The first morning on the Lars' farm, Mara woke up when the bed shifted beneath her. She looked up through hooded eyes to see Luke getting into durable blue jeans, a flannel shirt and a Carhart coat. "Hey," she murmured, "where'er you goin'?"
Luke went over to her and kissed her before whispering, "I need to go get some work done - namely milking the cows. I'll see you at breakfast. Go back to sleep."
Mara nodded and puckered her lips for one more kiss before Luke headed out and she snuggled back into the heavy quilts, falling asleep almost instantly. When she woke again, there was light coming in through a gap in the curtains. Quickly, she put a dressing robe over her rather scant pajamas and hurried to the kitchen. There was Owen, Beru and Luke, all talking quietly so as not to disturb her. Beru smiled pleasantly and said, "Good morning, Dear. Would you like some breakfast?"
Mara crossed her arms over herself and said, "Yes please;" as she went over and sat by Luke, kissing him on the cheek as she sat down. "Have fun with the cows?" she asked quietly.
Luke chuckled and nodded. Beru laid the table with a big platter of fried eggs, sausage, hashbrowns and some fruit. Mara wondered how on earth all the food would be eaten since neither she nor Beru ate that much. Luke and Owen each ate four eggs, four pieces of sausage and a huge helping of hashbrowns before eating some of the fruit. When they were finished, Luke asked, "So, what needs done on that old truck?"
Owen sipped his coffee before replying, "Changing up the tires for winter, putting new break pads on, changing the oil filter and the spark plugs and a couple of the belts and hoses too;"
Luke chuckled and said, "Oh is that all?"
Mara piped up, "Mind if I join you? I love learning new things and I don't know much about working on cars."
"Of course;" said Owen with a smile. "I think it's important for everyone to know a few of these things. It saves money and that way, you don't have to wait on someone else. Dress warm and I hope you brought some clothes you don't mind getting dirty in."
Mara blushed and looked down into her glass. Luke couldn't help it. He started to chuckle into his hand and Beru said, "Don't worry, Dear. I'm sure we can find something for you. Luke, be nice to your girlfriend!"
Luke suppressed his laughter and nodded while Mara turned to him and cocked a perfectly groomed eyebrow. "Something funny, Luke?"
Before he could answer, she turned to Beru and said, "You know, if that second bed room is open, I might move my stuff over to it later."
Beru nodded and said, "Hmmm... maybe a night alone in a bed will teach my nephew some manners."
Uncle Owen was chuckling and Luke was trying to think of a way to apologize when Aunt Beru started gathering dishes. With a cheerful smile, Mara said, "Here, let me help with that, Beru;" and she leaned down next to Luke and said, "Dog house. Do something about it." before she took both their dishes and walked over to the sink, a sway in her hips that was impossible to miss.
Beru looked at Luke with a twinkle in her eyes and a smirk on her lips while Uncle Owen sighed and said, "Soon as those dishes are done, we'll take care of the truck."
When they went out, Mara was wearing a pair of sweat pants loaned to her by Beru and one of Luke's old T-shirts, a pair of muck boots and a coat that Luke had grown out of but still was a little big for Mara. She was blushing as they went out and Luke whispered, "Are you feeling alright?"
Mara sighed and shrugged self consciously. "I look ridiculous."
"No!" said Luke, squeezing her hand. "You look amazing as always. Come on. You might actually enjoy this."
Mara looked at him and said, "You're just saying that to convince me not to move my things to the other room, aren't you?"
Luke shook his head vigorously and said, "Of course not I'm not. Even if you aren't fashionably dressed at the moment like you usually are, you're still beautiful and you always will be."
"Nice try, Luke, but take it from me - it's going to take a lot more than smooth words to get back on her good side;" chuckled Owen gruffly.
They gathered around the vehicle. "Luke, go ahead and jack the truck up. Mara, take these jack stands and make sure that its well support when Luke tells you. We're starting with the breaks and the tires."
Mara found that she really enjoyed the work. Luke showed her on one side and then she followed his example on the other as he walked her through it. While they did that, Owen was working on the oil filter. He was finished by the time Luke and Mara had changed out the breaks and put on winter tires on the front of the truck. Uncle Owen was pleased and he said, "Alright, the back breaks are a little different. Jack her up and we'll go from there."
This time, Mara used the jack and Luke placed the stands. When they were ready, Uncle Owen walked each of them through since Luke's car breaks were not the same as the trucks. It took all morning to get the work done and they were shivering and sputtering when it was time to go in for lunch. Beru was on the phone with a friend but hung up with a cheerful smile. "I have lunch ready - sandwiches and soup so you can warm up. I put on fresh hot water for tea and cocoa as well a fresh pot of coffee. Since you're all done with your work, what are we doing today? Would you like to help us finish decorating for Christmas?"
