Another long day in the mines. Now home, I've cleaned up and hung some laundry out on the line for Ma. I'm about to head inside to help with dinner when Posy comes running around the side of the house. She throws herself in my direction and wraps herself around my leg, shrieking with laughter.

I can't help but chuckle as Posy shrieks and twists her body around my legs. I pretend to not notice her, and walk a step toward the house, dragging Posy along with me.

"Huh." I mutter loudly, "I must be awfully tired. My leg feels like …" I look down and pretend to be surprised to see Posy clinging to me. "Whoa! Where'd that come from?"

Posy looks up at me, still giggling uncontrollably.

Another step. "Hey Ma!" I yell, "I think I need an apothecary. I've got a weird growth on my leg."

There's fresh laughter from Posy as she pulls at the hem of my shirt. "Gale, it's me. It's Posy."

"Aaugh! It's talking!" I cry out, reaching down and scooping her up in my arms. I swing her up in the air above my head, sparking more giggles. I almost lower her to the ground but don't let her down entirely.

"Gale!" she demands through her laughter.

"What?" I exclaim, swinging her back up to my eye level, looking at her as if seeing her for the first time. "Posy? Is that you?"

She laughs, nodding her head at me.

"How did you get so tall?" I ask her.

"Uhhh ... "

"Uh-oh, not gonna tell me? You're in trouble now." I swing her through the air again, as she erupts in laughter again.

"Gale! Put me down!" she yelps through her giggles.

I spin her around a few more times, before setting her back on the ground and taking her hand. Once her giggles have quieted, I pull her toward the house.

"Okay Pose, let's go see if Ma needs any help, okay?"

"Okay," she says happily, trailing me into the house.

After homework and chores, Vick and Rory don't want their little sister chasing after them anymore. I want them to be able to go have fun, so I've been looking after Posy more and more when I'm home from the mines. And, even though she can be a brat sometimes, days like this remind me I wouldn't trade it for anything.

Inside, I let Posy direct me on how to set the table for dinner, though we won't need much for tonight's stew. I make her count how many people there will be; she's always right, since we never have company. Today Posy's bossing is adorable. From the kitchen, Ma mutters loudly enough for me to hear, "I wish you'd listen to me like that." But I know she's teasing.

Ma calls in the boys to clean up for dinner and as she scoops out stew into bowls for everyone, I try to keep Posy occupied at the table. She's pretty squirmy tonight (okay, maybe I shouldn't have gotten her all riled up right before dinner) so instead of making her wait in her own chair, I hold her on my lap and try to distract her.

"Hey Pose, what did you do today? Did you help out Ma again?"

She brightens instantly. "I saw Katniss! She was being a princess on t.v. again." With Katniss on the Victory Tour, we get broadcasts showing their visits to the districts. Posy, of course, has heard a few too many fairy tales and thinks anyone in a fancy dress is a princesses.

Out of the corned of my eye I see Ma's head jerk in my direction. She's probably worried that I'm about to freak out at the mention of Katniss. Well, I'm not. I'm fine.

"Ooh, that sounds fun. What do you remember?" I ask pointedly, as Ma sets the bowls of stew in front of us.

"She had a pretty dress on. Like a Princess. It was the prettiest ever." Every dress is the prettiest dress ever, in Posy's view. She asks, "Can I be a princess like Katniss?"

I've learned not to think about the implications of this question and just lie. "Of course you can Posy, but not until you're all grown up."

"Oh yeah." She says, disappointment flitting across her face.

"Hey, what color dress was Katniss wearing?"

"Umm, green."

"Green huh? That's my favorite color! Is green your favorite color too?" I ask as Rory and Vick slide into their seats at the table.

"No," she says, wrinkling her face. "I like yellow."

"Oh. Yellow like the schoolhouse?"

"No Gale," she declares. "Yellow like a flower."

Ma takes her seat and interrupts us with a weary smile. "Okay, you two. Time for dinner."