"Anakin!" Padme called from the kitchen.
She frowned when she didn't get a response.
"Where is he?" she muttered to herself, while looking for her husband in the rooms of her large senate apartment.
While she was searching she came across C-3P0.
"C-3PO, do you know where Anakin is?" she asked.
"Yes, Master Ani, is in the living room with the children," the droid replied.
"I should have known," she said.
"Is there anything else I can get you?" asked C-3P0.
"No!" she called back to the droid as she went to find her husband.
When Padme entered the living room, she was greeted by three slumped figures on the couch.
"Anakin, get up!" she said.
"Huh?" Anakin sat up abruptly and rubbed his eyes.
"Did you have a nice nap?" she asked while tapping her foot on the floor.
"Yeah, you see, the twins and I were just watching the holonet, and I guess we just fell asleep," he said motioning to two sleeping figures beside him.
"Well, I'm glad you're rested up, because you're taking the twins clothes shopping right now," she said in a strict tone.
"Aww, Angel, I can't do that," whined Anakin.
"And why not?" she asked.
"Because, I told Obi-Wan I would go bowling with him today.".
"That is too bad because you're taking the twins shopping and that's final," she said, pointing a finger in his direction before walking off.
"Force! She's bossy," Anakin said while rubbing his chin.
"Luke, Leia, get up."
When they didn't respond he tried again.
"Luke, Leia, get up, we're going shopping," he said louder than before.
Suddenly, the twins shot up like torpedoes.
"Toys!" they chorused as the jumped around the living room.
"Who said anything about toys, we're going clothes shopping," Anakin said over the racket the two children were making.
Luke and Leia stopped jumping to look at their father.
"But you will let us get toys won't you daddy?" Luke said with wide eyes.
"If you behave you can get a toy," Anakin said.
"Yay!" the twins screeched.
"Now, go put on your boots," he commanded. "Do you need help tying them?"
"No," the twins chorused as they sat down to put on their boots.
Two minutes later, when neither twin had appeared to make much progress, Anakin said," Oh, let me do it."
Once shoes were tied, and Padme was given hugs and kisses, they headed for the speeder. The two twins were strapped into their seats, and Anakin was seated in the driver seat, he made an announcement.
"All right, you two need to be quiet while I talk to Uncle Obi-Wan," Anakin said. "You understand."
The twins nodded their heads.
Anakin took out his comlink and pressed some buttons.
"Kenobi here," said the voice on the other line.
"Hey, its Anakin."
"Oh, hello, Anakin, are you looking forward to losing today?"
"Yeah, about that, I can't go bowling today?"
"Why?" said Obi-Wan sounding disappointed.
'Uh, I have to take the twins shopping," Anakin said sounding embarrassed.
Anakin heard Obi-Wan snigger.
"What is so funny, you can't go bowling today if I'm not gong?" Anakin said.
"Yes, I can, I'll just take someone else," Obi-Wan answered. "Well, I better let you get to your shopping, bye Anakin, have a nice time."
Anakin switched off the comlink and started the speeder up looking very disgruntled.
On the way to the shopping center, Leia questioned Anakin.
"Daddy, why can't you go bowling with Uncle Obi-Wan?"
"Because I have to take you two shopping."
"Why?"
"Because your mother wants me too."
"Why?"
"Because! I don't know!"
Luke who had been surprisingly quiet the whole drive, piped up.
"Are we there yet?" he asked.
"No," Anakin answered.
"What about now?"
"No."
"Now?"
"Yes!" Anakin said as he pulled into the super shopping center.
"Yay!" The twins shouted
When they entered the store the twins stared up mountains of toys.
"Wow," they said in awe before running and grabbing every toy they could find.
They put the toys in a basket and rolled the basket over to Anakin.
"Here is what we want, Daddy," Leia said sweetly.
"Hey! I said only one toy. Put all these back."
Suddenly, the twins started bawling, causing people in the store to look around.
"Hey, you two be quiet and stop making a scene," Anakin hissed.
"I want toys!" Leia screamed.
"OK, OK, you can have the toys, just please calm down," Anakin said in desperation.
"OK, daddy."
"Now we need to go get your clothes," Anakin said as he took both their hands.
When they arrived at the clothes section, Anakin realized he had no idea what he was doing.
"Uh, excuse me, miss," he asked an employee. "I need some clothes for my two children."
"What two children?"
"Huh?" Anakin said as he turned around to realize the twins were missing. "Oh no! Padme's going to kill me!"
"Luke! Leia!" he called as he looked under clothes racks.
"Oh no, I lost them!"
"What will I tell Padme?"
"Excuse me sir, but are these yours," said a voice from behind him.
Anakin whirled around too see a male employee with a chocolate-mouthed Luke and Leia.
"Hi daddy, you want some chocolate."
"Luke! Leia!" Anakin exclaimed. "Thank you so much, sir!"
"Yeah, but, sir, your going to have too pay for all the chocolate."
"All right take it," he said flinging a wad of credits at him. "Keep the change."
"You two," he said pointing at Luke and Leia. "We're leaving now."
"But what about our toys?"
"You don't get toys. You misbehaved."
"We want toys!" they said. "We're not leaving until we get toys!"
So Anakin was forced to drag a whining Luke and Leia to the speeder.
When they arrived home, Anakin was in a very bad mood.
As Luke and Leia ran to watch the holonet, Padme entered the room.
"So how was your shopping trip?" she asked.
"Irritating," he said.
"Well, I hope you got the twins their clothes."
He had forgotten. He had been so distracted with keeping up with his two children that he had forgotten why he was even at the store.
"Anakin…" Padme trailed off.
"Have I told you how pretty you look today," he said with a sheepish smile.