Wednesday, May 16th, 2018

An important day had begun for Ahsoka. Today would be the day that she was retiring from her job at Burt's Garage. She had been with them for over 34 years. She had celebrated her 55th birthday on February 8th. She had planned years ago to retire at her current age. She had seen some people she knew that waited to retire until they were 65, only to fall ill and pass away months later. She and Lux decided to retire early, so they could enjoy their grandchildren for a good number of years before eventual tragedy would strike them.

Lux had retired a year ago and had found a way to spend his extra time with a productive hobby : He built and sold custom wooden bird houses and feeding stations for anyone that enjoyed watching and feeding small birds. If requested, he would also create a special part to accommodate hummingbirds as well.

Ahsoka, on her end, had expanded her collection of invertebrates by adding in less common arachnids, such as Whip-Scorpions and Amblypygids. She also opened up to Myriapods, which consisted of Centipedes and Millipedes. The latter were handy to have as they were fond of rotten vegetables and fruits, so there was no need to toss any that went bad to the trash. Last but definitely not least, Ahsoka discovered the wonderful world of Mantids. A couple of months ago, she received a baby Orchid Mantis, which she reared with relative ease. The insect was visually stunning and would often appreciate a small sip of liquid honey, almost from her hand.

After a quick shower, she grabbed the nearby towel to cover and dry herself. Despite being older, she still looked like she was in her 30s.

"Ok, time to see what the ol' scale will tell me today." She set her orange feet onto the scale. She waited for a moment for a number to appear. It was higher than she expected. "Huh ?! 160 lbs ?! H-how ?! I'm usually between 150 and 155…" She shook her head. "Well… that means I'll need to cut back on junk food even more. And maybe it wouldn't hurt to double my morning exercises ? At least, it shouldn't be too difficult to get rid of this small bit of flab." She patted her stomach.

She quickly walked back to her room and chose her clothes for her last day of work. She was excited about the new milestone she reached in her life, but she also worried about becoming bored with time. Once she was clothed, she made her way downstairs for her breakfast. As usual, it consisted of a couple of toasts and an egg with a couple slices of bacon. Due to her species' carnivorous diet, meals that didn't include at least one piece of meat were few and far between.

While she and Lux gifted Burt and Linda with a Keurig brewer on Christmas '16, they were offered an updated model of the popular brewer, which allowed more options. Besides the brewer was a ring of K-Cups, Ahsoka sifted through the selection until she made a choice. "Hmm… A Light Roast is nice once in a while, but I'd need something with a bit more kick. Oh ! I haven't had that Espresso one in a good while. Let's do this."

As the Keurig hummed to life, she reached into the fridge for the quart of milk and had the sugar at her reach. At first, she had found the coffees to be bitter and often drowned out the taste with too much sugar. Over time, she placed less and less, savouring the unique aroma and taste without the sugar interfering. Taking her time, she sipped her coffee slowly, while looking at the clock. It was 6:15 am. She'd have just enough time to brush her teeth before heading out to avoid the worst of the morning traffic.

Half an hour later, she arrived at Burt's Garage. She could tell that Burt was slightly bothered by her leaving. He sighed deeply as he saw her coming towards him. "I can't believe it's your last day with us, Ahsoka. It feels like yesterday when you came to ask if we needed assistance…"

She wrapped her arms around her boss, hugging him. "I know, Burt. Time has really flied by over the years. We have all been so busy raising our families that we lost track of it. How long do you and Will expect to keep the business running ?"

He checked his calendar. "End of August, beginning of September is when we'll call it done. We want to ensure our loyal clients get the best service they can get in the city before they need to deal with less… enthused garage employees."

Will was almost 60, he still wore a baseball cap, the flap always pointing backwards. "Ya know, I can't think of a time that we got a complaint. Has it ever happened, boss ?"

Burt removed his sunglasses for a bit, looking for dirty spots. "I can't recall a time that we had a customer that wasn't satisfied either. What I know, is that Ahsoka here really helped out with my business' image."

