Chapter 21 – Jedi Babysitters
"Hello Anakin," Obi-Wan greeted.
"Are you still sure you want to do this?" Anakin asked.
"Yes, Yoda will be here in a little while. Your younglings will be in good hands. We'll have lots of fun," Obi-Wan reassured.
Anakin looked at him hesitantly.
"Ani, where's that bag?" Padme called out from the other room.
"The bags are all on our bed!" Anakin yelled back.
"No, not those! The little blue bag!" Padme hollered.
"I don't know. Check in the hall closet upstairs. I've got to let Obi-Wan in. Then I'll come up and help you."
"Oh! Be sure to go over the lists and schedules with him," Padme ordered.
Anakin rolled his eyes. "That's what I was doing." He handed Obi-Wan a datapad with schedules for each child, and five lists including: Approved snacks, and What to do in case of emergency. There were three more files titled Full Medical History.
Obi-Wan's eyes went big when he saw just how much was on the device. "Thanks, this will be very useful, I'm sure."
"Now, Leo is sick. The med droid says it's just a simple cold, but he's got medicine to take once a day. The instructions are there, and the meds are in the bathroom cabinet."
Obi-Wan nodded along and glanced at the device, finding the lists for Leo. "Yes, if it's the same bug Ella-Reese had last week, he should be well soon.
"Yeah. Now we've got to be out of here to meet the Lars's in an hour. You know your way around. If it comes up, tell Padme that I went over every last item on that checklist with you."
Obi-Wan nodded. "Don't worry about it. Go help your wife."
Anakin gave him a tense glance before running upstairs.
An hour and a half later, after giving the twins a prolonged goodbye Anakin and Padme were gone, and the twins were playing a game with Ella-Reese in the living room. Leo seemed to be feeling fussy, so Obi-Wan was holding him in his arms on the couch as he supervised the twins. This was when Yoda arrived and walked in.
"Hello Master Yoda," Obi-Wan greeted him. "Padme left us detailed instructions on this datapad here. Otherwise, we're just having a little play session now."
"Detailed instructions for watching younglings, I do not need. Practice your saber forms outside, who wants to?" Luke and Leia's heads both went up in excitement.
"Oh, alright. Lunch will be in…" Obi-Wan bent over to read the schedule on the datapad. "An hour and a half. I'll see you then."
Obi-Wan enjoyed his morning. Leo was able to take a nap with Ella-Reese, and he prepared Lunch for the twins. When Yoda brought them back inside they were very hungry.
"The story of Master Billebs and the Rathtar, I will tell." Yoda suggested after the meal.
"Uh, Master Yoda. That story is a bit on the scary side."
"Good lessons, it teaches."
"Ppp-please" Leia began to beg.
"We're Bwave. We're not scared." Luke added.
"Besides it's nap time according to the schedule," Obi-Wan pointed out.
Yoda waved him off. "Naps, the younglings do not need. A story time, we will have."
Obi-Wan nodded in defeat, then went to clean up lunch.
Later that evening, dinner time came and the twins still hadn't taken their naps. The twins were seated at the table and the babies were in highchairs. Yoda looked up to ask Obi-Wan what he should do. "Um, You can try giving Leo his medicine."
Yoda ran to the bathroom and used the force to pull the medicine from the upper cabinet it was in. Then he read the instructions on the datapad to get the correct dosage. He approached young Leo carefully carrying the spoon of medicine.
"That's not how mommy does it," Leia helpfully put.
"Your mother, I am not," said Yoda, and he continued.
Ba-ww-th the youngling spat and the medicine went everywhere.
Obi-Wan looked up and had to hide his laughter. The little green Jedi was covered in purple goo. Yoda's foot tapped in annoyance. "Try mixing it with the Bristlemelon Juice. That always works for Ella-Reese. Or use the syringe, like Padme's instructions said," Obi-Wan advised, when he was finally able to speak without laughing.
After dinner Obi-Wan let the twins pick a toy and play a 'quiet game' indoors. He then settled on the couch and continued reading the datapad of instructions Padme and Anakin had left.
"Uncle Ben, can I go outside?" Luke asked.
"No Luke, we're going to play inside now," Obi-Wan answered.
Luke responded with a pout and big blue eyes. It was a look Obi-Wan had seen before. A look the boy clearly got from his father.
"No Luke. You have plenty of toys…"
"Take them outside, perhaps I can." Yoda suggested.
"No, it's almost bedtime. They need a little wind down time before bedtime. Trust me, it's for the best," replied Obi-Wan.
"Oh, okay. Play inside now, we will," Yoda conceded.
