Mabel still didn't wake up. It was 5 in the morning, and knowing how my family members weren't 'morning people', I decided to quickly go for a morning walk.
"Tell ma'am that I will come back soon." I told Mrs. Lunitia, our cook. "If she wakes up!" I added.
Mrs Lunitia gave me my jogging shoes, and socks. She reminded me of my mother so much, I decided I wouldn't fire her at all,even if she disobeyed Mabel.
District 2 was based upon this place, the Juggit and the rest of the district surrounded it. Mom, Rory, Vick and Posy lived in Juggit. We lived in a less occupied area, Marasmos, far away from the Juggit. The whole topography of the place changed. All those hills that used to surround the place toppled and crashed, leaving the Juggit as the only elevated place in the whole district.
Marasmos ensured peace, especially for people like me, who's pretty famous. Marasmos is a highly developed area, and pretty costly. And mom wanted to live with them because she didn't like the tranquility prevailing in this place. Its as if the world existed no more, she would complain.
So, after wearing on the shoes, I walked to the garden, from where I would go walking.
We lived in a huge villa, comprising of a drawing room, kitchen, three spare rooms for the guests, two rooms for the children in the first floor, and a room for our cook. Our room was in the ground floor, as an extension on the drawing room. I made our house as simple as possible.
We have a garden, a huge one, where Mabel tries to follow organic farming.
I have also made a small opening sort of thing on the wall, in the garden. I squeeze myself in it, making it another exit. Though Mabel always scolded me for it, it reminded me of my childhood days and that's why, I didn't try to repair it. Its lame, I know, but, I am very famous for doing lame things. People hate me for being myself, but, I don't care.
They've often said stuff like "Loves a girl, and kills her sister!" Whenever they spoke about me.
People do hate me, because I am famous and live a happier life, compared to them. What they didn't know is the hardship I faced in my childhood.
. I wanted to go back to 12, after the war, but there was nothing that could sustain 5 people over there. District 2 was already developed, so, I would be able to find a job for myself, and live with my brothers, sister and mother.
I know I am selfish. Even Mabel thinks I am selfish. But, I have a reason to be selfish. My father, a coal miner, didn't have the income to sustain all of us. He died when I was young, bestowing upon me the responsibility to take care of my two brothers, my mother and an unborn sister. I had to sign my names many times, for the food they would give us - tesserae. I am the bread winner of my family. How could I afford to think about other people, when my own people are suffering? And still, I cared for Katniss and Prim, promised Katniss to take care of her. I did take care of her, didn't I? When Snow attacked 12, I saved Katniss's family and stuck with her till the bomb blast. The bomb blast wasn't my mistake. My motive was to kill the people of the Capitol; How could I foresee that Prim would be there, tending the injured?!
I am selfish, but, to an extent. If I were extremely selfish, where would Katniss have been?! If I were extremely selfish, would Mrs. Lunitia still stay in our house? Would I have donated quarter of my income to the under privileged? Its not fair. I am selfish, just like everybody else. Their selfishness doesn't show, mine does.
The train of thought continued as I squeezed myself through the hole. When I exited, I began to walk towards a very familiar friend's place- Mr. Towlhagger.
Bordeau Towlhagger was one of the rebels in this district. His parents and sister died. He got depressed and continued to live as a fugitive for 5 years, after the rebellion was successful. He got the compensation money, the government owed to people like him. With that money, he set up a farm. It is the only farm in the district, that grows crops naturally. Despite not using pesticides, he got a good yield of crops, and thus, became a normal , sane man. He has a daughter, Marina Towlhagger. He lives in small house, converting his huge garden into a field, to cultivate crops.
"Hello Young Man!" He greeted me, as I neared his house. I waved my hand, in reply. One of his workers opened the gate for me. I walked in, as he was talking to one of his crops.
Yep! Crops...
Research has it that crops grow well when we speak to them and treat them like one of us.
"What's wrong with that wheat crop over there?" I asked, receiving a glass of juice from one of the workers.
"Babe isn't growing well..." He complained, smoothly touching it. I watched as he began to say appreciative things like, "I love you, Grow well!" Or, "People will be benefited because of you, lovely!"
He walked among all his crops and muttered such praises to the crops, as I watched him. The fog prevailing in the place prevented me from seeing his expressions, but, I was pretty sure he had a very serene expression. The presence of crops tranquilized him.
"Hello Mr. Hawthorne!" Marina greeted me. She was a plump girl, with dark hair and black eyes.
Uggh! Why do I always talk about a person's eyes and hair?
