Here in Germany it is federal holiday, so I have a present for you: one new chapter ;-) enjoy.
Author's Note: I do not own Star Wars, Anakin Skywalker, Padmé Naberrie or any other characters. It's all Lucasfilm property. I write stories just for fun and for free.
IN THE EYE OF THE STORM
Chapter 14
Finally in July 2015, Anakin Fixator splint was taken off. He still has some problems with an inflamed spot where a pin was. The inflammation healed quickly and Anakin was glad to be able to do everything with his arm again. Of course, he couldn't put weight on his arm like he used to. The heavy weights will have to wait, but smaller lifts were allowed. He had to train, he had gained five pounds in six months, they had to go.
He was preparing for MIT, rummaged through the old books, he hadn't had to study for a long time, was out of learn practice. It will be fine, as always, if you want. He majored in Aeronautics and Astronautics, as well as Mechanical Engineering. He wanted to develop rocket propulsions later.
Then he remembered that training camp was about to start...but he wasn't there. He wasn't a professional football player anymore. It was over. He was sad, he's been playing football since he was seven, but now he is going to write a new chapter of his life. Not only he had been a football player, he was also an engineer. It goes on now, that's what he should concentrate on.
Somehow his mother was glad he is going to study again, she had allways feared such serious injuries.
Anakin flew to Boston at the end of July to look for an apartment, an extra few days in this beautiful city couldn't hurt. The apartment should not be far from MIT, not a cheap student dig, but not a luxury either. He found a small apartment on the first floor of a house at 43 Joy St. It was newly renovated and immediately available. He decided to stay in Boston, bought nice furniture and settled in. He had everything he needed on nearby Cambridge St , was within walking distance. Down the Joy St south was Boston Common, the most beautiful park in Boston. Actually, everything was beautiful in Boston and everything was different from New York. He intended to study diligently and enjoy here for the next two and a half years. Anakin wanted to keep meeting Ben and Satine here, they were about to graduate. He secretly hoped to see Padmé too, she had another year and a half, maybe, maybe...but Boston wasn't small.
The start of fall semester wasn't easy, he had to get used to learning again.
Many young fellow students recognized the NFL ex-quarteback, he was very popular with his classmates, he still looked devilishly good, but he had no interest and still adhered to the principle of not getting involved with the women around him. The exception was Padmé, but she wasn't just any girl, he wanted her till the end of his life.
For Thanksgiving he flew to New York to celebrate with his parents and they had a thousand questions, only one they weren't allowed to ask was, if he still didn't have a girlfriend.
As he waited for the flight at Logan International, he thought about Padmé and if he might meet her now, if she flies home too.
But he wouldn't, because Padmé was in Boston with her new Audi Q5 and was driving it home, stopping in New Haven to take Dormé and Sabé with.
"So girlfriends, we've have eighty miles to go to New York and I don't want to waste any of those discussing about Anakin Skywalker."
"Do you know what, Padmé?...I prefer to go home on foot."
"I hate it, Dormé."
"You hate it, or you hate him? ...Well I think you don't hate him, you still love him...and that's why you can't talk about him, it still hurts. Am I right, or am I right?"
"I hate you when you are right."
"You hate a lot of things Missy. How about, we all meet up in New York, Anakin will be home too, and we sit down and talk about that night and what happened?"
"I can not."
"You know, Sabé, I think we'll retire before Padmé is ready to talk to Anakin. Shit, Padmé, you're not over it."
"I am."
"...and that's why you don't have a boyfriend and you fuck with a call boy. Is he any good…..the professional, huh?"
"This is something else."
"Sure, it is nothing but fucking, with no feelings, without any emotional stirring. Does that do as good as having sex with Anakin did?"
"No."
"Well, at least you're being honest, thank you."
"That's enough, Dormé, you're driving her crazy." Said Sabé.
"OK. , we still have ten miles to New York. I won't say anything more now...it's no use anyway."
"OK. Girlfriend ! Give him a call, see you on Saturday in the Living Room….10:00pm sharp." Padmé said surprisingly.
"It's okay, this is my Missy, I'll notify Satine and Ben, and Ben will notify Anakin."
Padmé dropped off her friends and drove home. The parents were happy to see her, even if they were in regular contact via skype.
Late that Wednesday evening, Padmé finally went to her room. Tired from the drive, from studying, from thinking about Anakin, she wondered why she had agreed to this meeting.
She undressed, showered, got a nightgown from the dresser and got into bed. The same photos still hung in the niche on the wall. In the blue frame, a photo of her and Anakin, happy together, laughing, hugging. She took down the frame, ripped out the photo and threw it on the floor. The frame is to be hung on the wall again, without photo, as a reminder of how a dream can turn into a tragedy. She cried until she fell asleep. She wasn't over it at all.
