Chapter 45
A large tent had been set up in the large yard, and the weather was clear and warm. Everything was prepared, and the small group of guests had assembled. Obi-Wan stood beside the holy man with Anakin, waiting for his bride to arrive.
"Nervous?" Anakin asked.
"More than I've ever been," Obi-Wan replied.
Anakin chuckled. "You'll be fine," he said.
Obi-Wan nodded. "Easy for you to say," he remarked.
"If you're nervous now, wait until that baby comes," Anakin said.
"You're not making me feel any better, you know that, right?" Obi-Wan said.
Anakin laughed. "Sorry," he said. "Look," he said, pointing to the tent's entrance.
Obi-Wan turned to look and smiled when he saw Luke and Leia. The twins held hands, Luke carried a satin pillow with wedding rings tied to it, while Leia carried a basket of rose petals. As the music began, the twins started walking towards their father. Leia tossed the petals on the floor before them. The twins were followed by their mother. Anakin smiled when he saw his wife, who wore a floor length gown and carried a simple nosegay. Padmé returned Anakin's smile, hiding the fact that she had been having contractions for almost an hour. Helen followed Padme, and Obi-Wan smiled as he beheld her.
The ceremony was short and simple, reminding both Anakin and Padme of their own wedding. They looked at each other as they heard the words, almost as though they were renewing their own vows.
After the wedding there was a catered meal and music provided by a local band. Luke and Leia had a great deal of fun dancing and eating far more cake than they should. But their parents indulged them, for it wasn't every day that their closest friend got married.
"I still can't believe we're married," Helen said as she and Obi-Wan danced. "Can you?"
Obi-Wan smiled. "Yes I can," he said. "I knew that we'd be married moments after I met you. Did I ever tell you that?"
"No you didn't," she said. "Are you joking?"
Obi-Wan shook his head. "I am being totally truthful," he said. "I would never joke with you about such things my love," he said, kissing her.
Anakin and Padmé watched the happy couple from their table. "They look happy, don't they?" Anakin asked.
Padmé nodded. "They do," she said.
Anakin sensed that she was distracted. "Everything okay, Angel?" he asked.
"Yes, just ...tired," Padme said. She was quite sure that her labour had begun, but since the contractions were still fairly far apart, she'd decided not to tell Anakin just yet. And besides that she didn't want to upstage the wedding.
"Well things are winding down," Anakin said. "Obi-Wan and Helen will be leaving for their honeymoon soon, so you'll be able to get to bed. I'll get the kids to bed."
Padmé smiled. "You're so good to me," she said, and kissed him on the cheek.
Anakin smiled, and put his arm around her. "I'm only giving you what you deserve," he said.
Padmé was about to respond when she felt another contraction. This time she was unable to hide it from Anakin.
"Was that what I think it was?" Anakin asked. "Are you in labour?"
"Not really, not yet," she said. "I'm just having an occasional contraction."
Anakin frowned. "Occasional?" he asked. "Padmé, exactly how many contractions have you had?" he asked in alarm.
"A few," she said. "They're still irregular and far apart," she said. "There's no need to be concerned."
"No need to be concerned?" Anakin replied. "Are you joking?"
Padmé smiled. "No I'm not," she said. "Relax, Ani. Labour can last for a long time. I'll let you know when it's time to go to the hospital."
Anakin frowned, but said nothing more. Relax? Was she kidding? Padmé had been through this before, but Anakin had not. For him, this was a new experience, and he had no idea what to expect.
Once the newlyweds had departed for their honeymoon, the guests started to leave. And by midnight, all was quiet at the cottage. Luke and Leia were sound asleep when Anakin joined Padmé in their bedroom. She was already asleep, which surprised Anakin. Must have been a false alarm, Anakin reasoned as he got into bed with her. It wasn't long before he too was sound asleep.
"Anakin! Anakin wake up!"
Anakin woke up with a start. "Wh-wh-what?" he mumbled. "What's wrong?"
"It's time to go to the hospital," she told him. "For sure this time!"
Anakin jumped out of bed and threw on some clothes. His heart was pounding. "I'll get the kids ready," he told her. "You contact your mom, tell them we're on the way."
Padmé got out of bed. She winced as another contraction hit her. She sat on the side of the bed and closed her eyes, breathing through the pain. The contractions were getting closer together, she had noted. This labour was very different from the first one, when Luke and Leia had been born. She contacted her mother, and waited for a long time before her hail was answered.
