"Johanna, he's here," a male voice calls from downstairs.

"I'll be there in a second," I shout back.

"He's coming," the voice replies.

"I said I'll be there in a second!"

"He's coming anyway," I hear, followed by thudding footsteps on the stairs.

The door to my room bursts open, revealing my eldest, now eighteen-year-old godson.

A smile spreads across my face. "Well don't you look dashing," I say. "You look more like your father every day."

"So I keep hearing you say," he answers, while hugging me. "Hi aunt Jo," he whispers in my hair.

"I guess you're here because your father is freaking out that we won't be there when the lovebirds from District 12 arrive, am I right?"

A grin on his tanned face answers that question for me. "You know dad."

"I sure do," I reply. "Tell him we'll be there on time."

"Actually, he said I had to wait for you. You know, to make sure you were actually going," he says, a bit uneasy-looking.

I roll my eyes. "He used to be more laid-back, your father. Now he's so uptight!"

"Unless he goes out with you, which is at least once every week," Aron chuckles.

"Yeah well we're still best friends, you know. It's not because we're old now that we should be boring," I say, putting on an extra layer of mascara.

"You're forty, not old!" Aron objects. "And besides, that dress does not say boring at all!"

"Aron Odair!" I say, playfully offended. "Are you checking out your godmother?"

"Bit hard not to when you're wearing that to a baby shower," he says. "But you look great."

"Thanks honey. Now zip me up please. I don't want my dress falling off in front of a baby. Although it would be hilarious to see the looks on Katniss and Peeta's faces."

"No wonder I turned out so mischievous, with a godmother like you," Aron says while closing the zip that runs from the top to the bottom of my short, black dress.

"The zipper's hot," Aron says once I'm all set.

I smack my hand against the back of his head. "That's enough. Didn't you have a girl? Or are you still too scared to talk to her?"

"Nah, we're good now."

I raise my eyebrows. "Seriously? Already? Good job, Odair! Is she coming today as well?"

He shakes his head in response. "Other plans. Anyway, we really should get going. Dad's probably losing his mind."

I nod, put my heels on and walk down the stairs.

"So, what do you think? Too sexy for a baby shower?" I ask once I'm standing in front of my husband.

Tyree looks up from the television screen with an expectant look on his face and is clearly not disappointed.

"That is some V-neck," he says, getting up from the couch and straightening his jacket. "But I'm not complaining."

"Of course you're not," I say, smiling. "Now let's go, Finnick is going to kill us."

I take the keys from the kitchen table and throw them at Tyree. "Lock up, will you."

"Yes honey," he replies in a so-called obedient voice.

Once we're in the car, I start thinking aloud why everyone wants me to be the godmother of their children.

"I mean, I'm Aron's godmother and Sammy's! Finnick sure has a lot of faith in my mothering skills. And apparently Katniss and Peeta have that same faith now, since they want me to be the godmother of their newborn," I clarify my thoughts.

"Maybe they just pity you, because you can't have any," Tyree offers, receiving a slap on his thigh from me in response.

"Ow! I was joking! And you know I don't care about that," he quickly defends himself. "Remember our first date, if you can call it that?"

"How could I forget," I say, rolling my eyes. "Never met anyone more blunt than you."

Tyree smiles. "Yeah, well, I just thought that laying every card on the table would be the best strategy to get to know each other. No pushing each other around and all that. We were adults."

"Adults," Aron coughs from the back.

"Tyree really was an adult back then. He completely took me off guard when he said he wanted to be either serious with me or not at all. And I just stood there," I explain to Aron.

"I was pretty romantic, wasn't I?" Tyree says.

"We're not really the romantic types, Ty," I say, giving him a grin.

"Can I just say that just because you're the total opposites of romantics, you're pretty romantic too?" Aron pipes in.

Tyree and I look at each other, thinking about what Aron just said. Tyree opens his mouth to say something but I beat him to it.

"Can we stop talking about romance? I hate romance. And besides, we're here."