Her lekku stripes darkened for a moment. "In what sense, boss ?"

Burt counted his fingers as he enumerated her qualities. "Let's see… you have a natural talent with machinery. There was no second-guessing when it came to figuring out a vehicle's issue. Just from the look or sound, you nailed the problem and fixed it accordingly. Every. Single. Time. You must be the most polite mechanic I've ever worked with, aside Will. You never lost your cool, even with some of our more demanding clients. And the best part… our kids hooked up and gave us some wonderful grandkids. Speaking of which, Anakin and Padmé are turning 8 today ! Jeez ! Time goes by WAY too fast !"

"I knew I was forgetting something ! Can you remind me to call Mina during my lunch break ?" Ahsoka asked.

"Will do." Burt turned his head towards the honking of a coming vehicle. He rubbed his hands in delight. "Would you look at that ? A 1967 Volkswagen Type-2, hand-painted in '60s style with the typical over-saturated colors and crazy contrasts ! Definitely a "Hippy Van" !"

Ahsoka stared at the art design and felt a bit dizzy. "I shouldn't stare at it so much, the crazy colors are giving me a headache."

Once the van parked near the garage's entrance, the driver stepped out. A young man around 25, bearing an oversized goatee and long hair, almost reaching down to his waist. "Yo, I was wonderin' if ya fellas could check out my ride. Somethin' off. Dunno what…"

"We'll have it checked out." Burt motioned to Ahsoka. "My mechanic will have a look."

The man stared at Ahsoka, clearly in shock. "Jeebus ! That hairstyle is radical, girl ! Has to be the coolest thing I've seen yet…"

Ahsoka took the compliment. "Thank you. You can take her inside anytime. I'll have a look under. Odds are I'll find the problem and fix it in a jiffy."

Once the van was inside, Ahsoka pressed a switch to raise the van a bit so she could look underneath, using a flashlight. "I see your problem, sir. Your transmission is busted. Thankfully, that's one of the easier things to fix. I should be done in about… 30 minutes, ok with you ?"

The man gave her a thumbs up. "Awesome ! I saw a coffee shop not too far from here, so I'll go get that and a donut."

She nodded. "Go right ahead. By the time you get back, I should be nearly done."

While the young man left for a coffee and donut, Ahsoka gathered the necessary pieces to replace the transmission. While she was at it, she took the opportunity to do a checkup on the motor and performed an oil change. By the time the man returned, she was finishing up repairs. "And that should do it !"

As she washed her hands, the young man reached for his wallet. "How much would I owe ya, miss ?"

"Not only did I replace your transmission, but I also did an oil change, which it needed. Don't worry, that part is on the house. A 100$ and we're even. Good with you ?"

The man did a double-take. "100$ ?! That's it ? Usually, everywhere else almost charges double." He reached in his wallet and gave Ahsoka 5 bills of 20$. "Thanks again, miss ! I'll be sure to refer you guys to any of my friends that happen to drive in the area."

Once the van left, Ahsoka decided to take a break and pulled her cellphone from her purse. She quickly dialed Mina's work number.

"Blank and Bonteri Accounting, hello ! This is Mina speaking, how may I help you today ?"

"Hey, Mina, it's Mum. Have you got anything planned for the twins' 8th birthday later on ?"

"Hi Mom ! How are you ? Isn't today your last day of work with Burt and Will ? What are you going to do with yourself with so much free time ?"

"I'm fine, Mina. I'll take it one day at a time, sweetie. So, anything special for Anakin and Padmé ?"

"Actually, yes. I've placed reservations for the cantine inside the Bronx Zoo. They've been asking to visit for so long. I thought I could take down two birds with one stone. They'll finally get to see so many animals up close… and they can have a burger or a hot dog for dinner. I do have a Chocolate Cake in the fridge for tonight. Myself and Travis are closing up shop around 2:30 PM, so we can surprise the kids and get them while they leave their last classes. Do you think you can call Dad so we can all meet together… say around 3:30 ?"

