Who: Haymitch and Effie When: September 25 Where: Effie’s House What: Arriving Home Rating/Warnings: Low/None Status: Complete
Now that the Old Man was dead, there was nothing stopping Effie from showing her affection toward Haymitch in public. They’d been off in an undisclosed location for almost two weeks while she “mourned” and now they had just arrived back to Orange County. Effie dragged Haymitch to Baxter Bakery for a sparkling latte on the way back to the house. She was going to need it for what was coming next.
She had decisions to make about the place. And one of the Old Man’s lawyers was waiting for them when they got there.
Haymitch was glad they’d gone away, it was what Effie had needed. What they’d both needed really. They’d talked about what had happened but mostly they had relaxed and just been together. Haymitch had checked in with his company while he was away but everything seemed to be running fine. And a lot of the fuss since the Old Man had died had petered away to nothing.
Haymitch noticed the lawyer immediately and stood straight and tall as they exited the vehicle, Effie needed to handle this but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t step in if he felt it was called for.
Effie didn’t want to deal with bags and luggage and carrying shit around. It was always the end of the trip that was the hardest. Like the suitcase gained weight while they were travelling. In any case, she left that to Haymitch or the driver, or whatever, and moved up the front walkway to the front door. She shook the lawyer’s hand, and they all proceeded inside.
“We want to make this as easy for you as possible, Ms Trinket.” He said, leading the way into the library. The table was spread with documents, and there were two other lawyers in there already. “My suggestion would be for you to remove any keepsakes or furniture that you would like to keep from the house, then liquify the assets to try and cover some of the debt.”
Haymitch indicated to the driver to bring their things inside, there was no way he was leaving her to face the blood suckers alone. He knew what lawyers could be like, he’d worked with enough of them.
He pulled out a chair for Effie in front of the table before he took a seat himself. Watching the lawyers, wondering if all of them were strictly required and how much of the money left was going to pay their salaries.
Effie slipped into the chair. She’d felt good on the holiday with Haymitch, but the horrible, numb, terrified ache was coming back into her gut now, and she wasn’t sure how to control it--or hide it. She glanced up at the lawyer, then back down to the paperwork. “How much debt are we looking at?” She asked.
“On the record, your husband’s assets should cover it, and leave you with a comfortable safety net.” The lawyer replied after a moment of hesitation.
“And off the record?” Haymitch said, placing a hand over Effie’s in comfort. These guys couldn’t care less about their relationship he was sure.
Nah, it seemed as if the lawyers didn’t give a shit about their relationship. They weren’t even watching. The head lawyer glanced at the other two, then back. “Off the record,” he said, “the Old Man was in over his head. And I doubt that his debt will die with him.”
Effie gave an involuntary shiver at those words, and turned her eyes to the paperwork in front of her on the table. She swallowed. “Just… do whatever you can. Sell it all. Sell everything and pay off whatever you can.” Her voice was shaky and quiet.
Haymitch nodded, it wasn’t really a surprise, but still not good news to hear. Swapping his hands he wrapped one around her while laying the other over her hands. “Get a good price before word spreads and people try and grab a bargain” Haymitch said to the lawyers who nodded in agreement.
At least she knew now. She knew what she was into, she knew what cards were on the table. There were a bunch of zeros. The rest of the conversation was hazy, talk about selling off the boat, the cars, the plane, and the houses. They were all fairly heavily mortgaged, and the sale of each would cover just slightly more than what was still owed on it. The furniture, clothing, stocks and bonds, and other household items would cover Effie’s cost of living for the next few months, but that was all they could do.
And no one mentioned the “Off the record” debt again.
After a gruelling half hour or so of lawyer talk, dates and names and signatures on forms, the lawyers finally packed up and left. Effie sighed, leaning her head back against the back of her chair and closed her eyes. She felt exhausted and defeated.
