Chapter 12 – Uncle Ben and Family Supper
"Ani, Ani, what's going on?" Padme called out when she returned home. Just walking up to her house there were several Jedi meditating on the front lawn. Then there was an elderly Jedi tending to two infant younglings in her kitchen and another four older younglings were running around the living room shouting as they played.
Obi-Wan stepped out of the study. "Oh." He turned back around. "Anakin, Padme's home."
Anakin walked out next and gave her a sheepish smile. "Padme, my Angel."
"What's going on Anakin." her tone and eyes told him she was serious.
"Do you remember yesterday, when you said you were proud of me?" Padme nodded. "Well, it turns out the Jedi council decided not to kick me out. Instead they want to set up an academy here on Tatooine, and well, we don't have a site yet, so…"
"So half the order is staying here, that's what your telling me."
"Not half, more like a third… You still proud of me?"
"We'll see. Where are the twins?"
"They're in the backyard with the older padawans. They wanted to watch them practice their saber forms."
Padme nodded. "I'll go check on them."
Anakin walked back into the study. Yoda was sitting by a desk in front of a holo-screen. Obi-Wan stood next to him leaning over. They both looked up when Anakin walked back into the room.
"I'm in so much trouble," Anakin complained.
"Has that ever stopped you before?" Obi-Wan teased.
"This is entirely different." Anakin shook his head.
"It's not like the situation is your fault, the order was in need," Obi-Wan tried.
Anakin laughed. "You've never been in a relationship. That's not how it works."
Obi-Wan's lips tensed. "Well, we may have found a location." He ushered Anakin to come look at the holo-screen.
On the screen were floorplan images opened from a file already on the computer. "No, no, no, NO. That site is for Padme's project. She's using it for her charity."
"Space for training it has, and…" Yoda was cut off.
"No. You'll have to find someplace else. It's not available." Anakin was unmovable.
"Alright, we'll keep looking." Obi-Wan resigned.
"What you've done to the planet, show us. All force-presences it hides." Yoda inquired.
"A-ah, yeah that. It's kinda like a shroud. I think it's best I show you how I did it." Anakin sat down and prepared to show them like he showed Ahsoka. Yoda and Obi-Wan mastered the concept faster than Ahsoka did, or perhaps Anakin was getting better at teaching it.
"Too strong, you made it. Hidden only secrets lie," said Yoda.
"He's right. When we came here, we sensed no lifeforms with the Force, but our scanners contradicted that. We knew something strange was here. If any force-sensitive inquisitor came near Tatooine, they'd have the same thought."
"Yeah, I may have been a touch overprotective." Anakin winced.
"Let go, you must. Fix the shroud, I shall." Yoda declared. "Protect our other sites, too, it will."
Anakin left the Study and found Padme distributing snacks to the Twins, and several other younglings who gathered round them. They were all calling her "Mommy," though it's doubtful any of these children knew what a mommy was. When Padme gave the last youngling a snack she closed the container and put it back on top of the cabinet.
The door chime rang and one of the Jedi went to answer it.
"Uncle Owen!" Luke shouted, when he saw the man enter. He jumped down from his stool in the kitchen and ran to his Uncle.
"Uncle Owen?" the other younglings exclaimed and they ran too, curious to see what an Uncle Owen was.
"Hey Kidos! Uh, Anakin, did I wake from a really long nap, or have your kids multiplied?" Owen joked.
"No, these are Jedi younglings."
"Oh, I'm supposed to tell you something. Mother will be a little late tonight for the big family supper," said Owen.
"Oh, I'd completely forgotten." Anakin brushed his hand through his hair.
At this time Obi-Wan and Yoda were peering out from the Study.
"Well, I'm eager to meet your mother," said Obi-Wan.
"Help prepare for a family supper, we will." Yoda added.
"You won't have to do much, Mother always brings plenty of food," Owen said.
"This is master Obi-Wan and Grandmaster Yoda. This is my stepbrother Owen." Anakin introduced. Obi-Wan and Yoda reached out to shake his hand and engage in polite pleasantries.
"Ooh, Anakin, I need your help with Leia!" Padme called.
Anakin looked up and saw Leia attempting to pull the snack container off the cabinet with the force. It was teetering on the edge of the cabinet. Anakin reached out with the force to hold it back. The girl took advantage of the opportunity to pull the lid off the container. Anakin got there in just enough time to catch the lid with his hand as it fell. Then a cookie floated out of the container and down to the girl. Anakin put the lid back onto the container and straightened it out again so it wouldn't fall.
