Sorry it took so long to update! I'm in the process of moving, and i've been crazy busy. Please review! Also, I would appreciate any help/tips with my grammar. :)
As I reach our room, I remember Pearl is still sleeping on the couch. My heart starts pounding against my ribs. Should I have brought her up with me? No, i'm sure Peeta will know how to handle the situation. I enter our room, walk over to the dresser and pull the letter out of hiding. I sit on the side of the bed, focusing on regulating my breathing, with the envelope shaking like a leaf in my hands.
How am I going to tell them we have not only one, but two children? Will Annie be mad at us for keeping it a secret? Surely she will understand our reasoning. I rise, knowing the longer I wait the harder it's going to be for me to leave the room. I hear a loud manly chuckle, but it's not Peetas.. It's Juniors. My heartbeat quickens with excitement and my feet carry me to the door and down the stairs without delay.
"Oh, Katniss!" I haven't even reached the bottom step, and Annie has already reached me and thrown her arms around my neck. I put the letter in my pocket, and embrace her softly, without saying a word. We stay this way for what seems like five minutes. Peeta is sitting on the couch with Pearl on his lap, who is looking very confused by the commotion that awoke her. Finn is sitting next to them, talking and laughing with Peeta. I take a step back, tears swelling in my eyes.
"Annie, i'm sorry we didn't tell you sooner. I didn't know how-" My apologies are spilling out before I realize i'm talking.
"Katniss, you have no reason to be sorry," She says with her hands on my shoulders and tears in her eyes as well. "how could I be upset with you? You and Peeta haven't met Finn either. It's okay, really." My heart skips a beat at the sound of his name, coming from her mouth. Finnick.. I finally get to meet his son. She puts her hands on my round belly and smiles a huge smile.
"I'll start Dinner." Peeta says in a tone that sounds happier than anything I've heard in a long time.
"I'd love to help." Junior adds, getting up at the same time as Peeta. This makes Pearl laugh.
We follow Peeta, Junior and Pearl into the kitchen. I can tell in the short amount of time they've been here, Pearl, who is normally very shy, has already taken a liking to Finn, and is smiling at him. This isn't your normal reunion. Usually people would be hugging and sobbing, but all of us are a little timid and on edge, all for the same reasons. The reason that we have come to know each other, and we don't know what's to come out of this visit. Peeta sets Pearl in her chair at the table, and grabs a coloring book and crayons to keep her busy while Junior and him cook, and Annie and I catch up. I sit in the chair next to Pearl, and Annie sits next to me. I tell her all about Pearl, and how Peeta and I have been since we left the Capitol.
I can tell Annie is okay, but then again, how well do I really know her? I only knew her for a short time in District 13. She doesn't zone out, or laugh randomly anymore though. Probably for the same reasons that I don't.. because she has to stay grounded for her child. She was no more mad than Peeta, Haymitch, I, or anyone else who survived the Hunger Games for that matter.
Junior on the other hand seems very strong and thriving. His spirits are so high that it's contagous. He looks like an exact replica of Finnick, even his personality is almost identical. Suddenly, I feel the guilt rising inside me. I can't help but feel like it's my fault that he never got to meet his Father. He will never know how much he resembles him. He will never get to experience what great of a person he really was.
"When is this little one due?" Annie asks while placing a hand on my stomach.
"Two more months to go," Peeta interjects before I have the chance to. "we don't know if it's a boy or a girl yet." I give Peeta a look of thanks, without having to say a word. He knew my mind was in another place.
Annie doesn't notice, she is still rubbing my belly. "Do you have any names picked out?"
"Phoenix." I say. I don't want to go into the reason behind the name, for now it's between Peeta and I.
"I like that." Junior announces, but doesn't stop slicing the loaf of bread that Peeta gave him. "Like the bird, right?"
"Yes, like the bird." Peeta adds, again saving me from having to explain anything. I'm shocked that he figured it out that quick. It wasn't really a secret, but more so a moment of bonding and healing between Peeta and I.
