Finding the Missing Piece: Book 5

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Katniss POV- (Willow's first birthday)

"Katniss! Door!" Peeta calls from the living room.

I come down the stairs.

"Peeta, you're right there." I scoff and playfully slap him on the arm as I walk past the couch.

"Sorry, sweetie." He smirks and blows kisses and then turns towards the TV again.

I roll my eyes but smile wide as I open up the front door.

"Katniss!" Rue says excitedly.

I smile, "Hey."

Half way embracing her as her eyes immediately find Willow who is on my hip.

"Katniss, she is so beautiful." Rue says, her brown eyes wide.

I freeze.

"Thank you. I'm so glad you could make it. Everyone else should be here shortly." I say.

"I'm so happy to see you." She says.

I smile sadly, "I'm happy to see you too."

She waves at Peeta.

"Come in." I say and shut the door behind her.

We go and sit on the couch and I sit down next to her. Putting Willow in my lap.

Willow just stares blankly at us both and then at Peeta, probably trying to figure out what is going on.

"This is Willow." I say awkwardly.

"She is adorable. Can I please hold her?" She asks excitedly.

I laugh, "Of course." I say and she takes her.

"Gosh, she looks so much like you." Rue says to me.

Peeta smiles proudly, "Finally, someone sees it too."

"I think she looks like both of you, I guess. She has your eyes, Peeta." She says, examining her.

I smile and look at the sight and imagine what it would be like if this was Prim.

Willow starts playing with her hair and her all too familiar necklace.

"Your Aunt Prim gave me this necklace." Rue tells Willow softly, unsurely.

I hold back a cringe and smile sadly and sigh, "You heard about what happened?"

"Yes. Of course, the whole town did."

I sigh.

It was all over the news here in Twelve about how Prim's death was a murder.

A lot of phone calls from people here in town and of course our friends came rolling in with questions I didn't know the answer to and lots and lots of condolences...

Willow starts bouncing on her chubby little legs and Rue smiles, "Oh, Katniss. She's so beautiful. With her blue eyes, she almost looks like Prim." Rue says.

Immediately, she begins to apologize.

"No, don't be sorry. I think so too, sometimes." I admit.

I've never said it out loud but Willow, despite looking so much like Peeta, has very distinct features that remind me of Prim when she was a baby.

I can't help but to compare them sometimes.

I sigh, "I'm sorry that we never got around to telling you about my pregnancy or around to letting you meet her before today but with Peeta and I's family snags, everything has been so crazy. I haven't had time to think much of anything else." I apologize, all in one breath.