Chapter 14
Snake in the grass
She had a hard face, the old lady across the street. An olive green scarf cuffed her neck and, poorly hidden by the white powder, her skin was a web of lines and wrinkles and surgically implanted yellow gemstones.
She had sad eyes, Haymitch thought. Pale, green eyes that pierced his across the road when he locked Effie's door after himself.
"Evenin'," he nodded and she pressed her lips together so tightly the wrinkles seemed to sew her mouth together.
Of course Haymitch was used to people staring at him. With contempt, fear, desire. He'd gotten them all. When he was younger it had bother him a lot but it was years now since he'd cared.
The old woman had turned away from him. But it wasn't until she disappeared through the front door just across from Effie's that he realized. It was her face he'd seen through the window on his last visit here, before he found Effie's photo album.
He fished up a bottle of spirits from his jacket pocket and replaced it with the key.
He needed to buy more condoms, he reminded himself on his slow walk through the Capitol that had awoken to its night life, the air crisper now that they were in October. They still had a few left but he wasn't taking any chances.
Effie should've been way madder at him. He needed only think about his recklessness in the woods to start mind-insulting himself all over again.
Did she think he'd been in control that time? Because the answer was a resounding no! That he didn't get them into trouble on the first try was just a strike of dumb luck, nothing else.
Not that he thought he'd be any good at babymaking, even if he tried. After all those years of heavy drinking his swimmers were probably as deadbeat as the rest of him. But either way, their first time would be the last they ever went sky-diving without a parachute.
Finding Octavia's house was easier than he thought. Effie had pointed it out to him and the music could be heard miles away.
When he pushed inside it was like walking into a living fruit salad. People wore dresses made out of fake apples and pears and oranges, eatable hats and jewellery, suits with cherry and blueberry patterns and one woman, he was quite certain, had nothing on but a full body paint that made her look like banana porn.
Effie was at the bar, surrounded by the prep team. She looked less crazy for a change. Damn fine actually in a white dress patterned with strawberries and green leaves. It wasn't the first time he'd seen it of course. He'd done his very best to keep her from putting it on earlier and get her back into bed.
She would've looked lovely with her real strawberry blonde hair loose but he didn't even try to convince her of that since she wouldn't ditch the head wraps anyway. When he first saw her in one, he thought they were all gray but like her old wigs, Effie had one in every color. Green today. She practically matched Octavia.
"…but he's a morsel, Effie!" Haymitch heard her delighted squeak as he zig-zagged through the crowds to get to them. "You should really hit that! If things weren't getting very serious with Quirinus…"
"Who truly lives up to his name," Flavius winked.
"Right!" Octavia giggled. "I would absolutely go for it! You should have some fun!"
"Moment of truth," Venia smiled and put her arm around Effie. "Someone keeping you warm?"
"You know you can always tell us!" Flavius said, eager for the latest gossip. "I mean, I can't even remember you dating anyone since Julian."
"Oh, Julian! He was a darling!" Octavia gushed with her hand over her chest.
"But very small hands," Venia said. "And we all know what small hands mean!"
The three of them burst out laughing and Haymitch bet he was the only one to notice the tiredness underneath Effie's smile. Which was great news for him, if you thought about it.
And she would keep their secret, he knew. Effie had a knack for putting up a facade when she had to. Hell, there was a time she even fooled him. Which was why people (a lot more suspicious than Katniss's prep team) bought into the whole "severe meningitis" story she spread out to cover the fact she overdosed on sleeping pills.
And what about all the other secrets she kept locked up inside her heart? Was there even a single person in this entire city that she confided in?
"Hi!" Effie said in surprise when Haymitch reached them. She smiled. "What a lovely and unexpected surprise."
"Haymitch, your beard!" Flavius shrieked and stared at the mentor's stubbled cheeks. "When I gave you that shave you weren't supposed to let it grow back in!"
"And you're not dressed," said Octavia, disappointment written all over her green face. "The theme was 'From the fruit bowl.'"
Venia patted her friend's shoulder soothingly.
"We mustn't hold it against him", she said. "He's from District 12."
"Haymitch wasn't originally able to attend," said Effie, always one to come to his defense. "We should all just be happy that he is here now."
"Oh, we are, Effie. We are," said Octavia. She smiled at Haymitch as if to prove it. "And, obviously, I knew you wouldn't be able to stay away!"
"Octavia's birthday parties are legendary," said Flavius.
"Oh, yes," Venia nodded.
"If only Annabel had agreed to play the trumpet for us," Octavia pouted.
"You got them out of the house at least," said Venia. "Just think about how many parties they've declined these past few years. It makes me want to cry!"
Octavia nodded sadly. Then she took Effie's hands and kissed her on both cheeks.
"Now have a lovely evening, you two. I hope you change your mind about, you know," she smiled. "Oh, and Haymitch," she added. "Don't despair. In a different light I'm sure you wouldn't look half as repulsive."
With that the three beauticians darted away again and from Haymitch came a deep sigh.
It was creepy how virtually unchanged Katniss's prep team was. But then again, just like with Effie: Who knew what went on behind closed doors?