Haymitch had stood to see the lawyers out and as he came back he moved behind Effie’s chair and began to massage her shoulders dropping a kiss to her forehead. “It’ll be okay” he said softly, “We’ll work it out”
The tension instantly started to melt away from her shoulders at the feel of his hands against her. Effie opened her eyes to look up at him, and gave a nod. Even with all this other crap, Haymitch made things a thousand times better.
“I know.” She said, softly, and lifted one hand to rest on his on her shoulder. “I’m sorry that I dragged you into this.” She should have left the Old Man while she had the chance.
He tangled their fingers and squeezed lightly, “Hey, I love you” he told her, “I’m here by choice and I’ll do anything and everything I can to help and protect you”
It was amazing to hear those words. Effie wasn’t sure she’d ever heard the Old Man say them to her. And she wasn’t sure she would have believed him, anyway. Especially not now. Not after the younger and prettier floozy shagged him to death.
“I love you, too.” She said. “Can you help me find a place to stay?” A hotel, or something. She couldn’t very well sleep in the bed where the Old Man had died.
Haymitch didn’t say them lightly, but what he felt for Effie eclipsed everything he’d ever thought he felt for someone in the past. There was a fierce need to protect and care for her driving everything he did.
“You’ll stay with me” he told her, “As if I’d let you go anywhere else”
Effie felt her cheeks go warm, and her lips curved into a smile. “...thank you, Haymitch.” She leaned in against him, turning to press her cheek into his chest. “Let’s go home, then. I don’t want to stay here.”
She should probably pack up some things. “I’ll just… get some clothes and whatnot.”
“Of course sweetheart” he said stroking her hair as he held her against him then nodded. Keeping his arm around her they moved upstairs, “I’ll help you” he promised her.
“Okay.” Effie led the way up to her bedroom and dug a suitcase out of her closet. She started to toss clothes and toiletries into the suitcase, and some books and other random things she found around the room. She was fairly thorough. Everything she left behind was going to be sold in the estate sale. Effie made sure to grab her jewelry. And then she opened the wall safe and emptied it, too. A couple of handguns with some ammunition, passports, and a giant stack of cash went into the suitcase.
“Just grab anything you want to see me wear.” She told Haymitch. “Everything that doesn’t come with us is gone for good.”
Haymitch’s eyebrows rose at the weapons, but he remained quiet. Helping her pack everything she wanted to take before she instructed him. Nodding he moved to her closet, picking out a couple of nice things that she’d look pretty in.
As shitty as the whole situation was, this part was a little amusing. Effie was just finishing up packing her jewelry box into the suitcase (good thing she had a matching set of suitcases, this was turning out to be more than “a few things”...) she turned to watch Haymitch in the closet. He looked so out of place surrounded by her pretty dresses and whatnot that Effie just had to laugh.
Turning at her laugh he smiled, it was good to see her smiling so in order to keep things light for her he held one of her sparkly dresses up against himself, “Not my color?” he asked her before giving her a little pose.
Effie laughed even harder when he held the dress up against his chest. She shook her head. “No no no, definitely not.” She said, shaking her head enthusiastically. It felt nice to laugh.
Haymitch laughed too, “Damn. No cross dressing for me then” he sighed, “I think my legs would look great in hose too” he winked at her.
“You’d have to shave them, though--” and that thought brought out another peal of laughter from the blonde. She had to sit down. There were tears in her eyes.
Moving to sit next to her he wrapped an arm around her shoulders, “You like that idea huh? You don’t like my legs hairy?” he teased.
“Oh shut up,” Effie said, playfully, and wrapped her arms up and around him. She leaned in to kiss his jaw. “I like your legs just the way they are, thanks.”
His own arms moved to embrace her and he smiled in return, “Yeah? I’m glad because I happen to like yours as well” he told her before softly kissing her lips.
Effie beamed. She didn’t have a chance to respond before they were kissing. It was nice. Gentle. Passionate. Meaningful. She pulled back. “Take me home.” She didn’t want things to get out of hand on this bed.
“Of course” Haymitch replied, kissing her nose before taking her hand and pulling her up. “Let’s go home sweetheart” he said with a gentle smile. Before closing her last bag and picking it up.