THE BABYSITTERS' CLUB
Chapter 2
Luke felt that he'd spent a lifetime in a checkout line. He tried to use the Force to get it to move faster, but it was an exercise in futility. Well, Ben Kenobi had always insisted that the one thing the Force wasn't was magic. The two bags he toted home were heavy even for one in good shape, and Luke was. The bags mostly contained food for the babies and meat for Chewie. Fortunately, Chewie was content to eat less expensive cuts of meat. He just ate a lot of them.
The causeways were jammed with sentients of every species (and aroma, some more pleasing than others). "This is why I live on Yavin," he muttered to himself as he attempted to weave his way though the mob. He didn't understand how Leia and Han could stand it, but that was where Leia had to be.
It occurred to him that the only person he'd failed to shop for was himself. Fortunately, Han and Leia had at least twenty-seven takeaway menus on the counter. He'd order out once they'd gotten the babies fed. But first, he'd have to make it past the security doors. He hoped that Threepio and Chewie were near the comm.
He pressed on it several times before Threepio came on. "Master Luke, is that you?"
"It is, and I've got a lot of stuff, so would you mind disabling the alarm? Now would be good."
"I'm so glad you've returned!" Luke could hear at least one, if not two, crying babies behind him, and Chewie warbling to calm them down. "It's been absolute chaos -"
"Threepio, just buzz me in, okay?" It was reminiscent of the time he, Leia and Han were stuck in the trash masher on the Death Star and nearly became two-dimnesional.
"Oh, sorry, Master Luke." Threepio hit the setting to allow Luke passage into the building.
"Thank you," Luke muttered crossly as he got on one of the lifts that serviced the bank of floors containing the Solo apartment.
Luke pressed the eight-bell chime and was granted ingress. Chewie was holding the two crying babies and attempting to entertain them with a shiny object.
{I changed them}, Chewie informed him. {I've tried to amuse them, but they seem to be hungry}.
"I've got plenty of food for them," Luke said, picking up Jacen. "C'mon, big guy, let's get some dinner going on." He and Chewie strapped the wailing babies into their high chairs. Threepio opened two containers and emptied them into bowls so that Chewie and Luke could feed them.
"Master Luke, sir, I'm afraid I don't see anything that I could prepare for dinner for you," Threepio sighed.
"It's all right. I'll comm Bakura Barbecue."
"Yes, that happens often for Mistress Leia and Captain Solo," Threepio indicated. "They truly do work much too hard."
"I know, which is why I agreed to help out," Luke said. Chewie cooed at the young ones, coaxing them to eat, but what the twins enjoyed most was grabbing the spoon and trying to eat the contents themselves. However, more ended up on their faces and in their hair than in their stomachs and not an insignificant amount on Luke and Chewie. At least they were laughing, and Luke found that despite the amount of damage done to his tunic, he was enjoying them, making faces at them and singing silly songs. And it became apparent why there was a dropcloth on the floor.
{We need to give them baths}, Chewie told him.
"Well, unless Han and Leia are good with baby food all over the house, it's probably a good idea."
He and Chewie took the giggly, squirmy babies and carried them into the 'fresher. Chewie started filling the tub with water.
{They always feel sticky to me}, Chewie said to Luke.
"That's because I think they are always sticky," Luke said, undressing Jacen. Chewie removed Jaina's clothes. As Luke unfasted Jacen's diaper, the baby boy took it as a signal to urinate on Luke.
{I forgot to tell you about putting a cloth over him}, Chewie said, trying to sound penitent, but was mostly trying not to laugh. {Happened the first time Han changed him, Leia too}. Chewie chuckled.
"Well, it's not as if I have much experience with infant care," Luke said.
{Do you and Mara want children?}
"We're nowhere near that mark," Luke chuckled.
{She is very pretty, for a human. And very strong}.
"Yes on both counts," Luke laughed as he grabbed a container of baby shampoo. He had memories of Aunt Beru trying to wash his hair as a little kid, but not fond ones.
{The shampoo is very gentle and won't hurt their eyes}, Chewie explained.
The twins splashed happily in the water, and it wasn't long before Luke was more or less drenched. He couldn't relax completely; they loved splashing and now in addition to being squirmy, they were slippery.
Luke first applied the shampoo to Jaina, trying to be both gentle and thorough and in the meantime not have her slip under water. Chewie's grip on Jacen seemed to be a bit firmer, but Chewie was himself a dad and possibly had more experience, though it was unclear to Luke as to what Wookiee child care involved.
Chewie had indicated that the shampoo was not irritating but someone forgot to tell Jaina, who let out a loud wail as some of the soapy suds ran in rivulets down her chubby little cheeks.
Luke froze in horror for a moment, then accepted the clean cloth Chewie had handed him. It was not lost on Luke that Chewie smelled of wet Wookiee. Jaina continued to wail even after Luke had cleared the offending shampoo from her eyes and face. He made funny faces at her and her brother and were both giggling when the bath was ended.
Luke had felt less tired after he'd destroyed the Death Star Version One. Once the adrenaline shakes had worn off and the afterparty concluded, he'd fallen into a sound, dreamless and refreshing sleep.
He had the impression that that was not going to be the case while he was doing his best to take care of his niece and nephew.
But he did discover how nice a clean baby could smell, and found it very appealing. They had such soft skin, which Luke really noticed as Jaina put her head on his shoulder.
{You get to read to them tonight}, Chewie informed him.
Luke and Chewie carried the two babies into the living room. Threepio had gotten the apartment nearly spotless.
"Master Luke, Chewbacca, I'd like to take my leave for a while," Threepio said with some hesitation.
Luke was surprised. "Where would you go?"
Threepio took a moment. "If you must know, sir, I am the steward for our chapter of fighting for our rights as droids."
Luke's eyebrows shot up to his hairline. "You're serious," Luke said. "Does Artoo know about this?"
"He does, and wanted to join us, but he felt that with you away, Mistress Mara would require more assistance at the Praxium." Threepio sighed. "I do miss the glob of grease."
"He misses you, too," Luke assured him, thinking it was probably true.
{They'll want a story}, Chewie advised Luke.
"They're kind of young, don't you think?"
{Han and Leia always do}.
"Okay, okay," Luke said as he and Chewie occupied the sofa with the twins.