Chapter Nineteen----Social Services
Someone was speaking in the next room; Beru opened her eyes, and for a moment she was not sure where she was. The room was dim, and she was in bed, but it wasn't the smallholding, she was sure.
She saw white walls through the gloom, and medical equipment. It was a medcenter.
The door of her room was open, and Beru could hear two men talking:
"We had a emergency call from them--"
"Who placed it?"
"The woman, I think. Though by the time I got there, she was pretty distraught. One moment she was hugging the man and crying, and asking him why he did it. The next, she was slapping his face, and telling he'd be lucky to die, because if he didn't, she'd kill him herself. At least the slaps kept him conscious, and we took it from there. He'll make it."
"Was he serious?"
"Hard to say. But she thought so, anyway. I had to give her a sedative to calm her down."
"Did it work?"
"Only too well. She passed out, right then and there. The minute she hit the floor, the baby tuned up. He's small, but his lungs are in excellent shape. He demonstrated that for us for a solid hour. I thought I was going deaf there for awhile."
"What stopped him?"
"Sheer exhaustion. We also put his crib in his mother's room, and that shut him up. Thank Hoth."
Beru looked to her left and saw that Luke was indeed in a crib next to her bed, fast asleep. She also saw a woman sitting at the foot of it, busily writing on a clipboard.
"Who are you?" Beru asked, raising her head.
"Social Services Worker," the woman said. "Second class," she added conscientiously.
Oh great, Beru thought. One of those. She had had too much of their attention when her family had been killed. A smarmy bunch who kept insisting that she needed grief counseling. As if she needed counseling on how to grieve!
"I have to make a report," the woman said, turning on a light, and rising to close the door. "This appears to be a domestic dispute--"
"It wasn't," Beru said, impatiently.
"According to the medic, you're covered in bruises. And you have a gash on your head."
"Take a good look at my husband. You'll see the same there."
"Well, yes," the woman admitted. "The medic told me that, too. So what happened?"
"We had a difference of opinion--with a family member. He's in jail right now--on Bakanir. Leave it alone."
The woman opened her mouth and then closed it.
"About your husband--"
Beru glared at her: "Yes?"
"That was a suicide attempt--you know that, don't you? Quite a serious one."
"I know."
"Care to tell me about it?"
"No, I don't. It's none of your business."
The woman bristled. "I'm only trying to help," she said.
"Then just leave us alone. I can deal with it," Beru said. She had always prided herself on her ability to cope with crises. Ben used to praise her level-headedness--no, better not think about that, or him. But there was no reason to believe that this crisis was any different. None at all.
"Your husband's awake, and he's asking to see you."
Beru looked away. "Is he alright?" she asked, more quietly.
"The medtech says he'll make a full recovery. It was a close-run thing, though."
Beru didn't answer. She looked over at Luke. He was curled up in his crib, his thumb firmly in his mouth. That'll ruin his teeth, she thought absently. I'll have to break him of it.
"What do you plan to say to him?" the woman asked.
I wish, I wish, I *wish* this woman would leave me alone. "How about, hello, Owen?"
"This isn't a joke," the woman said, with heavy disapproval. "He's in a fragile state right now. You need to be very sympathetic."
Beru repressed a desire to roll her eyes. "I don't agree," she said sharply. "Men hate overt displays of emotion. I haven't the slightest intention of fawning all over him. He'd never believe it, anyway. Owen's very reserved, you know. I absolutely refuse to embarrass him. He'd prefer the stiff upper lip, I'm sure of it."
"I don't know about him," the woman said, sarcastically, "but it's obvious *you'd* prefer it. Men like sympathy."
"I'm right," Beru said, trying to control her temper. "You watch."
She sat up and swung her legs over the edge of the bed. The other woman, grimacing, helped her into a robe. Before leaving, Beru checked on Luke; he was still blissfully asleep. Safe enough for now. She stifled her envy of his state, and followed the social services worker to Owen's room, hoping a stray speeder might run her over before they reached their destination.
No such luck, however. They found Owen sitting up, pillows propped behind his back.. He was unshaven, and rather disheveled. I bet he hates that, Beru thought, anxiously. He looked alert enough to her, but his skin was almost as grey as his eyes. They stared at each other. Beru suddenly felt Owen's desperate discomfort through the Force--he wasn't suppressing at all. She had frequently wished he wouldn't in the past, and was now in the position of taking it back.
Forward march. She went to his bedside, and plopped down in a chair rather ungracefully--her legs had suddenly refused to support her any longer, but hopefully he hadn't noticed. The social services worker stood by the door, watching. I'll show this silly bitch how it's done, Beru thought.
"Nice try," she said curtly to Owen, "But it didn't work, did it?"
Owen gave her a blank look.
"Do you know what the penalties for oath-breaking are in this system?" Beru asked, sternly.
Owen shook his head slightly. It would help if he'd say something, Beru thought wildly. But he didn't.
"Well, you'll find out if you try that again," she said brusquely. "You swore a wedding-oath to me, and I intend to see that you honor it. To the very last drop of that wedding cordial they dosed us both with. Bakaniri law is very strict on that point."
Owen still gave her a rather glassy-eyed stare and silence. Beru began to feel desperate, or more desperate than usual.
"There's no escape, Owen," she said, folding her arms. "You're stuck with me."
Still no reaction.
Finally, after the silence had stretched out almost unbearably, Owen reached over and took one of Beru's hands in his. His hand was cold and dry.
"I'm so very sorry, Beru," he said simply.
Beru then completed her stellar demonstration of a stiff upper lip by casting herself onto Owen's chest and bursting into tears.
(to be continued...)