I'm overwhelmed by what I see. Haymitch, clean and sober for once sits in a chair across the room from me. That's not the surprise though. It's who is with Haymitch that is the surprise. They are sitting in chairs next to him and standing behind him. I stare at the faces, momentarily in shock as my mind tries to process what's before my eyes. In chairs on either side of Haymitch sit my mother, and Annie Odair with a baby boy a few months old in her arms. Behind them stand Finnick Odair, Hazelle, Rory, Posey, and Vick. Most surprising of all is my old prep team- Octavia, Flavius, and Venia. Before I know what I'm doing, I'm rushing into Mother's arms, and crying for the second time today. All of the sudden after over a year of separation, never expecting to see these people again, they are all here in 12.
Mother takes a handkerchief and wipes my eyes. "Happy birthday, Katniss," she says giving me a melancholy smile. I'm still overwhelmed and confused. I look back at Peeta, then at everyone else. "But, how, I mean, all of you live so far away, and I thought..." I trail off and look at Peeta again, my face pleading an explanation. Peeta looks so pleased. "Haymitch helped me. I couldn't have done it without him." I look at Haymitch, who has a very smug expression on his face. "Peeta convinced me to help him give you a birthday surprise, Sweetheart. So I made a few calls, pulled a few strings, and got it so that all your friends and family could be here without any problem." I impulsively go over and give Haymitch a hug. "Thank you," I whisper hoarsely. "Really, thank you." Haymitch seems very uncomfortable. He awkwardly pays me on the back. "Don't get silly about this. It was all Peeta's idea. Don't go making a scene," he says quietly. I can tell he's just pretending to be annoyed though.
Now Greasy Sae is walking in with a beautiful cake. Everyone immediately gathers around me and Sae. Annie looks at me. "Katniss, your mother asked me to sing the song we sing in 4 on birthdays. I hope you don't mind." I smile. "No, of course not. Please, do sing it," I say softly. Mother and Peeta are on either side of me holding me tight. Annie passes the baby to Finnick, closes her eyes and begins singing.
"Crystal waves touch the shore,
we will love you ever more.
As each year passes,
you begin again.
Let the waves lift you high,
reach out to touch the sky,
we will brave the storms hand in hand.
Believe in yourself, and those who love you
and you'll find your way to the shore."
Annie finishes singing and I hug her. It's hard not to cry what with all the kindness being shown to me by everyone.
For those hours of celebrating together it feels like I have a family again. Much bigger than my real family, but it feels like family. Mother and Annie are talking easily with each other. Mother tells me that she and Annie spend a lot of time together in 4. Venia, Flavius, and Octavia amuse everyone with their enthusiasm and bubbliness. They say they haven't had this much fun since my engagement party in the Capitol. Rory, Vick, and Posey are playing, with Peeta, who seems happy to entertain them. I find myself talking with Finnick as we eat the cake Peeta made for me.
"What have you been up to Katniss?" Finnick asks me. "I've been living. Putting myself back together. You were right. It is ten times as hard as breaking. Peeta helps a lot though. Of course, I have to help Peeta sometimes too, but he's not the one who sinks so easily into depression. It's been a lot easier the past two months though. It will be even easier once the town is finished. Then 12 will feel like home again." I give him one of his flirty smiles. "What about yourself Odair? Looks like you've been busy these last few months." Finnick points happily to the sleeping baby in Annie's arms. "That little boy is the best thing that ever happened to me and Annie. He keeps our minds off of everything the Capitol did to us. We don't have room to think about much else except him." Saying this, Finnick looks down at the robotic left arm that he received after being attacked by lizards mutts in the Capitol sewers during the war. "It's hard to even remember I have this, even when I'm holding him. All I see is this beautiful little boy who is out of harm's way. He'll never go into an arena, never go through the hell and more his mother and I went through. It makes the scars and arm completely worth it." I smile at him and look at little Aidan. It makes me happy knowing Finnick and Annie have finally found happiness and healing.
