Author's note: I am so sorry this took so long. It's my birthday week, so I've been chilling and watching movies and avoiding all responsibilities. But I hope this chapter is enjoyable enough to make up for the delay. Let me know what you think. (PS, there's a lovely little nod to the movies. Can you spot it?)

Happy reading!

Chapter Thirteen

Katniss could feel Peeta's hand shake as they walked up to the front door. She brought his knuckles to her lips and kissed them. "Haymitch is all bark and no bite. Just remember that and you'll be okay."

He nodded. "Sure."

Prim stepped up to the door first and knocked enthusiastically.

Haymitch opened the door and smiled fondly at her. He held out a package. "Wonder what that could be."

She squealed and took it and gave him a hug. "Thank you, Uncle Haymitch."

"Don't just thank me. Effie picked it out." He pointed a thumb over his shoulder at his wife.

Today, the woman he motioned to was a bit subdued in dark shades of green. Her makeup was closer to natural than Katniss had ever seen. "Your uncle and I worked together on it. It's not every day your youngest niece turns eighteen."

Prim looked over her shoulder at Katniss and Peeta and then walked to Effie and gave her a hug. "I'll open it in a minute. Let Katniss make an introduction."

Haymitch turned to them and crossed his arms. "This the bread guy?"

"Peeta. His name is Peeta." Katniss said with the shake of her head. "My uncle Haymitch Abernathy."

Peeta held out his hand and shook Haymitch's firmly. "Peeta Mellark, the bread guy." He smirked.

Haymitch threw his head back and laughed. "I like you. Meet my wife." He wrapped an affectionate arm around the woman's waist. "This is Effie."

Peeta took her outstretched hand and kissed her knuckles. "Lovely to meet you, Effie."

"Enchanté, Peeta." She giggled.

Haymitch chuckled. "She's learning French. It's her new thing."

"French, huh?" Peeta said. He rattled off a sentence and kissed Effie's knuckles again.

Katniss's jaw dropped.

Prim leaned close and asked, "Need me to distract them while you pick your panties up off the floor?"

Katniss elbowed her sister. "Shut up, Prim."

Peeta turned to Katniss with a puzzling look.

She blushed. "I didn't know you spoke French."

He grinned and pressed his mouth to her ear and whispered, "Je ne peux pas attendre pour vous seul plus tard."

"What did you just say?" She asked breathlessly.

"I'll tell you later." He kissed her cheek and then followed the rest into the living room.

"Open your present, Prim!" Katniss said. "I can't wait to see what you got."

Prim shook it and then sat down and tore into it. Inside there was an ornate box that looked old, but well-taken-care-of. She opened it to find it stocked with art supplies. And on top of it all, an envelope.

Haymitch said, "That envelope is a gift from your dad that I've held onto for quite a while."

She opened it slowly and the. Her hand went to her mouth. "Is this real?"

"Very real." Her uncle said.

Prim held out the paper to show Katniss. It was an account balance readout.

"Wow." Katniss said. "I didn't realize it had accumulated so much."

"Yours is still there when you want it." Haymitch said.

Katniss shook her head. "I don't have the time right now."

Prim asked, "What even is this?"

Haymitch explained, "When you were each born, my daddy gave yours a sum of money to open an account for college or whatever trade school or training you would need when you were older. Your dad added to it every paycheck until his death. When he passed, the accounts came under my name until you were eighteen or until you decided you needed it after that, if you decided to hold off making a choice for a while. That should get you through undergrad, Prim. Might even get you through medical school if you're careful."

"Thanks, Grandpa and Dad." She whispered. She looked to Katniss. "You knew about this. You said something about it."

"I didn't realize how much was there." Katniss admitted. "That's awesome."

Prim put the papers away and looked over the artist box. "This is beautiful. You picked this, Effie?"

Their aunt grinned. "I saw it and immediately thought of you. It's an antique. Not the supplies, all of those are new. I hope they are the types you use."

"I'm still trying to figure out what I like, so these will definitely help me. I've never used some of them."

Peeta leaned over. "What brands?"

"The paint is M Graham." She said.

"Oh, I like that kind. They use walnut oil. It's nice and smooth. Easy to mix." Peeta smiled at his student. "I think you'll like it. It's the kind I usually go for."

They looked over the other utensils—Prisma markers and colored pencils and brushes with various types of bristles as well as a set of water color pencils—and discussed the pros and cons of each.

Prim put it all back together and smiled at Effie. "Thank you. It was very thoughtful. Most of my stuff is in zip top baggies and old pencil boxes." She smoothed her hand over the top. "It's pretty. What type of wood is this?"

"Mahogany." Effie said. She stood and made her way to Prim's side. "You really like it?"

Prim sat the box aside and stood. She gave the older woman a tight hug. "I do. Thank you."

Effie hugged her back awkwardly at first, but she quickly warmed up. She wasn't used to affection from Prim. She stepped back. "I should see about lunch."

"Come on, Prim, let's see what we can do to help." Katniss said. She pointed at Haymitch. "Be nice."

Haymitch laughed. "You know I'm harmless as a kitten, sweetheart."

"Right." She wrapped an arm around Prim's waist and led her into the kitchen.

"So you teach art." Haymitch said as he looked Peeta over.

"Yes, sir." Peeta said, trying to sound more confident than he felt.

Haymitch nodded. "Never been very artsy myself. My sister was, though. That's where Prim gets it, I think."