"Sure, I'll call your father and let him know of your plans for the kids. He won't mind in the least. Do Burt and Linda know that we're all gathering there ?"

"Burt doesn't know yet, but I did call Linda. She'll get Burt later on in the afternoon."

"Well then, it does seem the kids will have a memorable birthday. I can't wait to see their faces."

"Believe me, Mom. We'll need to take some pictures. Be sure to bring your iPad to snap a few shots."

"Will do. Ok, I'll see you guys later. Bye."

"Bye, Mom. Thanks for calling."

Around Noon, Ahsoka was about to head out for her lunch break. Burt walked over to her. "Thanks for fixing those two vehicles this morning. Call it a day, ok ?"

Ahsoka did a double-take. "Huh ? You're sending me early ?"

Burt grabbed her and hugged her a bit forcefully. "You earned it ! Go home and enjoy a bit of extra time with Lux."

She broke away from her embrace. "I see someone else wants a goodbye hug. Come on, Will !"

Will wrapped his arms around her. "We'll be missin' ya, that's fer sure ! Ya did good on yer time, Ahsoka ! Thanks for all those years of hard work !"

"Stop it, you're gonna make me cry." A few tears slid down her cheeks. "I'll always cherish our time together, Will !" She turned to her boss. "Burt, I'll be seeing you later this afternoon. Mina and Travis arranged something really special for Anakin and Padmé. Linda should be picking you up sometime this afternoon. Bye and thanks again for giving my chance to prove myself all those years ago."

Once she arrived home, Lux was making himself a sandwich and soup.

"'Soka ? You're here early ? How did your last day of work go ?"

She sat next to him, glancing at the soup he was eating. "It went without a hitch, as usual, Lux. I'm still having a hard time to wrap my head around the fact that I no longer need to get up to work. It's… strange."

Lux rose up and served her a bowl. It was a chicken noodle soup. "Here we are. Yes, I can relate to the excitement and bewilderment of the situation. It is a major change. It took me at least 6 months to get rid of my old morning habits and adapt to the new lifestyle. Nowadays, I just take my sweet time to enjoy breakfast, look up the news online and then I go to work on the bird houses. If the mood takes me, that is.

There have been occasions that I didn't do anything productive. Sometimes, I simply take a stroll around town, on the lookout for new restaurants to visit and try out. You'll get used to it. Just give it time, dear."

"So we just enjoy ourselves and live it up, so to speak ?" She quickly sneaked a kiss.

"Pretty much. There's no need to be in such a rush anymore. We don't even have to do the dishes immediately after we've eaten. We can do them later tonight or even tomorrow morning." Lux explained.

"Oh ! By the way, Mina's doing something special for Anakin and Padmé's 8th birthday. They want us, Burt and Linda to meet with them at the Bronx Zoo around 3:30 this afternoon. While we see the animals, we'll eat at the cantine there."

Lux was always willing to give in to simple and pleasant meal options. "Mina always comes up with great ideas when it comes for anniversaries. Could she have gotten that from you ?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "Maybe. I don't recall having done anything too special during hers and Daniel's birthdays."

He scoffed at her. "You spoiled them rotten, that's what you did !"

"Was I wrong to do so ?"

Lux shook his head. "Not in the least. They definitely appreciated what we've done for them while they were growing up. If only Dan would get himself a nice girlfriend, that'd be great !"

"We may end up surprised, Lux. We need to be patient. Things will occur when they have to."

Lux finished up his sandwich. "Dan doesn't leave work until 5:30, right ? Which means he'll miss part of the twins' birthday present."

"At the very least, he could make it for dinner. Let me text him." She opened up her cellphone. "Hey Dan, we'll be at the Bronx Zoo with the extended family. Do you think you could meet us once you're done at work ?"

A few minutes passed and Ahsoka's cellphone buzzed. She received the following text from her son. "Bronx Zoo, huh ? I wouldn't miss it ! Sides, I do enjoy seeing my niece and nephew. See you all then !"