She had curly hair and always a scowl on her face, probably inherited from her mother. Towlhagger was a very peaceful man, and never showed his anger on anyone.
"Hello Marina!" I greeted her back.
She dragged her chair beside mine and began to stare at her father. There were some spare chairs, in case people wanted to learn his way of farming. He always thought that everybody has to follow his way of growing crops and made sure he did all he could to preach young farmers. I always visit his place whenever I feel troubled. Towlhagger is a very good listener.
"He is as hopeless as he always was!" Marina sighed, rubbing her palms against each other.
"What did he do now?"
"I am 24! For how long am I going to remain single?" She asked, not lifting her gaze from her father.
I didn't reply.
"He thinks I shouldn't get married."
"He must be having a pretty good reason behind his belief."
Marina clucked her tongue, as if I made a mistake.
"He thinks if I ever marry someone, the person might crush me and render me into a good for nothing baby producing machine." She wailed.
Towlhagger was still speaking to his crops, so, he wasn't listening to us.
"But, that's alright with me!" She said, moving nearer to me. I will get to play with my teeny tiny babies and take care of my man, since I don't know anything else. What's the difference? If I get married, my husband will dominate me. If I don't, my father will. Whatever happens, getting dominated is common." She cried.
"Look Marina! Your father is scared. He is scared of some random man hurting you and crushing your heart to a thousand pieces. What if he destroyed you, mentally? You'll never recover. Your father's scared that you will become like him. He doesn't want anything bad to happen to you!" I tried to knock some sense into her.
Marina looked like she had some complaints, but, she soon stood up and went away, when her father walked towards us.
"Hello Mr. Hawthorne!" He said wiping his forehead off sweat.
"Hello Towlhagger!"
"Marina's still complaining, eh?"
"Not really! She's disappointed" I said. Both of us were looking at Marina as she was feeding some pigeons with some grains. Though Towlhagger never admitted it, he was proud of her.
"I don't want her to become anybody's slave."
I chuckled a bit, as he looked at me angrily
"What!?" He questioned.
"Its not like that! They will love each other!" I explained. "You know what all adjustments a couple makes!"
"If your daughter brings home a random man, and says that she loves him, how will you feel?!"
I didn't reply
"See? Every father has this tension. Your time hasn't come yet. I don't have any objection in marrying off my Marina to a good man. What guarantee do you have that she will be fine?"
"Marina is an independent girl"
"She isn't. In that way, no wife is. They get attached to their husbands and ruin their lives. Not the husband's. Ah! You know what I mean!"
I didn't want to argue with the man further. I understood one thing. I shouldn't be hard on Cortez and Katniss. I realized that I have to prove to Katniss that Cortez isn't fit for her, if he isn't. Moreover, there's a long way for her! Maybe she isn't serious. Whatever happens, I shall try to understand Katniss. I don't want us to become like Marina and Bordeau.
"Take care, Towlhagger! Don't lose out Marina by becoming a stingy fellow!" I said, running towards the exit.
"Get your children next time!" He shouted. "Its been ages since I saw them!"
My visit to the Towlhagger's has been of some use. I realized i spent two hours at their place. With such a little talk. I shall try my level best to understand her. Nobody should comment on any situation, until they put themselves into it. I over reacted. I didn't realize that even I was in Cortez's place, when I was of their age. Maybe its a father thing, getting scared of the daughter's heart breaking, because of a boy.
I think I should apologize to her, and let her make her own decision. My role is to make her realize what is correct for her.
"Where were you?!" Mabel asked, running towards me. She put her arms around my neck and pecked me on my shoulders."Where were you?"
We were still standing near the gate.
"Just a casual walk. Mabe."
"Casual walk?" Mabel spat. "I know, Mrs. Lunitia told me. But, you left at 5 and returned at 8? Three hours? You never go for walking for 3 hours! I was scared."
"May I enter the house,mistress?" She nodded her head and I slowly walked to the drawing room. As I expected, Creighton and Katniss were waiting for me over there.
I don't understand what's wrong with these people!
"Dad! What happened?" Creighton asked, his voice very sarcastic. " What happened now? Saw a monkey dancing in Towlhagger's farm?! Did a plant speak to you? "
"How do you know that I went to Towlhagger's farm?"
"Told ya, sis! He went to the Towlhagger creepy fellow."
Katniss still looked tensed, her forehead was wet.
"Dad! I am sorry!" She wailed. "For introducing Cortez to you! I never thought it'd upset you so-"
"I am sorry, sweetie pie." I apologized. "I was thinking too much! Its fine! If you're happy, even I am happy! As long as he doesn't trouble you. If he does, well, he'll lose out an arm or two!"