Note: I was supposed to post this at the beginning of this month but didn't...so here it is The next chapter is almost done.

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"Well," Blain said, lounging back and tugging at his belt. "I'm stuffed.

"Blain. Not here." Lydia glared at him.

"Right." He sat up. His wife continued to give him a look gesturing. Blain dug into his back pocket producing a credit pouch. "If you don't mind, Skywalker, we'll be paying for this meal."

Luke had just finished dabbing his mouth with the cloth napkin.

"Not at all."

"Master Skywalker graciously paid for lunch this afternoon." Myra informed her father.

A waiter approached their table.

"Was everything satisfactory?" He asked.

Everyone nodded and murmured their assent.

"Will there be any dessert?"

"I couldn't eat another bite." Blain said with a chuckle.

"No thank you.." Myra murmured.

Her mother and Ben also respectfully declined. Luke remained silent.

"Very well," he proceeded to put the check out.

"I'll pay now." Blain announced, looked the receipt over, then put down the creds. "There you go."

The waiter nodded and disappeared.

"Well," Luke said, looking to Lydia and Blain. "I hope you won't take it personally, but I have previous engagement." He got to his feet, placing the napkin on the table.

"Of course," Lydia said, watching him rise.

Blain got up as well and held out a hand to Luke. "We'll see you before we go?"

"Of course. As I said, I'd love to give you a tour around the Temple. Feel free to hit me up tomorrow." He shook the man's hand and nodded to Lydia. "Have a nice evening." He bid then left the restaurant.

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"Are you sure you don't want us to stay?" Ria asked. "It's not time even."

"No, you three scurry along. I have to get ready and I don't want him feeling overwhelmed."

Rurich sighed. "Mother, it almost feels like you don't want us to meet him."

"Oh, it's not that, dear." She touched his face. "I just don't think it's time yet."

He looked at her, raising an eyebrow.

She shook her head. "Do not make mountains out of ant hills, Rurich."

"That's impossible, Mother, not when you look the way you do." He smiled kindly. "You have a certain glow to you."

Melinda touched her cheek.

"Do I?"She murmured, slightly taken aback. Her eldest looked upon her with kind eyes. "Oh, don't look at me that way. It's not like that. Now, go." She flicked her hand dismissively.

Rurich knew when his mother was giving him the brush off, but he relented..if reluctantly.

Davey put down his empty glass. "Are you sure, Mom?" He sounded concerned.

She laughed. "What is this; an interrogation?"

"We only want you to be happy, Mum." Ria corrected.

Melinda knew her children meant well. But when they looked at her in such a way, she seemed to fall completely to pieces. And it wasn't like she hadn't met and visited with Luke like this several times. Perhaps it was because recently, she'd felt a shift in their…relationship.

"I am." She said gently, eyes brimming with love. "Trust me on this. Now go."

She kissed each of her children and ushered them out the door.

She sighed heavily. Those children of hers, what was she going to do about them?

Melinda walked back to her bedroom and began to get ready. Her manner of dress was suitable in itself but she had had the urge to wear something a bit more casual. She walked into her closet and found the clothing her daughter had helped her choose earlier. She looked it over; it was a white silken blouse with a small bit of lacework at the cuffs and buttons of pearl. Her skirt was a light blue that reached her ankles.

She brought them out of the closet and laid them on the bed, looking them over once more.

"Something's missing." She murmured.

Melinda retreated back into her closet searching the shelves. "Where could I have put it?" She reached along the top shelf at the back. "It must be here somewhere..." She felt something and tugged at….causing an avalanche of items to fall to her feet.

"Oh dear," she said, looking at the box holding flimsiplast images. "What a mess." She bent down to pick them up. She was in the process of slipping one into the box when her hand stilled. She brushed her finger tips along it.

It was an image of a young man in a flight suit, a helmet tucked under his arm. He had a broad carefree smile on his face.

It was only an outline so there was no color.

She noticed an inscription on the bottom. Holo-disc: 1202.

Melinda knew she should have been getting ready, but she took the box out and carried it to her bed.

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The door chime sounded, signaling his arrival.

Melinda answered the door, smiling widely. "I'm glad you came." She took his hand drawing him in. "Won't you come in, I made a pie."

"Pie?"

"Yes." She looked at him. "Though I suppose you're full from your dinner."

He entered the living room. "Oh, no, I could eat a slice."

She could feel his eyes roaming, taking in her outfit.

"Do you like it?" She asked coquettishly.

"What?"

Melinda had a glimmer in her eyes. "My outfit."

Luke blushed slightly. "It's lovely."He complimented, lashes lowering for a moment.

He took a seat on her couch as he done before. He was watching her carefully.

"So, would you like the pie now or later?"

"Hmm, how about later? Sit with me for now." He patted the sofa.

She gave him beautiful smile.

"If that's what you wish."

Melinda took time to arrange her skirt before sitting down beside him. They sat in comfortable silence for a moment before she turned to him.

"How did the dinner proceed?"

"Pretty good, we had dinner with her parents and they've even agreed to tour the Temple. Get to know the Jedi side of Ben and me. I figure since we're going to be in-laws, it's only natural."

"That's marvelous."

She reached out to touch his hand.

"Yes, it leaves me a bit relieved. If I can get one citizen to understand us, then I'll be closer to my goal. The newspaper article—it'll be out next week—will help even more."

She nodded. "When do you expect to hold the wedding?" She asked, returning to the previous topic.

"The kids want it in three weeks."

"Three? Isn't that soon?"

He laughed. "You don't know my sister too well do you? If there's one person that can pull it off, it's Leia." He looked aside suddenly, his eye catching something. "What's that?"

She turned her head. He was referring to the box on the caf table—the same one she'd found earlier. "Oh, something I found." She leaned over and picked it up, placing it in her lap. "I wanted to show it to you." He looked on intrigued. "Do you remember when I said, I had a holo of a posterboy?"

"I do recall something like that."

She removed the lid and took out the holo-disc popping it into a reader she had beside it. She pressed the button and held it aloft for Luke to see. An image sprang to life, it was the same as the flimsiplast image she'd found early. This one was, of course, in full color.

She watched him study the image in suspense.

The fighter pilot in question was wearing an orange flight suit, the helmet tucked under his arm as before. He was wearing the same smile with piercing blue eyes beneath a mop of blonde hair

A farmboy turned Rebel pilot.

"This is…" he let his words trail off.

"You."

His mouth hung slightly open, astonished.

"Surprised?"

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