Lux was glad Daniel could make it as well. "So, everyone will be present. Perfect. It's around 1 in the afternoon, so what are we to do until say… 2:45 ?"

"Why don't you show me your latest birdhouses you've done ?" Ahsoka suggested.

Lux was always willing to show off his crafts. "By all means, they're right there in the backyard." He lead her outside.

Ahsoka looked at the various models. Some were larger than others. "You seem to be putting more and more work into it all and it shows !"

"Thank you, dear." He quickly grabbed her for a hug and kiss. "Let me explain these. The smallest of the 3 is designed mostly for Sparrows and Finches. The middle-sized one would accommodate some larger birds like Swallows and Jays. The largest is designed specifically for larger predatory birds such as Falcons and mid-sized Owls like the Barn Owl. All in all, I'm confident my clients will enjoy these… almost as much as the birds who will use them as nesting and feeding sites."

"Well, any bit of money aside your monthly pension you're getting from Apple is always a good thing. Makes me wonder what I could to earn a bit of money on the sides…"

Lux chuckled. "Well, I believe we both know the answer to that. You've been thinking about it more and more. It's the space issue that bothers me a bit."

She caught on to his meaning. "Are you telling me that you're actually greenlighting my idea of trying my hand at tarantula breeding ?"

"Don't work with anything that has 2000 or so babies per eggsac, please. That would be a bit too much to handle…" Lux walked back inside to look at her current collection. "Of all of these, which do you think would earn you the most profit ?"

Ahsoka glanced at each animal. "They are so many things to consider, Lux. I would love to have a successful pairing and sell some of the babies, but most would likely be passed on to a professional breeder/seller. There's no way I'd stick with all of them. And another thing is that I would feel much more at ease if I had something that is beginner friendly to offer, such as a Curly Hair or a Brazilian Black, for instance. It wouldn't feel right to sell some Indian Ornamentals to someone that has zero experience with these things."

Lux scratched his head. "Chewbacca was a Curly Hair, wasn't she ?"

"Yes, but she was most likely wild-caught. I would prefer to work with captive-bred animals. Less likely have internal issues like parasites or insecticide poisoning." She pondered a bit more. "You know… I haven't done an order with Ken the Bug Guy in a good while. It's a good time to see what he has available. Once in a while, he'll have some sexed pairs for sale." She browsed a bit through the selection, while Lux sat by her side.

"So no pairs from what I can make out ?" Lux asked.

"None. However, I have come across a few interesting animals. Can you get my credit card from my purse, please ?"

Lux handed over her card. "Try not to spend too much, huh ? You don't have the luxury of a pension plan like I did."

"I've been saving for years, Lux. There's no way we'll spend it all. Eventually, we'll have to pass a good chunk of our fortune to the kids and grandkids." She was always bothered when he stared at what she wanted to purchase, since it would be somewhat expensive. "You can resume work on your birdhouses, you know ?"

"Of course, you never want me around when you're buying, huh ?" Lux rolled his eyes. "Oh, hey ! You are now retired. You are absolutely entitled to enjoy yourself. Spend as much as you want to."

"Thanks." Minutes later, her order was completed. Seconds later, she received the confirmation email in her inbox. "Now, all I have to do is wait. Friday morning will be awful. Knowing myself, I'll be keeping a lookout for that delivery truck every minute."

For the last bit of time until they departed for the Bronx Zoo, Ahsoka read on various message boards to prepare herself mentally for her new upcoming charges.

Once they arrived at the Bronx Zoo, Mina and Travis with the twins, along with Burt and Linda were waiting for them. Once everyone paid their tickets, they began their tour.

Padmé tugged at Mina's sleeve. "Mommy, I wanna see the monkeys first !"

Anakin stuck with his father. "Daddy, I want to see the lions, tigers and other big cats !"

Mina motioned to her son. "Ani… come here, please."

Anakin walked to his mother. "Mommy… I wanna see the big cats… please ?"