Before I can open the door of the car, Finnick opens it for me.

"What took you so long?" he asks, a nervous look on his face.

"Calm down, Odair. Are they here yet?"

"Well, no, but…"

"See. No need to fuss."

I get out of the car and say hi to Annie and Sammy. Sammy, who is almost ten, looks strangely like his mother. Not just his external features like his light brown hair and soft expression but he has the same calmness she has. It's like everything around them is just always peaceful. They're basically the total opposites of Finnick and Aron, who can't seem to live without drama, excitement and constant laughter.

"They're coming," Annie's soft voice calls out, just loud enough for me to hear.

I turn around and see a black car driving up the parking lot next to the town hall. I suddenly get an excited flutter in my stomach at the thought of seeing my new godchild for the first time. I don't even know if it's a boy or a girl, Peeta wouldn't tell when he called me last week. He only said he 'would be delighted if I wanted to be the godmother' and I said 'Sure'. Somewhere in the back of my mind I hope it's a girl, since I'm already godmother to Finnick's two boys, but if it turns out to be a boy, I'll be equally happy. Maybe Tyree is right about having them as my kids instead of having some of my own.

When Katniss and Peeta step out of the car, a smile creeps upon my face. I haven't seen them in eighteen years, partly because I'm not allowed to leave the district and partly because Katniss was in a depression so deep I was afraid she'd never recover. Prim's death caused Katniss to lose a part of herself, the one person who depended on her. When Prim was gone and Panem was saved from Snow, Katniss didn't need to be strong anymore. The first time Peeta called me was when he was afraid she might hurt herself. And he called the week after that, and the week after that, even after Katniss got better. Katniss became my friend in district 13 because she was my roommate, but Peeta became my friend in the Capitol because it was a matter of life and death.

I walk towards the couple and hug both of them, Finnick mimicking my actions.

"Look at you two," I say, grinning, "all grown-up."

"Says the forty-year-old," Peeta replies with a smile.

"Ha-ha," I laugh sarcastically. "Peete, I'd like you to meet Tyree, my husband and personal fish provider."

The two men shake hands, smiling.

"So you're the one who finally tamed the wild Johanna Mason. I always knew she'd need someone twice her size," Peeta chuckles.

Tyree laughs. "That's me. And you're the one I have to thank for our monthly three digit phone bills."

Peeta bursts out in laughter and turns to Katniss, saying that Ty's alright for me.

"Okay, enough with the introducing and hugging and kissing," I say, clapping my hands in excitement. "Show me my newest godchild."

Katniss walks back to the car with a smile on her face, and when she finally turns back around, she's holding a baby in her left arm and her little girl Rose is tugging on her right.

When she places the baby – who is a boy – in my arms, I can't help but feel like the biggest softie in the world when I smile down at his chubby face.

"Well hello there, little guy," I say in a soft voice, still smiling.

Tyree, Finnick, Annie and the boys all gather around me to see the baby. I let them watch and coo for a moment but I don't hand him over to anyone and eventually I turn around to have some privacy with him.

"So you don't know me yet," I say when I'm seated on a bench just outside the town hall. "But you will get to know me pretty soon. We don't live in the same district but I'll talk to you on the phone. Would you like that?"

The baby makes a noise that I take as a yes. When I continue talking to him, I notice everyone has already gone inside.

I look at the baby's face and can't help but wish he'll grow up to be like Peeta. "You don't know much about your parents yet, but I can tell you this much: your mother is very, very brave and your father is the most kind-hearted man I've ever known." The baby looks at me as if he understands every word I'm saying. "And your sister, well, her godfather is Gale Hawthorne so I'm pretty sure she'll grow up to be just as badass as he is," I continue. "But you'll be better than the whole bunch put together, okay? Promise?" A smile. He promises.

Tyree's voice calls me back to the town hall, where drinks are being served and my best friends are all chatting away.

"So," I say once I handed the baby over to Peeta and I'm seated next to Katniss. "How are you doing?"