They nodded from where they shivered, cuddled up next to the radiator with thick blankets around them. Mara was securely wrapped in Luke's arms for warmth and around them both was a large, soft quilt. Only their heads were visible above the blanket it. When the lunch was prepared, they went to the table and ate. The rest of the day was spent hanging up Christmas decorations and such. After dinner, they watched a seasonal movie together. Aunt Beru was on a rocking chair knitting a blanket for her good friend's granddaughter and Owen sat in a reclining arm chair chewing tobacco and doing a crossword trouble. Luke and Mara were both cuddled up beneath another blanket stretched out on the couch. Unbeknownst to the two elders, Luke and Mara were teasing and petting one another beneath the blanket, getting one another all riled up. As soon as the movie was over, they both sat up and yawned. "Well, I'm gonna turn in tonight. Gotta be up early to milk the cows again tomorrow."
Mara agreed. "Me too. All that work has worn me out."
Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru shared a most knowing look before the latter said, "Well sleep good then. We're having pancakes for breakfast with bacon and scrambled eggs just so you know."
Uncle Owen casually said, "Just keep your carrying on down, please."
"OWEN!" gasped Aunt Beru and the two youngsters rushed off to bed, blushing fiercely.
When they got to the room, Mara grinned wickedly and gathered her stuff, saying as she did. "You still haven't done anything to get yourself out of the doghouse, Farmboy. I guess you don't want to sleep in the same bed as me or else you would have done something about it."
Luke, who was frustrated by Mara's unseen ministrations during the movie, gaped and sputtered, "But - but how am I gonna do that?"
Mara shrugged and said, "I dunno. That's for you to figure out. In the mean time, sleep tight;" and she left the room, leaving Luke dismayed. After changing into some comfortable clothes, he went into the other room. Mara was brushing her teeth in the bathroom and Luke went up behind her and wrapped his arm around her. "I'm sorry I was such a horrible boyfriend this morning. I wasn't laughing at you, just at the realization that you didn't have messy clothes. Would you ever forgive me?"
Mara spat the toothpaste and said, "Getting there."
Luke kissed the side of her neck and said, "If it's any consolation, you look amazing whatever you're wearing - or not wearing as the case may be."
Mara couldn't help but grin even as she said, "Oh please. You can do better than that."
Luke kissed the side of her neck again and thought about what to say. She headed back to the room and stood by her piled things with her arms crossed, waiting with a tapping foot for him to think of something sweet to say. Finally, Luke sighed and slumped with defeat. "I guess I'm not all that eloquent. I'll see you in the morning baby."
Mara watched him go before saying, "Wait for me, you dork. At least help me carry my stuff back."
Luke was grinning ear to ear as he took all of her gear back. She climbed into the bed and said, "You are fortunate that I'm in a gracious mood or else I would have decided to make you suffer for being so mean to me this morning and laughing at me. Honestly, I wasn't raised to have dirty clothes to do mechanic stuff in."
Luke was listening from the bathroom as he brushed his teeth. When he was finished, he said, "You and I are from different lifestyles, baby. I'm not mocking you. Your reaction to my uncle's statement about messy clothes was what was making me chuckle."
Mara narrowed her eyes and said, "You're not just saying that to placate me, are you?"
Luke looked at her with mock shock and hurt. "I would never do such a thing to you."
She giggled and relented, laying back and saying, "Well then get over here and warm me up. Hey, do you think your Uncle and Aunt realized what we were doing under that blanket?"
Luke slipped under the blankets and wrapped his arms around her. "Well those couple times you moaned might have given it away."
Mara elbowed him lightly. "It's not my fault. You just make me feel good."
"Allow me to make you feel good some more then;" said Luke, his voice a low, husky timber.
Mara moaned and said, "Please do."
The next morning at breakfast, Mara received a phone call. When she hung up, she said, "That was Sheev, my guardian. He was hoping that Luke and I could make it to dinner tonight. I hope that's alright."
Aunt Beru nodded. "Of course, Dear. You must see your family too. Luke, do you have the clothes that you will need or is Mara going to have to take you shopping?"
Luke hadn't even thought about that. It was his turn to blush in embarrassment and he glanced at Mara, expecting a smirk but Mara was just excited about taking him shopping. "It's okay, Luke. We'll leave after lunch and make sure we get you a nice suit to wear. I could use a new dress myself."
Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru chuckled at the look of glee on Mara's face and the look of relief on Luke's.
In Eisly, there were limited options. However, they found a small shop that sold nice clothes and found everything they needed. When it came time to go to Mister Palpatine's house, Luke was so nervous that his usually considerable appetite was gone. The house was large but not exactly a mansion. Luke parked in the spot Mara indicated before hurrying over to her side and assisting her out of the car door. Before her door was even shut, the door to the house opened and out came an elderly man leaning on a black stick and in a black suit. Behind him, a much younger woman in a red dress who had brown hair with a shock of white hair in it, approached gracefully. In a slightly cracked voice, the old man said, "My child, it is so good to see you. I trust finals went well."
Mara smiled at him and kissed him on the cheek before saying, "It's good to see you too and I aced finals, of course."
"Good, good;" said the old man. He turned to face Luke and said, "And who is this strapping young man you bring with you today, my child?"
Mara took Luke's hand and pulled him forward. "This is my boyfriend Luke Skywalker. Luke, this is my adoptive father Sheev Palpatine."
Updated 10/15/2018