Mina showed him the map. "Look here, Ani. Our path first brings us to the Primates section, which is the Monkeys and Apes. Afterwards, we're going through the section of Felines, which comprises all cats. Then, we have the Canids, which are all the wolves and their relatives. Then we'll see a bunch of herbivores like deer, bison, wildebeest, antelopes and so on. Eventually, we'll see birds of all kinds. Then Reptiles, Amphibians, Fish. Last, but certainly not least, we'll see a lot of invertebrates. Like the ones Grandma Soka keeps at home. Ok ?"

Anakin couldn't help but be excited. "Oh, so we'll some cats after we're done with monkeys. Ok."

"So, what are we seeing first ?" Lux wondered.

They arrived at an enclosure with some very large, hairy apes. Mina could tell them apart easily. "Ah, so these are Mountain Gorillas. Impressive, aren't they ?"

Ahsoka tried to get a better look by getting closer to the glass. "So, they're native to Congo, right ?"

Mina quickly corrected her mother. "Not only Congo, Mom. They're also found in Rwanda and Uganda. Hmm… Look at that silverback male. He seems kinda interested in you, Mom."

Ahsoka backed away from the glass. "Why the heck would he be… Wait… WAIT ! What is he doing ?!" The gorilla charged Ahsoka and hit the glass, startling her.

"That was classic territorial behaviour, Mom. There's something he doesn't like about you. So he deemed you a threat to his group." Mina explained.

Ahsoka shook her head. "How do you know all of this ?! You could've been a biologist, for Force's Sake !"

"Don't you remember, Mom ? I read so many books about all sorts of animals when I was younger, so no surprise I retained so much knowledge."

Her lekku soon took their usual shade. "So providing you all those books was worth it in the end."

They moved on and arrived to the Lar Gibbons' enclosure. Small, with long limbs and a loud voice. As Anakin and Padmé covered their ears, Ahsoka and Mina covered their montrals.

"I kinda like their song, but they are loud." Padmé remarked.

Mina scoffed at her daughter. "You think these are loud, Padmé… Wait till we see the Howler Monkeys. Now those are LOUD !"

As they entered the Howler Monkey enclosure, their vocalising was deafening. Ahsoka tilted to Lux. "How's your hearing ?"

"Hurts." Lux moaned.

They moved on to less noisy primates such as Spider Monkeys, Baboons and the Orangutan. Padmé would get closer to those if she could. "Aww, the Orangutan looks so fluffy that I want to hug it and pet it." She turned to Mina. "Are those friendly, Mommy ?"

"They're amongst the most gentle of primates, Padmé. I've heard that if you offer them a candy bar, they'll break it in half and share it with you." Mina answered.

Anakin had every reason to be excited. "Oh ! OH ! I see lions up ahead ! Cool !"

Everyone stood as a zookeeper tossed some fresh meat to the lions in the cage. Everyone had a fair share of food. They then moved on to an enclosure mimicking the natural habitat of Siberian Tigers. A couple of them were feasting on a deer carcass.

Anakin especially enjoyed seeing the elusive Snow Leopard of the Himalayas with his own eyes. Afterwards, there was a small group of Cheetahs. They also saw some Canadian Lynx and a pair of Mountain Lions.

With the Canids section, first they saw a pack of Arctic Wolves feeding on a moose carcass. Afterwards, they came across some African Wild Dogs, just enjoying some fresh meat tossed by zookeepers.

A pack of Australian Dingoes were playing rough with each other, likely deciding whom stood where in the pack. At the last enclosure, they saw a lone Coyote, just sniffing around.

With the Ungulates, they had plenty to see. From the common White-Tailed Deer to the Canadian Moose, from the Springbok Antelope to the impressive Water Buffalo.

Then it became a bit more interesting. With birds, they not only saw an Albatross but also an Andean Condor, two birds with very impressive wingspans.

Padmé tugged at Mina's sleeve. "Mommy… are there parrots here ?"

"Just a bit more, Padmé. You'll see some Macaws, Cockatoos and even an African Grey. Just be a bit more patient, ok, sweetie ?"