"Don't listen to her," Effie said. The music was so loud they could speak without fear of being over-heard. "You're a lot more handsome than you let on. I should know. I've been right up close."
Haymitch raised his eyebrows, like "seriously?" but Effie only smiled and sipped her drink. He gave up.
"I came to walk you home", he said. "It's been four hours. I'm famished."
"Only 1,45," Effie chuckled. "Miss me already, Abernathy?"
"I miss not being hungry. Can't turn your damn stove on. And with our luck we should clear out now anyways before the shit hits the fan."
"Oh, it cannot possibly get any worse than our last Capitol party," said Effie. "Fine," she added when she saw his look. "Let me just finish my drink and then we can go. And there is food here if you like."
Haymitch went and filled a plate and they found an empty couch in a more secluded corner of the room.
"Who's Annabel?" he asked, remembering Octavia's words and the postcard on Effie's mirror.
"A dear friend of mine." Unlike Haymitch who sat slouched back with the plate precariously balanced on his knee, Effie sat upright on the very edge of the sofa, prim and proper as ever. "We were roommates at the Academy. She was a jeweller before the war. " She smiled at some memory. "I had my first drink with her, I recall. She found a way to smuggle in bottles through our window and she was always my lookout when I was up on the roof."
"What were you doing on the roof?"
"Well, I happened to have a few nocturnal randezvous with the chimney-sweep during my final year. His son to be exact. It was his family's company and after he was done with the school's chimneys he went right over to mine. Best sex I've ever had! …Up until just recently," she chuckled when she saw the deep crease between Haymitch's eyebrows.
"That's her, over there," she nodded towards two ladies across the room. "The one in the purple dress."
The woman in question was a tall and slender brunette with barrettes the shape of watermelon slices. She was talking with a short, blonde woman with a serious face. Both of them looked almost too normal to be from the Capitol. "The blonde lady next to her is her wife, June Summer. You remember the gray dress I wore when we… picked apples? It was from her collection."
"That dress was my undoing," Haymitch mumbled almost absent-mindedly. He stared intently at the dark-haired woman. This Annabel. There was something eerily familiar about her. Something about her brown eyes.
The two ladies had spotted them now and headed their way.
"We have to call it a night," said Annabel and she and Effie kissed on the cheeks. "Early train tomorrow. But it was so good to see you again."
"It truly was," said Effie.
Now Annabel's eyes went to Haymitch who was still on the couch. A gentleman would have shaken her hand but he only stared at her, scowled at her rather, like only Haymitch could.
Effie had to introduce them.
"This is Haymitch."
"I know," Annabel said and gave him a warm smile that only made his skin crawl. "Glad to make your acquaintance, Mr. Abernathy."
When Haymitch didn't answer Annabel turned back to Effie.
"You must come and visit us when we're back in the Capitol, yes? It's been too long."
"Of course," Effie smiled and squeezed their hands goodbye.
"Do I know her?" Haymitch mumbled when it was just them again.
"No. But you probably see her father in her. She is Caesar Flickerman's oldest daughter."
That explained it then. Haymitch's brow crinkled. He'd always been ambivalent when it came to the famous TV host.
"Don't go with your first assumption, Haymitch," Effie said softly. "She was the one who made your gold bangle. And Peeta's medallion."
She swallowed the last of her drink and set the glass on the side-table.
"I need to go and powder my nose," she said. "But I'll be right back."
"And then we'll go home," said Haymitch with a pointed look at her.
"Yes, Haymitch, then we'll go home. I'm actually surprised you lasted this long."
She disappeared and Haymitch returned his focus on the food and his bottle of white liquor that made good on the promise to help him tune out most of the freakish fruit show around him.
He was just contemplating how drunk he could get and still be allowed in to Effie's bed, when something caught his attention.
Another guest had arrived. Beer in hand, her long blonde hair entwined with fake yellow strands that matched her dress, she strode in followed by a man with green stripes in his hair and a bored expression.
This was truly a night of remembrance. Only this time, he knew exactly where from.
It was the same lady they'd seen at the Capitolium. The 20-something woman who made Effie so distraught they'd left the restaurant in a rush.
She sipped her bottle and looked over the crowds of flamboyantly dressed people. Her eyes had just landed on him when Effie re-appeared.
Just like before, she froze. It lasted only a fraction of a second; he doubted no one but him had even noticed it and when the woman turned and spotted her as well Effie's smile was back on. Not like when she looked at Annabel or even the prep team. Her bullet proof Capitol smile that no one could see through.
"Effie dear!" The light glittered off the woman's wrist bracelets when she waved. Haymitch didn't think he'd ever heard such a cold cheerfullness. She had a husky "cigar-voice", as Haymitch called it, that didn't fit the rest of her.
The two women kissed as was custom here but Haymitch noticed their lips never touch the other's cheek, not even close.
"Nice party," the woman smiled sweetly. She was drunk, Haymitch noticed.
"Nice party," said Effie.
