Chapter 10

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'The Interview: Help Needed'

'First Victim'

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Anakin examines resumes for the next few weeks. He hands submits to the judge the resumes of candidates he would like to interview. The judge warns him not to take too much time or to be too picky. This is true. He is running out of time. Two candidates have already turned down the job.

A month later the first candidate arrives. Anakin interviews her. She is stodgy but efficient matronly woman in her late fifties. Leia and Luke eavesdrop on the interview outside Anakin's study.

Anakin knows they are listening and discreetly uses the force to shake the door knocking the children to the floor. They giggle and make faces. Anakin then opens the door and summons the children to meet the woman. She is a petite woman with a stern face but pleasant-sounding enough. Luke and Leia smile their best angelic smiles as they shake the woman's hand.

"Mrs. Kile Ranth, I would like you to meet my lovely children, Leia and Luke. They have a penchant for mischief but they are basically good children. Children, this is Mrs. Ranth. Would you like to show her your rooms and play area?

"Such beautiful children. Hello, Leia, Hello, Luke."

Leia shakes her hand and curtsies, "Hi."

Luke smiles up at the woman. "Hello."

"I'm excited to see your rooms."

She runs her gloved hand through Luke's blond hair. He wrinkles his nose.

The children give her a tour but she seems to look as if she has plans to change everything. It is almost as if she is inspecting the household. Luke and Leia are courteous but as the woman leaves the house they make humourous scowls almost making Anakin laugh. Of course he does not let them see him do this. After she is clearly gone, Anakin looks at his children to get an assessment.

"Well? What did you think?"

Luke whines to his father. "She kept telling me she was going to cut my hair."

"She wanted to change my bedroom! I like my new bedroom! Please don't hire her, Dad!"

"But she cooks! She can clean. I suck at housekeeping. You said so yourselves. She's a child expert. She's been at it for over thirty years."

Leia looks at her father.

"Maybe it's time for her to retire."

Luke is a bit more diplomatic.

"If you keep practicing, in a few years you can become a child expert too, Dad!"

"Maybe you'll learn to cook too!"

"Now that's just desperate. You know you hate my cooking!"

Leia nods her head in agreement, "Oh yeah! Your cooking sucks!"

"Hey! Language!"

"But you said it!"

"I'm your father. I'm allowed. I've got stress, remember? So, what do you think?"

"Who's next on the list?"

She says it with such disgust and haughty disdain, Anakin almost loses it and lets out a laugh. He immediately purses his lips to keep from laughing.

"They will send another person tomorrow. The Judge didn't give me a name. I think they're running out of people."

"But you could use the force to find out…."

"That would be cheating! We Skywalkers' don't cheat."

"Ugh! So we have to wait? Oh, Dad, this is sheer misery." Leia pretends to faint and is sprawled on the floor. Anakin refuses to indulge his 'drama queen' daughter and steps over her as she remains crumpled on the floor."

"Get over it. One more day won't kill you. It'll be exciting not to know. Get up, drama Princess."

"If the next person is worse then we have to take Mrs. Ranth?"

"We have to take what the judge gives us. You two aren't exactly a door prize at times. We don't have a lot of time to goof around on this. Your dad doesn't want to piss off the judge. She's doing us a favor. I can't mess up this time."

Luke leans against the sofa, "If you mess up, will we be in court again?"

"Possibly, but let's not think about that yet. You want me to do the proper thing, right?"

Leia thinks for a moment.

"Yes. I guess. Could we listen in when the next lady victim arrives?"

"It's not right. A Jedi does not eavesdrop… unnecessarily."

Luke asks very innocently. "When will it be necessary?"

"When I say so. Now go. You have homework to do. Don't make me come after you!"

The children giggle and run off. They are used to his dry humor by now, even when he is half serious they are somewhat amused by him. They know deep down inside he has a soft spot in his heart for them.

The Next Day – Candidate/Victim #2

Luke and Leia are in a hurry to get home from school. Instead of waiting for their father to pick them up, they take the school bus. They lie to the teacher and tell her their father sprained his ankle so the bus will be 'ok.' Anakin predicts they have done this and does not go to pick them up. The school calls. He tells them it is alright and the droids will greet them at the door. They barrel through the door when they arrive home. C3PO tells them to be quiet.

"Children! Mind your manners! What happened to decorum?"

Luke turns "Who's that?" He looks around for 'decorum'

"It's proper ettiqu---Don't worry….go do your homework…" Aside, he whispers. "Your father is in a meeting."

"Victim number 2?"

They grin mischievously at one another' They follow Threepio to the kitchen. The maid is off today.

"I bet this one is worse than yesterday." She mugs a wide-eyed look to her brother using a foreboding voice. "Luke, we're doomed." They giggle.

Luke sees something on the counter.

"What's she like, Threepio?... Ooooh! Cookies!"

"They are for dessert…but if you must…"

They eat the cookies.

"You children really must learn to listen."

Leia sits at the kitchen table.

"We can't do that; we're our father's children. It's not in us. So, is she an old cow? Tell us the truth, C3PO. How bad is she?"

Luke examines his half-eaten cookie. "These cookies are great! Some of them even have pictures on them! Wow!"

"They all have pictures on them. You're looking at them backwards." He takes the tray away.

Leia pleads with Threepio to fill them in on the 'candidates.' "Tell us, please? Is she as bad as the lady we met yesterday?"

"Well… It's difficult to say… I'm not good at judging such matters…besides, your father told me not to tell you anything. He did not appreciate your behaviour yesterday."

"She must be horrible, Luke…Let's go!" The children's eyes light up and they rush to 'investigate.'

"Children! Nooo… your father said you are not to eavesdrop again! Princess Leia! Master Luke! Come back here immediately! Your father warned you. Oh, Dear."

Artoo is chirping away."Little demons. No child care worker can handle these two."

"You may be right, Artoo but they don't have time. They need help soon."

To be continued… 'Are You An Angel?'

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Attention Readers: It might take 24 hours or more for the next chapter. In the meantime, I hope you're enjoying this heart wrenching story of rebirth and forgiveness.

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