"Don't do that little princess," Anakin said to Leia.
When he looked up to Padme, she was not pleased. "Is that all. Anakin, you saw me distribute the snacks already."
Anakin shrugged. "She wanted another."
"Then she was to ask. Not pull one down on her own. What if the container slipped and it fell on her? Huh! Now I have to be the bad guy and take away a snack, because you couldn't!" Padme yelled. By now everyone was watching the commotion. "Anakin, I'm tired of always being the bad guy!" Padme turned and walked to Leia. Leia was not happy to have her newly pilfered goods be taken away. She cried as her mother put her into a short time out. Anakin put his head in his hands, unable to listen.
"She's right, you know," whispered Obi-Wan.
"The codes first, hmm? Taught you this I did. If listened you had, this would not have happened," Yoda pointed out.
"Yeah, I know," Anakin replied. "I know.
"Well, I've got to go. I'll see you later tonight." Owen loudly announced before making his retreat.
"What is a family supper," Obi-Wan asked.
"Oh, it's a big meal we all eat together." Padme answered. The other Jedi were indeed being very helpful in setting up the tables and preparing food.
"And do you do this often?" Obi-Wan asked again.
"Every couple of weeks. Sometimes we eat here, other times we all go over to the Lars's." Padme answered. "I really appreciate it. They were so welcoming to both of us. Beru has almost become like a real sister to me. Sola, my sister, would love her too. I'm sorry, I get emotional with this pregnancy..." Padme rushed to wipe tears from her eyes.
"Regular ladies man you are Obi-Wan. Bringing the ladies to tears already," Anakin teased as Padme walked away.
"I don't know about that." Obi-Wan gave Anakin one of his serious looks.
"O-Bean-un." Luke still struggled to pronounce his name. "Mustard Yo-da said to give you dis." He handed Obi-Wan a folded tablecloth.
"Well, thank you young man." Obi-Wan patted the boy's head gently, then turned back to Anakin. "We better get this on the table before they start to set out the food."
"Or before Mustard Yoda spills his condiments." Anakin joked. Obi-Wan gave him an are you kidding me look, then shook his head and smiled.
Shmi and Owen did indeed bring over a lot of food. Anakin had no doubt that his mother began to make even more food after Owen told her about their extra company, but she didn't look taken aback by any of their guests. She greeted Obi-Wan and even Yoda with a big hug.
A smaller table was set up beside the larger one for all of the younglings to eat at.
"Luke, do you want me to cut up your Bantha." Beru asked the boy.
"No, I want Uncle Bean-un to do it." Luke requested.
"Did he just call you Uncle Bean," Anakin asked Obi-Wan.
"I heard Uncle Ben." Cliegg said.
"Uncle Ben." Obi Wan repeated. "Yes, Luke, I'll cut your Bantha for you." Obi Wan moved over to the boy.
"Welcome to the family," Beru said to him before she moved on to helping another youngling. Obi-Wan smiled in response.
They all looked up suddenly to a crash in the kitchen. One of the trays holding a cake had crashed onto the floor when pulled by the force.
Anakin walked over to the group of younglings with a stern face. "Who did that?"
Three of the younglings pointed at Leia.
"Leia, did you try to pull the cake off the counter." Anakin knelt down to her eye level. His face was stern, but not unkind. "Tell me the truth."
Leia tried to look away, then down, before she nodded. "Can I have some cake?" she tried asking. Her face became a cute pout. Anakin almost melted.
"No." Tears began to form in Leia's eyes. "You're supposed to ask first, when you want something. That's the rule, no force-pulls unless you ask first." Leia's tears turned to full blown wails.
"I… Want… Cake!" she shouted between her cries.
"Come with me. Time out." Anakin felt like he wanted to cry too.
"Whaaaa-Waaaaaaa!" Anakin was convinced she cried harder now than earlier with her mother. He had to pick her up and carry her to her time-out.
Obi-Wan and Yoda watched Anakin as he stepped out of view of the child, now wailing as she sat in time-out. He clutched the side of a table like he was going to fall over. Pain filled his eyes.
After several minutes, that felt more like several hours for the poor father, Leia stopped crying, and after finishing her time-out Anakin brought her back to the table to eat with the others.
"Well, how are you finding Tatooine?" Cliegg asked when the adults finally begun to eat.
"Interesting," Obi-Wan answered.
"Hot, it is." Yoda replied. Many of the other jedi nodded at that.
"They are actually looking for a place to build an Academy here, on Tatooine," Padme added.