"I'm okay," she smiles. "I really am. I'm finally happy."

And I believe her. The girl who could never make up her mind, who always found something to try to fix, who always wanted to fight for something, has finally settled down. And with the guy who I thought was best for her.

"That's good," I reply with a smile. "And how's Gale?"

"He's good too," she nods, sipping from her drink. "He visits every six months, sends dozens of gifts for Rose, and apparently he has finally settled down himself."

I raise my eyebrows in surprise. "What? With who? Anyone we know?"

Katniss chuckles at my reaction. "No, we don't know her. But from what I hear, she's very sweet. I think a girl like her is exactly what Gale needs in the long run. Someone sweet, someone to protect."

I nod in agreement, fully understanding what she's trying to say.

Aron eventually joins Katniss and me and we chitchat a bit about everything until Peeta finally chokes on his drink in an enthusiastic hurry to say something.

"Oh shoot, my shirt," he curses while trying to clean his shirt soaked with champagne. "Never mind. I have some news!"

"You're having another baby," Finnick jokes.

"Heh, I don't think I can handle any more of Katniss' hormones," Peeta laughs. "No, Effie moved in next door!"

I watch the other's faces to see if they know what the true meaning behind his words is but as far as I can tell, they know as much as I do. Peeta sees the confusion and continues with a voice even more excited than before.

"She moved in with Haymitch!"

I almost spit my drink over Katniss and I clamp my hand over my mouth. "What?" I gulp.

"So they're together?" Finnick asks.

"Yes!" Peeta exclaims. "Well, at least that's what we think. I mean, why would she move in with Haymitch of all people, in District 12?"

Somehow I always knew Haymitch had a deep respect for Effie even though he hated her guts every now and then. And he was also the one waiting for her to get out of the hospital so in a way it makes sense that they would end up together. "Tell them I'm happy for them," I tell Katniss, who nods in response.

I hop off my barstool and walk towards the temporary bar – especially set up for the Katniss and Peeta's visit – to get another drink for me and Katniss.

"Two white wines, please," I ask the elderly bartender, not really paying attention to who he is.

A curt 'no' from him makes me look up. "Oh please, Aidan, give me a break," I say with a roll of my eyes. "I've been living here for eighteen years now."

"And I still don't like you," he replies.

"Ugh, now you're really breaking my heart. Then fetch me someone who will serve me my drinks," I say, equally frustrated as him.

It doesn't matter that the Hunger Games are something from the past now, some people will never get over their grudge. Aidan has hated me since day one, because I killed the District 4 tribute in my Hunger Games. No matter how nice I've been to him in my years as a District 4 citizen, he still thinks I'm a cold-blooded murderer. And maybe I still am, because I'm still me and I killed people before. It's not because it's in the past that it has disappeared. Yes, I have changed, the world has changed and Panem has changed. Coin stayed president for a year, before the was claimed unfit for the job and Paylor was voted president. So yes, things change but the past is what helps create the present so there's no use in denying it.

"Here you go, miss Mason," the other bartender says while handing me two glasses.

"Thanks," I reply.

We sit and drink and talk for a few more hours before Peeta says it's time to put the children to bed. They're staying in one of the houses in – what used to be – Victor's Village.

"I'm headed back home too," Tyree says when we're outside. "Got an early day tomorrow."

I nod. "Are you taking Annie and the boys home then?"

"Yeah. You're probably grabbing a drink with Finnick, right?"

"It's that time of the week again," I smile. "We need to catch up."

"On what?" Tyree asks, knowing very well Finnick and I can talk about anything at any time.

I just give him a quick kiss before saying goodbye to the others and walking towards Finnick. "Don't wait up," I call over my shoulder.

"Never do," I hear Tyree shout back. "Victors," he mutters to himself but still loud enough for me to hear.

"I heard that!"

"You were supposed to!"

I laugh and Finnick swings his arm casually over my shoulder before we walk off to our favorite bar. Life may not always turn out the way you thought it would, but that doesn't mean it's not great, or even better.