Chapter 53: Baby Blue
Padme POV
I swear to God, I was looking at my computer screen and concentrating on the meaning of the same words for the last twenty minutes. "Spring diplomats strategic meeting denuclarsations peace talk scheduled commence." I blinked and read it again, "The strategic denuclearization peace talks are scheduled to commence this spring." Okay, that made sense, next sentence.
The last two weeks of pregnancy had been awful. I was twenty six weeks pregnant, just a little bit over half way. I could not sleep because there was no comfortable position. At work, I could not think, and I did not know if it was because I was tired or if I was having some concentration problems. I was clueless about what was happening in the world of politics anymore, and I was constantly asking Bail for talking points on big issues. I was having bad swelling around my stomach, and I did not know if that was something to worry about. My mom and the medical droid both said that it was normal, and I was so tired I chose to believe them.
I just wanted Anakin back. I knew he would do anything to help me get comfortable. He would let me take the protocol droids to work to help with the memory problems, which I was already doing. But he would also check on me throughout the day. Then at night, I would come home to a warm dinner, and a loving husband. He would help me design the twins' babies room, and I would feel loved instead of stressed out. But he was off facing Palpatine. I felt tears prick my eyes.
The doors slid open, and Shmi walked in with a datapad in her hand. I wiped the tears from my eyes and tried to look business as usual.
"Hi hon, how's it coming? Have you made any progress on that report?" she asked.
"Still reading it," I said.
She frowned, "You got it this morning and it's ten pages. Do you not agree with it?"
"Oh," I had to think quick to think of a good lie. "I am rereading it to reference it in my response."
"Really," she said, crossing her arms, "What's it about?"
I looked down at the datapad.
"No don't look at it," she said.
"It's… um… about commerce?"
"Its a military proposal. It is suggesting we denuclearize our forces in hopes that Palpatine's supporters will do the same."
"We must let the Jedi handle the Sith, and put our faith in democracy."
"So you are for it?"
"Who wrote it?"
"Bail Organa."
"Yes. I am for it. When is the Vote?"
"The end of this week."
I nodded. "Okay. You just made up my mind in two minutes what I could not do in two hours."
"Really? It's that bad?"
"Yeah, I am having bad headaches and stomachaches."
"Have you told the medical droid?"
"Had my check up about two weeks ago and I start going every two weeks starting in two weeks. They say everything is fine."
She thought for a minute. "Well could you take a sick day? Go home and rest. If you cannot think, then you can not do anything here anyway. I could stay here, get you organized, and then in the on Friday, if you felt better come in, and if you do not, let Bail take the vote to the Senate."
"Unless they saw that as a sign of weakness," I said.
Shmi smiled. "Anakin is rubbing off on you."
I smiled. I thought about going home, drawing a nice bath, eating some hot soup, then lying down in our comfortable bed, stuffing pillows around me. Could I take a me day? I grabbed my commlink and signaled Bail.
"Organa," he said.
"Bail, its Padme. I have read the Denuclearization Bill three times and I still don't understand it. My mother-in-law and I think that maybe my pregnancy is affecting my concentration. Is there a way I could put this off until the morning when I felt better?"
"Is the great Padme Amidala accepting defeat?"
"I am not accepting defeat, just acknowledging I have limits. There is a difference." I said defensively.
"Padme, go home, please. You burn the midnight oil more than anyone I know. And how about tomorrow, I meet you with decaf jawa juice and some fruit from the market, and explain the bill myself."
"That would be incredible. 0600 my office?"
He laughed. "You really can't take a day off, can you? Let's say 1000, my apartment. I will have the fruit and the juice, and we can use my datapads. You just bring yourself."
"Okay. See you then," I said, and he signed off.
"There now," said Shmi. "Everything is taken care of. You just go home. I will finish up here."
"Okay," I said, getting my stuff together, including the datapad on the bill.
"Leave the bill. You can't do any work on it tonight. I will bring a copy over in the morning around 0900 before you go to Bail's home."
I smiled and obeyed my mother-in-law. "You know," I said, "for a lady in waiting, you give a lot of orders."
"Well, I have to. Your listening skills are almost as bad as your husband's."
Just then, the Holonet lit up like crazy on both of our datapads. Shmi and I looked at one another in confusion as I went and sat at my desk to turn on the holoprojector on the wall in my office.
"Breaking News: Palpatine Captured by Skywalker, Kenobi, and Tano. Injuries Occurred."
"They captured him!" said Shmi.
"And got hurt," I whispered. I thought of who could have gotten hurt. Was Anakin injured? Instinctively I clutched my stomach. I reached for my comlink and signaled Typho.
"Yes, my lady?"
"Where are the Jedi bringing the Sith Lord?"
"To the Senate Building. They are expected at 1300 hours."
I looked at the chronometer. It was 1100 almost exactly. Anakin was two hours away and then he would be here, away from that creep, safe in my arms.