Chapter 5
Surprise Visitor
Chapter 5
Surprise Visitor
As everyone was rushing around, I still did not know what was happening. They had explained it, but I was in too much pain to understand any of it. My body felt like it was being shredded apart piece by piece. I wanted to ask what was going on, but I could not remember how to use my voice. I felt a warm hand on my face. It got quiet.
"Is she going to make it through without any preparation or further knowledge?" I heard one of the guys ask.
"It's uncertain, but let's just pray she does. I went through it without anyone; if I can make it on my own, she'll be fine with us here." Shmi said and then sighed.
"Wh- what's going on?" I asked wearied blinking my eyes to see at least someone. The hand on my face was back. I blinked again and saw him. Obi-Wan. He was there. No one answered me. They all just stopped and looked at me, like I was dead and came back to life. I looked around to each of them. Still no one answered my previous question. I looked to Shmi.
"You really don't know what's going on here, do you?" she asked. I shook my head. Everyone in the room was tense. "You're having a baby." She replied.
My chin dropped. And to top her theory off, there was a little kick in my stomach. Was it possible? It couldn't be. Could it? Great. Who knew this was going to happen? If it was suspected, it wasn't meant for here.
A short few minutes later, we were ready to begin. I felt nervous, scared, and nauseous all at the same time. Obi-Wan was to my right, Shmi was on my left and, to my surprise, Qui-Gon was going to deliver the baby.
"Now you need to do as I tell you, okay?" Shmi commanded. I nodded.
After another minute of preparation, we were set up completely and ready.
"Are you sure you can do this?" Obi-Wan asked his mentor.
"I have no other choice. You two are helping her, so I have to do this." He responded.
A few moments later, I was crying. This is not how I'd imagined it. How do women do this every day?
"I can't." I announced between pushes.
Obi-Wan looked down at me, eyes worried. He lifted my hand he was holding and kissed it softly. Then leaned in to kiss me.
"I know you can." He whispered softly in my ear. Instead of arguing with him, the life inside me was becoming impatient. Qui-Gon looked worried again. Oh boy.
I made no sound or attempted to open my mouth for I feared I would scream and wake Annie. I was sweating so much my eyesight got blurry, or was I crying again? I never pushed harder for anything in my life. But I had to. But I was in too much pain. I couldn't go on. I guess Obi-Wan saw my face and took his free hand to wipe my hair and tears away from my face. Gosh his hands were cold; it felt good. I blinked a few times to meet his gaze, but he wasn't looking at me. No one was. Both of them on Qui-Gon. Qui-Gon's on the baby coming from inside me.
He looked up and met my gaze, chuckled, then back to the unborn child. "Almost done. Just a few more good pushes, okay?" I nodded. Obi-Wan focused back on me. He smiled. I tried to smile back when Shmi interrupted.
"Come on, Padmé, focus! It's almost out"
Once again, I resumed pushing.
"One more, Padmé! You can do this I know you can!" someone said. I was too busy to see who.
"Mom?" I heard a sleepy child ask. I blinked and turned my head only to see Annie in the doorway. "Mom, what's going on with Padmé?" he asked.
"She is having a baby, Annie. Come over here, sit behind her, put her head in your lap, and keep her hair out of her face, okay?" Shmi asked. Annie knew about this. Shmi had told him all about this a short year ago. And so, with that being said, he did as told. He knew how serious it was, too. He took his fingers and brushed them across my forehead. His hands were colder. It felt very relaxing.
I looked up at him through tears and sweat all over my face. He looked at me, eyes worried. I then came back to reality. Then, with one more heavy effort, reality was over. Qui-Gon's face lit up the same way a child's did when they got a present. The pain was over. I had won. He looked at me and couldn't quit smiling. We both stared at each other for a long moment. He lifted the baby up and he and I both started crying.
"It's a boy." I heard him say. He then lifted the baby up to me. I took him and cradled him in my arms. All eyes were on me. I felt a small, cold hand brush back my hair from my face. Annie. He was there. He saw almost all of it. I looked to him. He was smiling and crying like I was. I looked to Obi-Wan. He was smiling and crying, as well as Shmi. The baby did not cry, but looked around with baby blue eyes and a small little smile coming to his lips.
"Hi." I said softly. I reached with my hand to play with his. His tiny fingers tried to grab mine. I chucked softly at his effort. I then found Obi-Wan's hand reach over me to touch the baby's. I looked up and saw him crying harder now and smiling my favorite smile. No one said a word or merely laughed until we heard a puzzing sound. It was the droids. We all laughed at C-3P0's reaction. He was an "uncle", so he was happy. After a moment, Shmi took the baby and went to clean him off. Annie bent down and kissed my forehead.
"You did great." He said "Better than I thought, actually." I gave him a what's-that-suppose-to-mean look. I felt my body entirely too weak. I fought to keep my eyes open at a hope that I would see my child. My child. That sounded strange for me to think. Obi-Wan must have seen my reaction and asked Annie to get up. He did and his legs were replaced with my soft pillow. It did not take long for me to drift into unconsciousness.
When I awoke, everything was back to normal. My room was quiet, it was dark, I was lying down in my bed and I couldn't believe my eyes. Was that a dream? Was my child a dream? No, I thought, it can't be. I sat up. I heard Obi-Wan gasp next to me.
"What…?" I asked quietly shaking my head.
"Are you alright, love?" he responded.
"I'm fine." I informed him. "What's going on? Where is everyone?" I asked confusedly.
"Nothing wrong is happened. Everyone is still safe. Are you sure you are alright?" he asked again. I was getting mad. If I had had a baby, he would have said 'the baby is fine', wouldn't he?
"Did I…" I didn't know how to say that. If it didn't happen, he would think I was crazy.
"What is it?" he questioned me.
"I know this sounds crazy, but… did I have a baby?" I asked.
"Yes. You were there. Do you not remember?"
"I do, but everything is back to normal. My room looks exactly like it always did." Then I realized what he said. I looked around, but where, I thought. "Where is he? Where's the baby? Is he safe? Is he still ali-" he stopped my rambling questions with a kiss. How long was it sense he kissed me like this?
Too long ago, I thought. He took his hand and placed it on the back of my head, crushing our lips together even more. He broke free, both of our breathing staggering.
"I really… truly… deeply… love you…" he admitted. I opened my eyes. We stared at each other for a moment. I couldn't help but smile.
"How long has it been sense you said or meant that?" I asked.
"I don't know honestly." He replied. I leaned over and hugged him. He just stayed the same until he realized why I did. When the hug ended, he laid down. I realized I was still tired. I lied down and leaned my head on his chest and he cradled me in his arms and we both drifted to sleep once more.