"Oh, really. What sort of place are you interested in? I can talk to my contacts in Anchorhead." Cliegg offered.
"Well, there was one place we were interested in." Obi-Wan started.
"But turned it down, Skywalker already has." Yoda finished.
"What place?" Padme asked.
"They were interested in using your charity site," Anakin answered.
"Oh," Padme looked up in thought.
"But I explained to them how that won't…" Anakin went on.
"Actually, that might work," Padme interrupted.
Anakin looked shocked. "What?"
"We could use the help," Padme said.
"And there's plenty of room for them to hold private classes in the upper floor," Beru added on.
"Plus, what better way to hide the Jedi order than a non-profit," Padme finished.
"Like to see this site, we would. Tomorrow, yess?" said Yoda.
"Alright, tomorrow." Padme agreed cheerfully.
"And how are you finding family life?" Cliegg changed the subject.
"Hmm. Interesting it is. A sense of humor when masters are choosing their padawans, the force has. The same trouble that their masters once caused, their padawans often stir. The same sense of humor, apparently, nature has." Yoda smiled.
"Hey!" Anakin protested.
Shmi chuckled. "And Master Obi-Wan, what does that say about you? I know what kind of trouble my boy can be."
Anakin sat up straight. "He must have been perfect." Luke and Leia giggled along with the other younglings.
"Well, I don't know about that." Obi-Wan took a sip of his drink. "I am starting to feel some sense of justice."
Anakin looked taken aback. "What's that supposed to mean?"
Obi Wan looked up at him, are you serious, written on his face.
"Well besides that."
Obi-Wan cocked his head in the other direction.
"Alright, you've got a point." The master and former apprentice communicated wordlessly. "Man, I'm in for a lot of trouble. Aren't I?"
The rest of the table laughed. Cliegg offered Anakin a tap on his arm. "You think that was bad, you wait till she brings home a boyfriend."
"Oooh," went the table, along with light chuckles. Anakin hid his face in his hands.
"I'll bet she'll fall for some rogue with dashing looks and a penchant for trouble," Padme teased before laughing.
"Around here, she'll probably find some good hearted farm boy." Cliegg offered.
"Unless she goes to Mos Eisley. There she could find a smuggler, a pirate, or even a bounty hunter to bring home." Owen laughed.
"No, no, no. I'm not going to listen to this." Anakin put his fork down and began to gather plates to take into the kitchen.
That night, after their grandparents and Aunt and Uncle Lars left, Anakin went to put the twins to bed. Yoda followed him, watching with curiosity as he gave each child a sip of water, and read them a bedtime story. Then he tucked the sheets around Luke and kissed him on his forehead. "Goodnight."
Luke replied, "Goodnight."
Then Anakin went to Leia's bed. She pulled her sheets up already, and when he went in for a goodnight kiss, she turned her head into her pillow. He kissed her head anyway. "Goodnight… Princess… Leia." The girl didn't reply.
Anakin walked back to the lounge, where Padme sat on an armchair and Obi-Wan sat on the couch across from her.
"How'd it go?" Padme looked up to ask.
Anakin grunted, then rubbed his temples. "They're in bed. I think she's still mad at me."
"Awe, well she's two. How long can she hold a grudge. I bet by tomorrow she'll be a daddy's girl again. Come here." Padme reached out to her husband.
Anakin walked over to Padme's chair and bent down to respond to her soothing touch.
"I am proud of you," said Padme
"Really," Anakin turned and kissed his wife. He put his hand up behind her head and the kiss deepened.
After a while the sound of a throat clearing interrupted their movements. "Come on Anakin, She's already pregnant," sighed Obi-Wan.
Anakin's heartache was gone, replaced by amusement at the Jedi Master's reaction. He smiled. "And how do you think that happened?" He leaned closer to kiss his wife's neck.
"Stop, Ani." Padme laughed and batted him away. Her face was flushed with embarrassment. She quickly got up and left the room.
Anakin sat down in her spot and smiled. Obi-Wan rolled his eyes.
Hi Everyone.
I do like the way this chapter turned out, though I am really curious what your own opinions will be. I hope you catch the humor.
Thank you to everyone for leaving your reviews. They are so much fun to read. It's positive reinforcement for me to keep writing more chapters, after all.
7/7/2020 Edit: Special thanks to AO3 user avaya29 for suggesting the Yoda line rewording. Where Yoda once said: "Hmm, the codes first this would not happen if you taught," now he says "The codes first, hmm? Taught you this I did. If listened you had, this would not have happened."
