

"You're giving up your holiday with them to spend time with me."

Effie shook her head. "I'm not giving up anything. My parents are no longer living and my brother goes skiing every Christmas."

"Does he have a family?"

"He's married, but there's no children."

Interesting. So she has no kids in her life at all.

"Did you ever want a family of your own?"

Effie's face went oddly blank. She took a sip from her mug and stared at Haymitch's pretend relatives playing on the snowy lawn, before turning to him. "My fiancé cheated on me; afterwards I put thoughts of having a family behind me."

Haymitch's mouth flew open. "When did all this happen?"

"Before I came to work for you."

He frowned. "You're too young to give up. I don't know about that SOB you were planning to marry. But not all men do that kind of stuff."

"I know," she said, her voice choking up for a moment.

That bastard. "You've done a wonderful job planning this."

"Thank you. I tried to think of something you'd like."

"You hit the nail on the head; the same as you do every time. I wasn't sure at first, but I am enjoying myself."

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Effie

She'd never meant to reveal so much of her life to Haymitch.

What must he think I am? A silly old maid?

Maybe that's why they'd worked so well together all these years. They'd both kept their personal lives private.

Cecelia came into the living room. "Excuse me, ma'am, but there's a call for you."

Probably Sam.

Cecelia glanced toward the window and watched her children building the snow family. She smiled.

"Looks like your kids are having a good time," Haymitch said.

Cecelia grinned. "I don't think I've seen them so happy since…" Her face turned dark. "I better go back to work."

"I'll be right back Haymitch," Effie said, following Cecelia.

Effie entered the kitchen and reached for the phone. "Putting her hand over the mouthpiece, she called to Cecelia. "If you'd like to go outside and join your children go right ahead."

Cecelia shook her head. "Not now, maybe later. I've still got a few tasks to finish."

"Okay, then." Effie uncovered the receiver.

After her call, she returned to the living room to rejoin Haymitch. "That was Sam. He'll bring the Santa suit out later this afternoon by way of a horse-drawn sleigh that he'll drive out here. It seems the roads are impassible at present to cars without special tires, something about the snowplow not getting out this far. He said he could take us to the Christmas Eve service in the sleigh."

"I haven't been to church in ages," Haymitch admitted. "Are you a church-goer, Effie?"

"I am. It keeps my mind at peace. It helps me to remember there's someone in control of things who can do a far better job than me."

"Oh I know all about a Higher Power," Haymitch said. "We became acquainted many years ago."

Effie's eyebrows rose.

"I don't know if anyone mentioned it to you, but I was a bad drunk when I started the business."

What?

"I didn't know Haymitch. I know you don't drink, but I didn't realize that was the reason."

"Yeah, it was. The girl I was going to marry died unexpectedly. Well, I didn't take it so well."

Effie's voice was soft. "And you never met anyone else?"

"No. I became wed to my company. It's probably the reason it's been so successful.

"But I'm thinking maybe it's time I rethought some stuff." He glanced out the window. "I've been missing out on a lot."

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Dalton

There must be a half-foot of snow at least.

Sam called Myrtle from Thom's farm. "Any chance we could eat later tonight," he said. "Seems like I'll be driving a sleigh out to Snow Mansion to ferry folks out and back to a Christmas Eve church service."

"I already put the turkey into the oven," his wife fumed.

"I'm sorry honey, but I promised the client I'd do this, otherwise they're all stranded out there. I'll be home as quick as I can."

His wife ended the call without saying goodbye.

She'll thank me when I get paid.

It had been a miracle that Joe still had a Santa suit in stock at the costume shop. It wasn't a great one, the fire engine red color had faded to an orangey, tomato soup color, but it would do.

But after mentioning to Joe that he needed to take the suit out to the Snow Mansion, his friend had told him it would likely be impossible to get out that far because the roads weren't plowed.

"You ought to go over to Thom's farm. He might loan you one of his draft horses."

Ride a horse out to Snow Mansion? It sounded crazy, but Sam didn't want to get his car stuck in the snow. He hadn't gotten around to putting studded tires on his car this winter. It would be highly inconvenient, plus Myrtle would have a fit.

Sam headed over to Thom's place.

"If your client will pay, you can drive my two-horse sleigh out there. You could give the folks some rides."

"How much?"

"A couple hundred dollars. Just get back here before eight tonight. The missus likes me to take the grandkids out for a spin while she put the gifts under the tree."

"Let me call Effie."

Effie rapidly agreed.

"I need a quick lesson first," Sam told Thom after ending the call. "I've never driven a sleigh before."

"It's not so hard."

Sam made it out to the Mansion by four p.m. The light was already fleeing from the sky. Since the service began at five; Sam figured he had time to make at least two trips to the church, which was a mile down the road. The sleigh could only hold four adults at a time, plus the driver.

He drove the sleigh into the parking lot that bordered the mansion. The little boys came running out of the house first, but the others quickly followed.

"It's Santa Claus," Taiden shouted.

"No it's not," Timmy said. "That man was here yesterday when we cut down the tree."