"No! Outside! No-oooo-ow!" Luke stomped his foot.
"No Luke. Calm your emotions, or I'm taking you to the time-out chair," Obi-Wan warned.
Luke erupted into screams and tears. It was then that Obi-Wan read the line of advice in the instructions. "Make sure the twins get their afternoon naps. Without them they tend to be more moody, especially Luke who can have a full meltdown when he gets tired."
Obi-Wan sighed, then looked over at Yoda. "I told you we shouldn't let them miss their nap-time." He got up and picked up Luke.
"Tired this afternoon, they were not." Yoda said, and Obi-Wan made him read the datapad. "Oh. A benefit to following instructions, there is. Read them, I should have."
As Obi-Wan placed the screaming Luke in the Time out chair, he felt a wave of apprehension. He could not imagine ever doing this with Ella-Reese, but if his time watching Anakin taught him anything, this was inevitable. Obi-Wan looked over and saw a picture of Anakin with his family on display. The young padawan he raised had become such a strong young man. He never did this because he wanted to, no. He did it because it was best for the children he loved. If love gave Anakin the strength, surely it would do the same for Obi-Wan.
Suddenly Luke stopped screaming and looked up at him. "Uncle Ben, are you crying?"
"Oh, no." Obi-Wan wiped a tear from his eye. "A little, I guess. I was just thinking about your daddy, that's all."
"Awe, he'll be back. He pwomised." Luke reached up and gave Obi-Wan a big hug.
"Awe, thank you, little guy." Obi-Wan returned Luke's hug. "Lets go join your sister."
For bedtime that evening, Yoda had read all of the bedtime routine notes, and was prepared to follow all of them. After helping the twins dress and get tucked in, Yoda told the children a story from his earlier days as a knight.
Before they left Yoda said, "Good night, Luke. Goodnight Princess."
To which Luke and Leia both replied "Goodnight, goodnight."
"Princess?" Obi-Wan asked from the hall outside.
"Yes. Calls her that, her father does," Yoda answered.
"Yes, but I didn't expect you to…"
"For younglings to sleep best, a routine close to normal they need," answered Yoda. "Read that in Padme's instructions, I did."
Later that night, Obi-Wan had settled with Ella-Reese in the guest bedroom, while Yoda slept on the couch. Both of them were interrupted soon after by screams from the twins room. Obi-Wan knew what was happening before he got there. Both he and Yoda arrived at the twin's bedroom door at the same time.
"Having a vision, they are," said Yoda.
"No, not a vision. They're having nightmares from that story you told. I told you Rathtar's were too scary for three year olds." Obi-Wan grumbled.
"Instructions for nightmares, Anakin and Padme do not give," worried Yoda.
"Well, you're lucky. I know exactly what to do for nightmares." And indeed Obi-Wan did. Anakin had a lot of them when he first came to the Jedi. "Go to kitchen and heat up some blue milk."
When Yoda was out of the room, Obi-Wan bent down beside each child and shook them awake. "Come now, Master Yoda's got some warm milk for you in the kitchen."
When both children were seated in the kitchen with their blue milk mustaches, Obi-Wan began. "What upset you both today?"
Luke and Leia looked around nervously.
"You were scared of something, what was it?"
"I wasn't scawed." Leia put on a tough face. Beside her Luke started to cry. "we're not scawed of anything. Like daddy. He's not scawed of anything. Ever."
"Name his fear, Master Billebs had to, before banish it, he did. The Rathtar, only then did he fight and defeat," said Yoda.
"Right, and your father is afraid of a lot of things too. But he names those fears, and banishes them," Obi-Wan added. "That's why he's so brave."
Luke spoke up first. "I was scawed of the Wathtaw."
Leia sighed. "Yeah, me too. A little bit."
"Very brave, you are, for admitting that," said Yoda.
"Well, I can assure you, there are no Rathtar's in this house. Now who wants to curl up with Master Yoda on the couch tonight?" Yoda's eyes opened wide as the younglings cheered. Then Obi-Wan whispered, "You're the one who told them the story."
Hello,
Now, most of this chapter is meant as humor. I know the wisest Jedi of them all wouldn't likely make so many mistakes with the younglings, but I had fun writing it.
And I gave Obi-Wan most of the warm-fuzzy moments because I felt bad for him getting volunteered for babysitting duty by Yoda. I hope you like the chapter.
Next week we will be visiting Anakin and family and their trip to Ilum. I don't really know how long it takes to travel between Tatooine and the Ilum system in Star Wars, but I am going to assume the round trip will take at least a day, maybe two or more.
