Chapter Sixteen
It was time for last meal when Obi-Wan arrived back at the rehab facility, with the Naberries in tow. He stuck his head in through Padmé's open door to make certain she was inside and saw her sitting up in bed, poking uninterestedly at her dinner. The chef there wasn't a bad cook, but she had been refusing to eat much lately. Yet another concern to add to the list.
"Hey," he said casually, hoping to test the waters. "How are you feeling?"
"Where have you been?" she asked before abandoning her uneaten meal altogether and placing it on the tray next to her bed. "After aquatics, you disappeared."
"That's because I have a surprise for you."
Obi-Wan grinned at her playfully to pique her interest and slowly sauntered over to her side. He wasn't sure how she felt about surprises but was hoping she'd think this was a good one. Judging by the look on her face, she was definitely intrigued.
"You can come in now," he suggested loudly before Jobal stepped inside the room.
There had been a gradual build-up of tension, which didn't cease after the visitor made an appearance. The two women were simply staring at each other in disbelief for a few seconds before Padmé finally gathered her wits.
"Jobal? Jobal!"
Mrs. Naberrie ran over to the bed and the two women embraced, cried, embraced again, and then parted, though desperately held onto each other's hands.
"How? Where?" The young maiden was a bit tongue-tied with shock while Jobal leaned over and placed a motherly kiss to the top of Padmé's head.
"It's all right, sweetheart," Jobal cooed tenderly. "Everything's going to be all right. I know it's hard, but if I can make it above the surface, then so can you. You're strong and you have a job to do."
"A job to do?" Padmé asked, her curiosity rising although she chuckled cynically. "I can't do anything."
"I'll tell you what," Jobal spoke sternly, even more so than she had spoken to her husband. "You're going to get through this rehab with flying colors. You're going to get back up on your feet and get back in that ocean!"
"The ocean!" Once more a sardonic chuckle came forth that was even worse than before. "I'm not going back down there! Not after everything that happened and what they did to me!"
"That was Sheev," Jobal argued kindly but firmly. "Sheev was behind all the trouble we had all this time. He's the one to blame."
"Nobody even tried to help me," Padmé replied sadly. "Not even the Queen's Maidens. He put that awful serum into my arm and everyone in the throne room watched him do it!"
"Padmé," the older woman placed a gentle caress down her tear-streaked face.
Obi-Wan had never heard the story of how the Padmé had been judged and penalized to become a Forsaken. He hadn't asked and figured when she was ready, she would share the experience with him.
Once again Jobal grasped her hand and continued tenderly. "You know that the court was influenced by that monster. He even had the Queen under his spell. Your mother wasn't herself. I've known her since she was a podling and she was sweet, kind, and loving young Mer. She loved you too and thought the world of you. Sheev is the one who twisted her mind."
"He killed her!" Padmé exclaimed with a sob. "And then tried to blame me for her murder!"
"I know, honey," Jobal comforted, pulling the younger woman into an embrace.
Suddenly, Obi-Wan felt awkward and out of place and he began to back out of the room but was stopped by Padmé's broken voice.
"Obi-Wan? Thank you for finding her and bringing her to me."
No thanks were required, although he didn't say that. He simply smiled and nodded his head before shutting the door.
As he had hoped, Jobal's presence motivated Padmé to achieve her therapeutic goals. Mrs. Naberrie seemed to be able to inspire her where he could not. This bit of news seemed to suggest that Obi-Wan's time on Naboo was quickly coming to an end.
He had made a commitment to the Jedi Order, and apparently, the Force hadn't willed for them to be together. At least not yet. Not until he could be her main source of comfort and support. Not until she relied upon him above all others. Including Jobal.
He returned to his room and in the morning, packed his meager belongings in his duffel and reserved a seat on the next shuttle to Coruscant. He wouldn't leave without saying goodbye though and visited the rehab facility one last time.
Obi-Wan was hoping he could speak with her alone but had arrived at the beginning of her morning routines. She was doing her range of motions exercises with the therapist and Jobal standing by. During them, Padmé would work her legs' range of motion against weighted resistance and had improved very little over the past week. However, Obi-Wan noticed before he approached that she was doing remarkably better with the older woman there cheering her on and he stopped in his tracks. Even the rather strict employee was telling her what a great job she was doing.
He should be happy for Padmé. This is exactly what he wanted for her. Since that was the case, then why did this realization seem to bother him so badly?
Obi-Wan cast off the disturbing thoughts, promising himself to meditate on the matter later. He'd have plenty of time during the trip back to the Temple.
With his chin up, he watched for a minute or two until she finally noticed him standing on the other side of the room. Padmé glanced at his face and then at the duffel hanging from his shoulder before grinning at him.
She knew. There was no point in prolonging the moment. They both had their lives to return to, and from the looks of things, she was now well on her way.