If They Had Lived

Chapter 7

**Picture is of Anila Jacov

-CFF

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Its been four years since the Quarter Quell. I stopped training Careers to raise Chase and Myna. Myna is quiet, shy, and sweet as well as totally loyal and dependant upon her brother. Wherever he goes, she follows. The have gotten into so much mischief in this past year alone. Chase is a trouble maker, a boy through and through. He spends his time catching and killing small animals and bugs, making mud fights, and scaring me with the things he brings inside the house. But underneath the dirt he gets into he's a sweet boy. I love them to death. Cato still is a trainer and he's one of the best, so therefore he earns way more money than we need. We still have most of our winnings from the Games. So, we set aside most of his pay in a trust fund for the kids.

I stand behind the kitchen sink, washing dishes as I watch the twins play outside through a window in front of me.

Myna's black hair bounces as she runs across the yard. She has her daddy's deep blue eyes. She's tall for being four years old and is so skinny. She burns off her calories with all the running around she does. Chase also has dark black hair, but his eyes are dark brown and full of curiosity. He's also tall for his age, but a little bit on the chubby side.

The door closes and I smile. Cato calls out, "I'm home Clover." "I'm in the kitchen." I respond. There's silence, then strong arms slip around my waist startling me. "Hey," Cato whispers before he kisses the top of my head. I take my arms out of the dishwater and dry them before I fold them over his. "Hey." I say back. "Where's the twins?" Cato asks. I point outside the window before I turn to face him, still enveloped in his arms. I wrap mine around his waist. "How's the baby?" He asks.

I jump slightly and giggle. "Well he obviously recognizes your voice. He just kicked." Cato smiles and gently presses a hand against my bulging stomach. He laughs, "I feel her." "Her is it?" I ask. He smiles and responds, "Well, how do you know its a he?" I look into his eyes. He brings his lips down so they are just inches from mine. I whisper, "Fair enough." Cato closes the gap between up, kissing me softly. A clatter by the door breaks us apart. Myna has her thumb in her mouth and asks, "What are you doing Mommy?" Cato responds, "Its called kissing."

He walks over to Myna and picking her up, pecks her cheek. "That's a kiss." I smile; he's so good with the kids. Myna continues, "But why do you do it?" Cato says, "Because we love each other." Myna nods as if that answers all of her curiosity. I look out the window, and not seeing Chase, I ask Myna, "Where is your brother?" She shrugs her shoulders. Cato puts Myna down, grabs her hand and tells her, "Come on. We'll go look for him." But before they have a chance to, I hear the door close behind me and turn to see Chase covered in mud. I laugh, he is so cute. "Mommy," he says "I'm dirty." I smile at him and say, "Yes you are. You need a bath." Myna yells out, "I want a bath too!!!" Cato and I meet eyes and laugh.

Suddenly the phone rings. Cato says, "I'll get it." I hug Chase and Myna and shush them saying "Shhhh!! Daddy has to talk on the phone." They giggle and playfully tell each other to shhh. I look up at Cato and my smile disappears from my face as his face goes through several emotions while he listens to the other person on the line. First happiness. Then confusion. And finished with shock. He slowly hangs up the phone. His eyes fill up with tears. I stand up and tell the kids ,"You two go get your outside toys cleaned up." They leave as I walk over to Cato. "What is it?" I ask him. He is silent then whispers, "It's my father. He's dead."

I walk over to him and quietly put my arms around his waist as his eyes fill with tears. I keep silent as I know right now he just needs someone to open up to. Cato whispers,"He was my rock. When I was just a kid, he would be the one I turned to. I didn't have any friends until high school, so I hung out with my family. Dad got me through everything and now he's just....gone." The tears slide down his face.