At that moment my love for Peeta deepens, as it does almost every day. Sometimes I think he knows me better than I know myself. He always knows the right things to say, at the right moment. I never once have regretted my decision to be with him. I'm thankful, and couldn't even imagine where i'd be right now without him.
"That's beautiful. It was easy to name Finn. Of course I didn't know when I named him that he would be a spitting image of his dad," She adds with a laugh. "his spirit lives on in his son, that's for sure." She is no longer smiling, her expression is blank. Finn stops what he's doing and walks over to console her. It looks as though he has to do this often. She isn't as strong as she lets off to be, but I can't say that i'm surprised. I grab her hand which lies flat on the table. Is now the right time to give her the letter? Then I remember something else that I have in my possesion.
"Junior- I mean, Finn. Have you ever seen a picture of your dad?" I ask.
"No, I haven't. From what i've heard, I look just like him.. and you can call me Junior if you'd like." He smiles at me, again looking just like Finnick. "I don't mind."
"I'll be right back." I get up and head back upstairs to retrieve our family book. When I return to the kitchen Pearl is setting the table, while Peeta finishes the beef stew and Junior finishes slicing and plating the assortment of breads. I sit next to Annie and set the book on the table in front of us. "This is my families book, I have something I would like to show you two." I flip to the middle of the book and quickly flip through the pages until I come across the one i'm looking for.
"Plutarch gave me these before we left District 13." The page holds two pictures. One of Annie and Finnick on their wedding day, the other a group shot of us all at the wedding. I see the tears spilling from Annie's eyes and i'm unsure if this was the right thing to do. I pull the picture of Annie and Finnick off the page and set it in front of her.
Annie is speechless. Junior, who is standing behind Annie with his hands on her shoulders, reaches forward and grabs the picture to get a closer look.
"Wow.. I really do look just like him," His eyes on the verge of overflowing. "and mom, you look so happy."
"I want you to have it." I say.
"Katniss, I couldn't possibly take this. It's part of your book."
"No, really. I have this one.. and you need it. It's the only memory you have."
"Thank you." Junior replies before Annie has time to, and is now hugging me.
"The food has a few minutes left. I'm going to go over and see if Haymitch would like to join us." Peeta says while picking up Pearl. "Katniss, would you keep an eye on it for a minute?"
"Of course." I reply, and with that they head out to the house next door.
Finn has sat down next to Annie, with the picture in front of them. I get up to stir the stew and turn the stove off. I decide they need some time alone, so I walk over to the table and grab the book before heading out of the kitchen. "I'll give you two a minute." Neither of them say a word, they just keep staring with wet eyes and cheeks.
I can only imagine what this moment is like for both of them. Annie, looking at one of the happiest days of her life. Finnick was the only thing that kept her alive back then, and he was ripped away from her shortly after they were reunited. Compare that to Junior though who has never met, or even seen a picture of his dad.
I sit down on the couch and set the book on the table. All I can do now is wait for Peeta to return. They're this torn up already, and I haven't even given them Finnick's goodbye letter. A few minutes pass, and I hear the door. Peeta and Pearl come into view, but no Haymitch.
"He said he just ate, but he'll come over in a little while. There was no changing his mind." Peeta removes Pearl's shoes and coat and she runs over to me and jumps in my lap.
"What are you doing, Mommy?" she asks in a quite voice.
"Just waiting for you and Dad to get back so we can eat. C'mon, let's go, i'm starving."
"Me too." She says with a giggle as she jumps off of my legs.
Peeta has just finished hanging their coats in the closet. As I stand he walks over and hugs me. "So far, so good?"
"Yeah-" My voice is shaky. "beside the fact that Junior never even got that chance to meet Finnick, because of me-"
"His death was not your fault. Don't think like that. There was nothing you could have done, Katniss." He hugs me tighter, then I realize we're both being hugged around our legs. "C'mon, Let's go eat." He grabs each of our hands, and walks us to the kitchen.