The Hunger Games; Extended Epilouge

Chapter 3

Chapter three

Peeta and I sit there staring at each other as I digest what just happened. I can't believe that we just told my Mom that we were getting married, and she hung up. She's never been a very... bubbly person, but she's not so short tempered as to hang up on me.

All of the sudden, the phone starts blaring the shrill tone again, and I jump, startled. The contact ID says it's from "Dr. Everdeen," but I don't know why she's calling us back. Usually, if someone hangs up dramatically, they don't call back. It's just how it is, I guess.

"Hello?" I say, picking up the phone, a little confused as to the whole situation.

"Oh, hi, honey. Sorry, the line dropped while Peeta was talking," she says. I let out a breath that I don't know I'm holding. "What was it he said? I didn't quite catch that last part."

"Erm... He said... That we're getting married," I say, being brave and not making Peeta say it again.

It's quiet on the other end of the phone for a moment, and when she speaks, her words are almost inaudible, almost a whisper. "If that's what makes you happy," she says, and I can't tell if her voice portrays any emotion at all.

"Yes. It does," I say, suddenly remembering that I had left the setting to speaker when Peeta gives me a grin, probably just satisfied that I said that he made me happy.

"Well, honey, you both are only seventeen! Don't you think that you're a little too young for something as drastic as this?"

Technically, I'll be eighteen next week, but I don't argue. I know better. "No, I don't actually. Believe it or not, I don't care how old I am."

She sighs. "Alright. I'm happy for you, I really am. Any plans so far?" she says.

"No, not yet, at least. We're probably just going to stick with the toasting; you know, nothing big."

"All the same," she states. "I still want to be there. My only daughter's wedding is something you don't want to forget."

She says only daughter, and I know why. We've both been trying to convince ourselves over the past few months that Prim never existed, even though my therapist didn't recommend it. It helps us deal with the pain of losing her.

"Okay," I say. "I'll let you get back to saving people's lives already."

She laughs. "It's been a slow day. But I'll talk to you later, alright?"

"Alright."

I can almost see her smile through the phone. "Bye, Katniss. You two... Be careful, alright?"

I turn beet red and Peeta is holding back laughter. "Bye, Mom," I say, punching the end call button.

Peeta cracks up, and I just sit there, embarrassed, suppressing a small smile. "Did she really just...?" he breathes between fits of laughter.

"Yes. That's Amy Everdeen, for you," I say, shaking my head. I kind of just stare at the ground for a second, and then look up at him.

He glances at me cautiously. "What?"

"Nothing," I say. He looks at me, and I know that he's suspicious. "What? I'm not doing anything."

"Exactly. That's what you do when you think," he says, pausing. I do? "So, what are you thinking about?"

In truth, I really don't want to tell him what I'm thinking about. I'm a little bit nervous to what his reaction might be, if I say anything. Really, I'm thinking about if we could have kids. All of these years, I told myself no, because their names would surely get picked out of that big, glass, reaping ball. But now that the games are over... It's a possibility.