"I'm Mr. Dalton," Sam said, getting out of the driver's seat. "I'm here to deliver you folks to church."

Thom had given him a sack of sugar cubes. Sam showed the boys how to put a cube on their palms and let the horses lick it up. Once Peeta and Gale appeared to take charge of the boys, Sam removed the Santa suit from the sleigh and went into the house to hand it off to Effie.

"Thanks so much," she said with a smile.

"I don't mean to rush you folks, but if you want to attend the service, we'll have to leave soon," Sam said. "I can only fit four people in the sleigh at a time, so I'll need to make more than one trip."

After a brief huddle, it was decided that Effie and Haymitch would go together first, while Gale, Madge, Katniss, and Peeta would be ready to leave when Sam returned.

"I want a sleigh ride, too," Taiden whined.

"Me, too," Timmy added.

Sam frowned. The kids belonged to Cecelia. Maybe she had other plans for them this Christmas Eve. "How about you ask your mom if she wants a ride. I'll come back after I get everyone to the church and take your mom and sister and you boys out for a short spin."

"Yah!"

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Gale

The sleigh seats weren't that large, and Gale found himself pushed up close to Madge, a blanket thrown over their laps for warmth.

If we hadn't broken up this would be quite cozy.

But now it was awkward, sad even.

Damn it. I love her. There will never be anyone else.

He glanced over at Madge. Her face was pink. Was she upset, or was it the cold? They'd spent a lot of time outdoors today. Now that it was getting near dark, the temperature was dropping.

Madge began to shiver, and pulled the blanket higher up onto her lap.

Without thinking, Gale put his arm around her.

She frowned.

"For crying out loud, you're cold, Madge. Hell, I'm cold too."

She bit her lip and looked away, but she didn't shove his arm off her shoulder, which gave him some hope.

On the bench seat ahead of him, Katniss and Peeta chatted with Sam. The driver even handed the reins over to Katniss for a short while, and then to Peeta.

They were soon at the small church. Once they exited the sleigh, everyone went inside.

The heater obviously wasn't working because it was even colder inside the building than it was outside. The room was sparsely decorated. A wooden altar was placed in front of a large cross that hung on the wall. Left of the altar was a lectern; right of it was a small crèche.

There was something in the simplicity of the setting that caused a sense of calm to fall over Gale.

Everything will be fine.

That thought floated through his mind, cutting through all the doubts and uncertainty. Katniss led the way and they all followed after her, sitting in the second pew beside Effie and Haymitch. Again, Gale found himself next to Madge.

He wanted to put his arm around her again, but decided against it. Instead he stared at Madge's hands, which she'd set in her lap. He still had the ring he'd bought for her.

Is there any hope for reconciliation?

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Katniss

It didn't take long for the church to be filled. A minister in a white robe appeared in front and read from the Bible. Between readings, carols were sung. Katniss' voice soared.

She'd made her singing debut in a church when she was very young, singing a solo of "This Little Light of Mine." But her mother had cast off all things religious after Katniss' father had died in a workplace accident, and Katniss hadn't been in a church since then except to attend the weddings of co-workers.

Still Katniss loved to sing. She'd sung in a chorale in high school and later continued in college. At one time, she'd considered becoming a Music teacher, but her love of reading won out and she'd become a Literature teacher instead.

She settled back into the wooden pew. I'm having such a nice time. I can't believe I'm getting paid, too.

She glanced at Peeta who sat beside her. He'd worn his costume to the service. Idly she wondered if she would see him after the 26th when the job ended.

Why not? At the very least, we're becoming friends. Why shouldn't we stay in touch?

After the service ended, everyone left the building. People piled into cars that had chains or studded tires, and headed back toward town where the roads were clear. Still, Sam and the sleigh were nowhere in sight.

"Where is he?" Effie asked, wrapping her arms around her chest to stay warm. "He said he'd take us back to the house."

"He mentioned something about taking Cecelia and the kids out for a spin," Katniss remembered. "Maybe he lost track of time. Peeta and I could walk back and tell him the service is over."

Effie's forehead wrinkled. "You want to walk back in the snow?"

"We've both got boots on," Katniss pointed out.

Shiny black boots were part of Peeta's costume; and the boots Katniss had worn were waterproof.

"But it's dark. How will you see?"

Katniss pulled a tiny flashlight attached to a keychain from her pocket. "We can follow the sleigh's tracks down the road. "It's not so far."

Effie looked perturbed. "I don't know…"

"They'll be fine," Haymitch said.

Boldly Katniss reached for Peeta's hand. "We'll be off then."

She aimed the light at the ground as they made their way from the parking lot to the snow-covered road.

As they began their walk through the snow, Katniss spoke.

"I hope you don't mind me volunteering you to walk back with me. But I hate standing around, waiting. Besides after sitting I feel like I need to stretch my legs."

In the darkness, she heard Peeta give a low chuckle. "No, I don't mind. Besides it gives a chance to be alone with you."

A shiver went down Katniss' back, and the cold temperature didn't cause it.