"Ok, Mommy." They kept on and saw many predatory birds, such as the American Eagle, the Greater Horned Owl and the elusive Harpy Eagle from South America.

An enclosure was filled with Flamingoes of all species. Even Anakin was capable of appreciating their beauty.

Then came the parrots section. Visitors were allowed to enter the Cockatoo enclosure. Several Sulfur-Crested Cockatoos flocked to the group, greeting them.

"Hello ! How are ya ? Ha ha ha ha !" They kept repeating over and over.

Ahsoka was reminded of her meeting with Pete the African Grey, back at Paula's Pet Shop, in mid '84. "They are friendly, aren't they ?"

"They likely heard the talk of so many visitors and learned some words." Mina observed.

Once out of the Cockatoo enclosure, they moved on to the Reptile House. As expected, the enormous Green Anaconda was the first animal to be displayed. The twins couldn't believe its immense size. Ahsoka knelt over to them. "You remember Ms. Kayla, right ? She has one of these… as a pet !"

Padmé couldn't understand why Kayla would want to keep such an immense snake. Padmé had always been a sentimental child, so much that when she witnessed a rat getting struck by a rattlesnake, she stuck by her mother. "Mommy, why does Nature have to be so cruel ?! That poor little rat did nothing wrong to that snake !"

Mina patted her daughter on the back. "Snakes have to eat too, sweetie. Even if it means killing rats and mice. They do us a favor, as many of those rodents are riddled with disease anyways…"

Padmé did a double-take. "Really ?! I didn't know that."

"You'll learn more as time goes on, sweetie." Mina urged the group to keep going. They entered the Lizard section, just in time to witness a feeding of the Komodo Dragons.

"I remember those ! Me and Kayla saw these back in '84. Some months before you were even conceived, Mina." Ahsoka brought up.

Mina walked over to her mother. "Hey, I remember back in… '90. You brought me and Daniel here. It must have been one of my fondest memories as a child. That may be what really kickstarted my interest in animals."

"Ahh, so that's how you became so enamoured in them. Can't say I blame you, Mina. They are fascinating."

They quickly passed the Turtles and went straight to the Crocodilians. Anakin was easily impressed when he saw the Saltwater Crocodile. "Woah ! Now that is awesome !"

Ahsoka knelt to her grandson. "Sure, as long as you don't end up in its belly, huh ? They have killed humans before…"

Anakin stood at his grandmother's side, wide-eyed. "Huh ?! That thing eats PEOPLE ?! Guh ! Remind me never to get too close to one of those, then."

After they passed the Reptiles, they saw some Amphibians in the form of African Bullfrogs, Axolotl, Australian Toads and Fire-Bellied Salamanders.

When it came to fish, they entered the Aquarium. Anakin was hoping to see some live Great White Sharks in one of the tanks, but the most he saw were Blue Sharks and the odd-looking Australian Wobbegong Shark. They also were fortunate to see some Manta Rays, a group of Moray Eels and an Electric Eel, native to the Amazon River.

When it came to checking out the Insectarium, the twins were caught up by the incessant activity in the Leaf-Cutter Ant enclosure.

Padmé leaned over for a closer look. "They're so tiny, and yet they can carry a piece of leaf so bigger than themselves !"

Linda and Burt were quiet for most of the tour, but the former had voice her thoughts once they came across the Madagascar Hissing Cockroach displays. "Oh God, those are just disgusting ! Thank goodness we don't have big ones like those roaming around in the dirty apartments. I would scream if one walked over me."

"Well, given they're native to the Tropics, there's little chance that they can infest around here. The cold will eventually kill them." Ahsoka explained.

They stopped at the Goliath Bird-Eating Spider enclosure. Ahsoka leaned over for a closer look. "What a monster ! To think I kept one of these years back. And that was before I really knew how to care to for one. I'm surprised she lasted over a decade in my care. Goes to show how adaptable they can be."