-Padmé, I have so much to tell you.
-Will that, what you have to tell me, be the same as what I saw?
-What have you seen?
-I saw you and Pat, she was attached to you, you were holding her arms and….
-…and?
-You wanted to kiss her.
-No, Padmé, I didn't want to kiss her and I didn't kiss her either. I pushed her away from me. Have you seen that?
-No.
-Why not?
-I went away.
-You didn't trust me, why Padme?
-You were a playboy.
...and then she woke up in the middle of the night and couldn't sleep. She went into the kitchen.
"That bad, dear?" asked the mother.
"I had a nightmare...so to speak?"
"Anakin?"
Padme nodded. "I don't want it to be like this."
"Let time unfold its effect."
She made herself some valerian tea, went to bed and fell asleep...later. She slept late. After that, she helped Maria prepare the food for Thanksgiving dinner, not that she had to, she wanted to keep busy.
At noon she called Dormé, Sabé, Satine, Ben, Rex and Cody to wish them Happy Thanksgiving, even Bradley she didn't forget. She didn't forget Anakin either, but she didn't call him.
In the late afternoon Sola came with the family, the reunion was warm, especially with the girls who hadn't seen their aunt for several months. Dinner was served in the evening, Maria brought all the dishes to perfection, all of it was on the table.
In addition to good food and fine wines, there were endless questions, only one question was not allowed to be asked, namely whether she had found a boyfriend.
Mother didn't want to ask that question, Father stuck to the technical questions, and Sola couldn't wait to take Padmé somewhere alone to satisfy her curiosity.
"Well, little sister, have you found something attractive yet?" and winked.
"I have no interest in that."
"Shit, Padmé, you're still stuck in the past. Seriously, if you still love him, you should forgive him...if there's anything to forgive at all."
"Apart from wanting to jump into the Hudson River, all my friends say I haven't seen everything and that's why it all ended so tragically. They want us all, including Anakin, to meet up on Saturday and talk."
"Then go and see what your friends have to say about it, maybe you really overreacted."
"I can't, I..."
"Then stay at home and continue suffering. You are a masochist….and you did not wrong only to yourself, but also Anakin."
"I can not."
"You might want to switch therapists. The old one is driving you deeper and deeper into the shit."
On Saturday she slept late and woke up staring at the empty frame from which she tore out a photo that meant so much to her, taken on the very day they announced their romantic relationship.
All day long she was irritable and nervous, not sure if it was wise to go to the meeting. She hasn't seen him in two and a half years...no, she wasn't ready.
Just before 10:00pm Dormè, Sabé, Satine, Ben and Anakin were in the club. They were sitting in a corner, already sipping their cocktails.
Anakin was very calm and lost in his thought. He had so much to say to her, where to start? Should he describe the events from his point of view first, or should he allow himself to be asked questions, or should he let her speak, or….he didn't know. He didn't have a concept, most of the time it doesn't work the way you had imagined, so he decided to let everything come to him. It won't escalate, he won't let it get that far.
"Should I order a Cosmopolitan in advance?"
"I have a bad feeling, she won't come, Sabé."
To cut the time, Ben talked about Rex and Cody, where they are and why they couldn't come today.
After fifteen minutes Dormé said quite annoyed: "The academic quarter is over."
As soon as she said it, her iPhone rang.
*Hi Dorme….*
*What is it, Missy, are you stucking in traffic?*
*Dormé, I can't come, I can't...*
*I should have known you'd back down...damn Padmé !*
*Sorry girlfriend.*
*I don't want to see you anymore in my life !*
*OK. , see you tomorrow afternoon, I'll pick you up.*
*Sleep good if can.*
Dormé cut the connection, turned her iPhone face down and slammed it on the table. "Fuck !" ...and downed the rest of her Cosmopolitan in one gulp. The mood was in the basement. Everyone hoped to help their friends to get ahead.
Anakin sat there, knowing his chances of clearing things up were getting slimmer. He got up and asked: " Want anyone something, I go to the bar, I need a drink."
"But please don't let it end like that night three years ago, when she gave you that slap." he feared Anakin would get drunk.
"To cancel the meeting now is a lot worse than a slap, Ben." Anakin saw his friend with eyes full of tears.
The evening ended on a bit tipsy, but luckily there are taxis in New York...lot of taxis and you don't have to wait long for one to stop to take you home.
On Sunday afternoon Anakin, Ben and Satine flew to Boston.
Padmé fetched Dormé and Sabé to take them to New Heaven. In Padmé's manner, Dormé said: "We've exactly eighty-one miles to New Haven, we won't waste a single one of them discussing about Anakin Skywalker. The promises are not kept anyway, there is no point."
"WOW, you're really mad on me."
"Mad…. isn't even a word for it to describe, Padmé."
.
.
Best regards from Germany and thank you for reading