The young man the woman had arrived with ignored them like he ignored the rest of the party. His heavy-lidded eyes gazed at nothing in particular while he leisurely tapped one of his shiny, silver shoes against the floor.
"This is Paris, my cousin," the woman said with a wave of her hand like he wasn't important. "He just got dumped so I thought I'd bring him here so he won't kill himself out of self-pity."
"Shut your hole," the man said in a bored voice.
"You brought someone too, I see," she said and looked at Haymitch. "I mean, who else would? It's Haycock, right?" she asked him.
"Haymitch," Effie corrected, tensely. "Haymitch, this is Gloria. Gloria Highgrass."
"Charmed," Gloria said and eyed Haymitch up and down. "I hear you've been quite the globetrotter, Effie," she continued and turned to her again. "People say you've gone back and forth between the Capitol and that coal district like a yo-yo."
Effie's lips were pressed to non-existence but she nodded.
"I have visited quite frequently."
"Ýes, well," said Gloria and her eyes went back to Haymitch in the most obvious way possible. "You always liked to be on the bottom, didn't you? Bottom district. I hope you keep a closer eye on that little tike on fire this time around. We've had enough district tantrums to last us a life-time, don't you think?"
She smiled sweetly at them.
"Have a nice night."
"That horrible, horrible woman," Effie said through gritted teeth when Gloria and her cousin had disappeared. "That mean, cold-hearted, scheming, uncaring, badly-dressed…"
"Forget about it," Haymitch muttered. He'd gotten to his feet and to Effie's side sometime between half of that, his plate still in hand. "Let's just go home."
"No," hissed Effie. "Not this time. I am going to give her a piece of my mind. "Once and for all!"
But Haymitch caught her wrist when she took a step forward and held it firmly.
"Come on, Effs. Before I spill my food."
"Then eat your dinner, Haymitch," said Effie in a voice that allowed no objections. "Do not care about her!"
During this, Gloria had filled a plate with steak and then more steak and now she took a seat in the midst of a group of Capitolians, her cousin included.
And while Haymitch ate, Effie sat vigil by his side, cheeks flushed with anger. There was more to this. Something else was going on, but Haymitch didn't get a chance to ponder over it because of Gloria's ramblings just a few couches down.
He chewed and swallowed. He wanted to leave this freak show but at the same time he was somewhat fascinated by the whole situation.
That girl should get some kind of award for being an absolute asshole.
The prep team was one thing. They could insult you and annoy you, but at the end of the day and in their own odd way, they meant well. They simply didn't know any better.
Gloria's intent couldn't have been more clear.
To upset District 12's mentor and escort til they choked.
"…so I wouldn't leave the Capitol if you paid me! My aunt was a big fan of that District 4 victor. Before he revealed his true colors of course! And she visited the fish district just last month and she told me it was awful! Awful people, awful weather. Children who played in the dirt with no one who looked after them. Their parents should really be ashamed of themselves!"
Effie's hands were fists on her lap. He hadn't seen her this upset since the time a woman tried to slip something in his drink. And it didn't help that some of the men and women around Gloria, primarily those whom had gotten a few drinks too many nodded.
"OK, I'm done," Haymitch muttered and put away his plate that was scraped clean. "Let's get the fuck outta here."
Effie nodded. She was so angry she didn't even correct him for his language. They got up and, never one to waste good food, Haymitch grabbed his blueberry muffin to go and followed Effie towards the cloak room. Just when they crossed the floor Gloria turned her head, saw the muffin in Haymitch's hand and said:
"Looks to me like the pig has started feeding himself."
"Eff," Haymitch said when she stopped short but Effie was deaf to his words.
"Hold this for me, please," she said and Haymitch found himself with her purse while Effie walked straight back to Gloria. "Apologize." Her voice rang loud and clear and people all turned their head. Some of them curiously. Many of them hostile. Octavia and the rest of the prep team stood nervous and big-eyed by the bar. "Apologize to Haymitch right now."
Gloria's eyes gleamed with malice. She got to her feet, drink in hand.
"You know what? I have a better idea," she said. "How about you apologize to the rest of us. You and your beau over there. That you even dared to bring him here is just beyond me. And you and Paylor can quack all you want about equality and rights and how 'we're not so different from each other' because we know the truth. They're nothing but vermin!"
Those words had no sooner left Gloria's mouth before Effie seized her drink and tossed its content right in her face.
Everything was chaos after that.
The women screamed, Octavia sobbed, people held Gloria back while Haymitch pulled at Effie and Paris he seemed to have finally woken from his boredom, watching the two women with mild interest while they screamed obscenities at one another.
"No wonder he left you!" Gloria shrieked and the drink splashed around her face. "What's it like to fuck her, Haycock? Tight and wet? More like flapping a hot dog in a corridor, huh? Isn't that what happens after you've given birth? Oh, she didn't tell you?" she laughed at the sight of Haymitch's face. "Your little Twelve whore there is a mama!"
Author's note: Lot's of drama in today's chapter. Now will Haymitch finally learn the truth? Feel free to leave a review if you're in the review mood. What did you think of Annabel and Gloria? This will not be the last you see of them.