Anakin pulled at Ahsoka's sleeve. "Grandma Soka, what about that blue one there ?" He pointed.

Ahsoka looked through the foliage in the enclosure and found the blue spider, sitting on the bark. "Oh, that's a Poecilotheria metallica, the Gooty Sapphire Ornamental Tree or Parachute Spider. I've been meaning to raise one for some time, but I always found other kinds to buy instead."

Anakin was definitely impressed by his Grandmother's extensive knowledge. "You know so much, Grandma."

"Books are your friends, Ani. That's why your mother keeps insisting that you read more and more. Soak up the knowledge while it's available. It'll serve you later." She encouraged.

They finally ended their tour and gathered to the cantine where the twins recognized a familiar face. "Uncle Dan ! Uncle Dan ! Yay ! You came !" Padmé quickly ran to her uncle.

Daniel produced a couple of candies from his pockets. "Happy Birthday, you two ! I'm sure you enjoyed your present, huh ? I wanted to tour with you all, but work kept me tied up until now."

Anakin raised an eyebrow. "Huh ? We didn't get any presents yet… Did we ?"

Mina knelt before her son, hugging him. "Well… this tour here and the dinner we're about to enjoy here. That's your birthday present, kids."

Suddenly, Anakin added everything up. "Oh… OH ! We're eating here… That means… we're having Hot Dogs or Hamburgers ? Yum !"

Travis quickly took over for the orders. "Ok, everybody. This one's on me. No Ifs, no Buts. Let's hear it."

Burt took a seat and quickly browsed the menu. "Burger with everything on it. And a serving of fries and a Root Beer. Thanks, son."

Linda sat next to her husband. "I can't refuse a Chicken Caesar Salad when I see one. Just a water bottle will do."

Ahsoka licked her lips. "A Cheeseburger is always nice. Travis, can you see if they can add up an additional beef patty ? Ketchup and Mustard as condiments only. A Coke as always."

Lux kept things fairly simple. "A Burger is tempting, but I'll be perfectly pleased with a Club Sandwich. I'll have a Coke as well."

Mina was always conscious of her weight. "Just a plain Caesar Salad for me, Trav. And like Linda, I'll take a bottle of water."

Daniel looked over the menu in haste. "Oh ? They have Chili Dogs ? I gotta try that ! Load it up with Jalapenos and Habaneros, please ! Uh… I guess water will help to cool me down."

Travis had already made up his mind. "A Cheese Dog is what I'm taking this time around. Guess I'll go with a Root Beer." He turned to his children. "Ok, kids. What do you want ? Don't hold back, it's your birthday. You can have pretty much anything on the menu."

Anakin didn't need to think very hard. "A Hamburger with Ketchup, Mustard… and Pickles. Yeah, gotta have Pickles ! And Coke, please ?"

Padmé's stomach grumbled. "A Hot Dog with lots and lots of Ketchup, Daddy. And a water bottle."

Travis quickly ordered for everyone and paid the dinner. About 10 minutes later, everyone was enjoying their food. Mina turned to her brother, seeing the sweat trickle down his forehead and lekku. "Hot enough for ya, bro ?"

Daniel took another bite, full of strong peppers. "Wouldn't have it any other way, sis ! I take it you've tried this before ?"

"Sure did ! Tasty as heck, but you won't be feeling so well in a matter of hours. If you're not careful, you may develop stomach ulcers. Trust me, you don't want those."

Daniel scoffed at his sister. "Psh ! My stomach is made of cast iron. There's nothing I can't take !"

After the meals were done, everyone gathered at Mina and Travis' place. Mina pulled out a Chocolate Cake from the fridge, exciting more than one. After the twins blew out their candles and made their birthday wishes, everyone helped themselves with at least 2 servings. While they commemorated the twins' 8th Birthday, they also acknowledged Ahsoka's last day of work.

Ahsoka will adapt to her new lifestyle soon. Over the next chapter, both Mina and Ahsoka will get an unexpected surprise. Things will get quite interesting fast. Feel free to leave a review.