As if it wasn't bad enough, Prim insisted on bringing Buttercup to the dinner table.
First, I'll tell you what I brought home. Turkey and fish. The turkey was roasted, and the fish was cooked in a stew with some leftover greens from yesterday. We also had the coarse-grain bread.
"Please pass the stew bowl," Prim smiles.
"Sure," I say. Then I notice Buttercup. "Prim!" I scream in horror.
"What?" Prim asks, looking worried.
"You-you-you brought….Buttercup," I stammer.
"He's part of the family now," Prim replies.
"Oh-okay," I answer.
The next few minutes we spend in silence. Silence. Total silence. Except for Buttercup's chomping. Gosh, that appetite! When was the last time Buttercup ate, anyway?
"So, how was school?" my mother asks.
"Good," Prim replies.
I don't answer, of course.
Silence again.
Then I notice that Prim barely eats. Just a bit of turkey, and a slice of bread. And the rest she feeds to Buttercup! The fish stew was for Buttercup. Not her. And fish stew with greens is Prim's favorite food.
"You aren't eating," I gasp in disbelief.
But Prim continues to feed generous portions to Buttercup. So I said, "Prim! He's…probably full by now."
Prim looks up, surprised. "I think you're right, Katniss. Off you go, Buttercup."
Later, after dinner, I notice something.
Prim made a soft, cuddly, blankety (I think that's a word), bed for Buttercup! Aah!
Buttercup will be spoiled. Mark. My. Words.
The next day, I wake up and find Primrose feeding Buttercup some of the lumpy grainy breakfast we have.
Then she kisses Buttercup goodbye.
We march to school.
After classes, I notice that Prim is frantic about something.
"What's wrong?" I ask.
"Nothing. I mean, I'm worried about Buttercup. What if something happened to him while I was gone? I'll never forgive myself then," Primrose finishes.
So she's worried about the cat. Again.
I do my homework. Then go hunting.
Dinner comes, and Prim feeds the best parts of rabbit to Buttercup.
Later, Primrose kisses Buttercup good night.
And I lay in bed, thinking: Buttercup will become spoiled. It will hiss at me, growl at me, and bite me because it remembers the drowning incident. Maybe I should tell Prim. But it will break her heart. She'll start crying-again. But-
My eyelids close. I fall asleep.