"Padmé, is everything okay?" Jobal asked sleepily.
"I'm in labour, Mom," Padmé said. "We're on our way to the hospital, so we'll be dropping the twins off shortly."
"I thought you had two more weeks?" Jobal asked.
"I did," Padmé said, standing up with some difficulty. "I guess they're impatient."
"Oh dear, well we'll be ready," Jobal said. "I'll get dad up."
"Thanks Mom, see you soon," Padmé said. She started to get dressed, and then stopped as her water broke. "Ani!" she called. "My water broke!"
Anakin appeared in a moment, his face bearing an expression of alarm. "Oh boy," he said. "Let's get you dressed," he said, helping her into her clothes. "Luke and Leia are ready, and Threepio is bringing them to the shuttle."
"Okay," Padmé said. She winced as another contraction hit her. "Oh my God, they're coming faster!" she cried.
Anakin did his best not to panic, despite how alarmed he was. "It's okay, we're going now," he said. "I'm going to tell your parents to come to the hospital to pick up the kids," he said, deciding that they didn't have time to spare.
Anakin helped Padmé out of the house, but when another contraction hit her midway to the landing platform, he picked her up and carried her the rest of the way. At the back of his mind he was starting to worry that he would end up delivering the babies in the shuttle, and the thought didn't make him very comfortable. "We'll be there soon," he told his wife, willing himself to believe it. "It's going to be okay, Padmé."
The flight to the hospital was a blur as Anakin raced to get there before Padmé's labour progressed any further. He had contacted his in-laws to alert them to the situation, and hoped that they would be waiting for them when they got there.
"Here we are," Anakin said as he sat the shuttle down on the hospital landing pad. A medi-droid was waiting for them with a wheelchair. Threepio took the twins by the hand and followed Anakin out of the craft.
"She's in labour," Anakin told them droid. "Pretty advanced I think," he added, setting Padmé carefully in the chair.
"We'll get her admitted right away," the droid said, and started away with Padmé. Anakin followed along with Threepio and the twins.
Anakin took his wife's hand. "Almost there, Angel," he said. "Keep breathing, that's it."
Jobal and Ruwee were in the waiting room on the maternity ward when Padmé arrived, much to Anakin's relief.
"Come along, children," Ruwee said, taking the twins by the hand. "You'll see your mommy soon."
"And the new babies," Jobal added with a smile. She gave Padmé a kiss. "Good luck, honey."
"Thanks Mom," she said.
Anakin followed the droid through some sliding doors to admitting, where he gave the nurse some information while Padmé was being admitted and changed into a hospital gown. He was anxious to get back to her, for he had the feeling that the babies would be arriving very soon. He wasn't wrong.
No sooner had Padmé been brought to the birthing suite, then the doctor instructed her to start pushing. It wasn't long before the first baby was born.
"It's a girl!" said the doctor, presenting the tiny baby girl to her parents.
Anakin was overwhelmed, witnessing his child's birth was far more emotional than he'd expected. "She's beautiful," he said, looking at Padmé with a smile.
Padmé nodded as the nurse placed the baby in her arms. She had a little bit of blond hair on her head. Padmé kissed the baby on the top of the head. "Happy birthday, Amidala," she said.
Anakin smiled, and leaned in to give his newborn daughter a kiss too. "She's perfect," he said. "Just like her namesake."
Padmé looked up at him with a smile. And then another contraction hit, and she prepared to deliver Amidala's twin.
A few minutes later, Anakin Junior was born. He had dark hair like his mother, and was slightly larger than his twin sister. Anakin held his son in his arms, marvelling at his tiny hands, his tiny nose that he kissed softly. He looked down at Padmé, who was holding Amidala. She looked up at him, her smiled radiant.
"You did great," Anakin said. "I'm so in awe of you right now. Thank you, Padmé. Thank you for these beautiful babies."
Padmé's eyes filled with tears. "You had something to do with them, you know," she teased.
Anakin laughed. "I had the fun part," he said. "You did all the hard work."
"They're worth it," she said, looking back down at Amidala. "Right Ami?"
"Ami and Ani," Anakin said.
Padmé nodded, liking the nicknames. "Yes, Ami and Ani. Welcome to the family."