Peeta nodded. "This must be a difficult time of year for you."

The older man watched him critically and then said, "You have no idea. Especially now that I don't drink." He sighed. "We got a hefty set of troubles around here, Peeta. I hope you understand what you're getting into."

"I got my own set of troubles, Haymitch. And Katniss knows. I was up front with her about it all from the start. I never want secrets from her."

"Good." He looked into the dining room. "Effie puts on a good face, but she had a difficult life, too. I met her at a low point in her life. We helped heal each other."

Peeta smiled. "I can feel the love radiating between you two."

Haymitch looked down, a little embarrassed. If Peeta didn't know any better, he'd think the man said, "Aw, shucks." under his breath.

Prim called, "Lunch is ready, guys."

The men both stood and walked into the dining room. Effie asked Haymitch to say grace, but Peeta asked if he could.

"Sure." Haymitch said. He looked relieved.

Peeta folded his hands and bowed his head. "God, I want to thank you for this time spent with friends, old and new. And thank you for giving us Prim for another year. We pray for many more. And thank you for the meal so lovingly prepared. May it nourish our bodies. Amen."

There was a chorus of "amen" around the table and the food was passed. They got through the first few pleasantries about how good it all looked and smelled and then moved on to more serious things.

Effie asked, "Peeta, where do you worship?"

"I don't." He said with a self-deprecating smile. "Lapsed Southern Baptist."

Haymitch made a face. "We're non-denominational. We don't do a lot of hoity-toity stuff. And we don't tout our numbers. We just sing and worship. People come as they are."

Effie added, "And we don't push getting saved or getting your heart right with God or not. That is a personal relationship between you and Him. It would be like pushing you to marry Katniss just because it may seem right to us."

Peeta nodded. "I may try it one of these days."

"I hope you will." Effie said. "It could get Katniss coming back."

Katniss shook her head. "I don't have to go to church to have a relationship with God."

"Yes. But it can help." Effie encouraged.

Katniss cut into her chicken. "I work a lot of Sundays anyway." She took a bite and chewed almost angrily.

Peeta cut in. "So, Haymitch, what do you do? What's your profession?"

Haymitch smiled. "I'm a drug and alcohol counselor at an in-patient rehab facility. And I'm a recovering alcoholic, so the clients trust me there."

"It's where we met." Effie said.

"Oh, I want to hear that story." Prim said with an excited look. "You never really told us."

Haymitch chuckled nervously. "Kind of illegal. She was a client."

"I was addicted to diet pills. And anorexic." Effie explained. "The rehab was the last hope for me. I checked myself in. And there was Haymitch. He was very supportive, but gave me some tough love. And after I was on the road to recovery and able to leave the facility, we started seeing each other in secret. And then we went public when one of his bosses caught us on a date." She giggled. "I asked him to marry me not long after."

"You asked him?" Peeta asked. He chuckled. "That's awesome!"

The tops of Haymitch's ears turned red. "Yeah, she asked me. But it wasn't anything big. We were at the movies and the show was about to start and she looked over and just said, 'Would you like to marry me?' And then the lights went down and the show started before I could answer. I didn't pay attention to one damn minute of that movie. I don't even remember what it was. When the lights came up, I looked over and said, 'Sure. Why not?'"

Prim sighed. "It's so sweet."

"It is." Effie said with a grin to her husband.

The table fell silent for a while. Then the conversation picked back up and they moved on to more mundane topics.

Katniss looked at her watch as the meal drew to a close. She groaned. "I have to be at work soon."

"And I'm your ride." Peeta pointed out.

"You are."

"Could I stay?" Prim asked. "Uncle Haymitch, could you give me a ride later?"

"Yeah, I can." He smiled. "I'd love to have you here, kid."

"So, I'll take you home to get changed for work?" Peeta asked as Katniss gathered her coat at the door.

"Yes, please." She smiled and slipped her hand into his. "Thank you for lunch." She pointed at Prim. "Don't be a pain."

"I'll try." Her sister promised.

"Happy birthday, Prim." Peeta said before they finally stepped out of the house. "And it was lovely to meet you both, Effie and Haymitch."

In the car, Katniss asked, "So what did you think?"

Peeta chuckled. "That Effie sure is a piece of work isn't she?"

She laughed. "She is. But Haymitch is crazy about her."

"Yeah, he is." He kissed Katniss's hand. "And I'm crazy about you."

She sighed. "Oh, Peeta, you are a charmer." She rubbed her thumb along the back of Peeta's hand. "So what was that thing you said earlier?"

"Just that I can't wait to get you alone later." He smiled. "So do I?"

"Do you what?" She asked.

"Get you alone later?"

"Of course. I work till ten. When do you usually go to bed?"

He smiled. "Midnight."

"Two full hours." She giggled. "How perfect."

He laughed. "A lot could happen in two hours."

"A lot could. And a lot will."

"Is that a promise?"

She kissed the back of his hand. "That's a promise."

He pulled into her driveway. "I'll see you around ten."

"Yes." She leaned over the seat and kissed his cheek. "I think I'll miss you."

"I think I'll miss you, too." He turned his head and caught her mouth in a deep kiss.

Her hand came up and cupped his cheek. She stroked her thumb across it. She finally broke it. "I'll see you soon enough." She got out and she could feel his eyes on her as she walked to the front door.