Padmé felt not good, she was sitting at home and thought about everything she had done in the last seven years, how she had lived, what she had achieved, what she had lost. All in all, result was negative. The worst thing, was, her health was so unstable that she could get Corona again ...and before this disease finally took her away, she wanted to see Anakin one more time. Maybe the last time in her life? It was a decision she never thought she would make.

*Hi Ben, this is Padme. How are you, Satine and the little daughter?*

*Hey Padmé, thanks, well...uh bad times for all of us.*

*Yes, unfortunately. Ben, can you give me Anakin's address?*

*You want to visit him...now?*

*Yes, before I die of Corona I want to see him again.*

*Would you like to see him even if it wasn't Corona... oh fuck of, here 122 Beacon St Apt 7 , Boston , MA 02116 , mobile 0171 11669283 . When do you want to visit him?*

*I don't know exactly, soon, I think. Thanks Ben, greetings to Satine and kisses for Serena.*

Padmé packed a suitcase with clothes for a few days, booked a room at the Boston Sheraton, and prepared to drive 480 miles to Boston with her Audi Q5. She left the keys of her small rented apartment with Dormé in case something…better not. Dormé wished her a safe journey and stressed that she should have done that long ago.

She was a little excited, happy to be back in Boston and kind of nervous about meeting Anakin. She hadn't seen him in over seven years. How does he look now, she thought, he's a man in his prime, he's no longer a professional, maybe he's put on weight, let himself go...? No, definitely not, Anakin has always been a bit vain, but whatever, Anakin is Anakin, no matter how he looks like. She never asked her friends about him, but they still talked about, just never about his looks... maybe because he doesn't look good anymore? Why was she concerned about his looks, she didn't want to marry him. What an absurd thought? Really? What did she say to her parents?... …and you know what? I'll find Anakin now, take him by the hand, drag him to Las Vegas and marry him. Well, it won't be that theatrical after all.

The 480 miles will take at least eight hours or more, so the start was planned for 7:00am. It was the end of October, Indian Summer had already unfolded its full splendor. The landscape from New Heaven and Hartford burned vibrant gold, orange and red. It was almost unreal, but Padmé knew the mesmerizing time of year in New England and let the color roll by and savor it without having to stop.

Around 5:00pm she reached the hotel and checked in. She immediately showered, got dressed and stayed at the hotel for dinner. Since she was tired, she went straight to bed. The next morning, it was Sunday, after breakfast she wanted to go to Anakin. The hotel was only a mile from his apartment so she decided to walk. It was cloudy, 58°F , comfortable.

As she ran the mile, she thought about what to tell him, how she was, how she is now, why she wanted to see him... now, after seven years…

Lost in her thought, she didn't even notice that she was running on autopilot and was already standing in front of the house where he lived. She rang the bell, the door opened. He must have seen her on the small monitor of the interphone, she was sure that he was expecting her, Ben must have told him.

And then she stood in front of the door of Apartment No.7. She smoothed down her Burberry trench coat, took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, then rang the bell. After a few long seconds the door opened and here he was, Anakin Skywalker. She had recognized him, of course, but he has changed, wasn't the youthful twenty-year-old boy who was still growing into his skin, he might have put on an inch, his body fully developed. He was a man. His dark blonde hair was cut relatively short, showing every chiseled line of his face clearly. Everything was there like before, only more beautiful and mature... only his eyes were somehow... sad. And there were….those butterflies in his stomach, like back then, like every time she looked at him.

"Hello Anakin."

"Hello Padme."

He stood there for two, three seconds and then he remembered to invite her in.

"Uh...come in."

"You seem surprised, didn't Ben tell you I was coming?"

"He has, just not when and to be honest, I didn't believe you would realy come. Can I take your coat?"

He helped her take off her coat, Miss Dior scent reaching his nose and a split of second later his brain...it was so familiar, so welcome. She was beautiful as always, a little skinny, he thought, always perfectly dressed and styled. He smiled at her.

"Thank you."

"Come on, let's sit down in the living area."

Anakin led the way, Padmé followed, looking around.

"You have beautiful apartment."

"Yes, it is really nice and the location is perfect. Have a seat, would you like to drink something?"

"Coffee, uh, espresso, if it doesn't bother you."

"Coming."

He went into the kitchen, took an espresso cup from the cupboard and filled it to full.

"Thanks, smells good."

Anakin sat down beside her, but not too close, watching her and then, after a moment of hesitation, he asked:

"Well Padmé, why are you here? Do you want to clear this up…after seven years, just talk about it, or is it something else entirely?"

"A little bit of everything though...actually...I wanted to see you one more time before I die."

"What? You're not ill, are you?!"

"No, not terminally ill, but I had COVID-19, hard course, was in intensive care unit for three weeks and when you lie there, semi-conscious, you have a lot of things going through your head and... I had a confrontation with my parents... ." The tears slowly ran down her cheeks... "and apart from what the truth is, that everyone saw, or just what I saw, I had to see you..."

Anakin reacted quickly, slid close to her and took her in his arms. The feeling was indescribable.

"Shhhh, don't cry I'm here, I'm here Padme."

"Thank you." She sobbed into his chest.

Padmé heard someone coming from the next room and a heavily pregnant girl walked in, she could have been eighteen-nineteen. Padmé jumped up in shock.

"I'm sorry…. I didn't know that you had a wife, that you were going to be a father..."

"It's not what it looks like."

"It's not what it looks like...is the most hackneyed phrase of the past thousand years."

She smiled and wiped her tears away...and then, another young woman came into the room...

"Hi, you must be that famous lawyer from New York, we can see you on TV news so often, Padmé Naberrie, right?"

"Yes." she said and continued wiping her tears.

"Padmé, this is Ahsoka Tano, she is involved in a foundation called Orden, just like me. Sofie was picked up by Ashoka yesterday, she wanted to jump from the bridge into the Charles River. She will be taken to the women's shelter now and then to the doctor."

"Hello you two, come on Sofie, sit down here next to me, I'll tell you a story now."

And then Padmé told her the whole story about her and Anakin, how it began and how it ended, but who was the young man, she left out. Ashoka had a hunch who that might be, she gave Anakin a knowing glance every now and then.

Little bit later the girls said goodbye and left.

"I'd be happy if it helped. It was hard to talk about, I was in therapy for so long and I sometimes wondered if it helped at all."

"I've been in therapy too, Padmé and still am, and I'm sure it didn't help. Tell me why did you get into such a confrontation with your parents, that you had to leave the firm to go to Washington D.C. . You always had a good relationship?"

"Oh, you know it. Ben told you huh? They wanted me to marry..."

"Who?" Anakin stiffened.

"Anyone, no matter, just get married...I was supposed to be running out of time. I was so angry I said I'll go to find Anakin, take him by the hand, drag him to Las Vegas and marry him." She shook her head and smiled.

"I wish you were serious...but seriously, why didn't you get married...I mean..."

"Anakin, you can't marry just.. someone... and why didn't you get married?"

"You can't marry just someone." He smiled at her.

"We agree."

"When did we disagree?"

"Seven years back?"

"That's not true. We were kept away from each other, couldn't clear the problem. Your father wouldn't let me see you, he said if he sees me again, I wouldn't survive."

"His protective instincts were always strong and now I'm starting believe he was protecting me from my own happiness."

"Do you mean I was your happiness? Let's be honest with each other Padmé, we have nothing left to lose, we're not together anymore."

"Loving you, yes...I've never been happier in my life than I was with you."

"And now...are you not happy?"

"I'm very far from it, I am only in funktion… well, after COVID-19, not even that. The long-term effects of the disease are making my life difficult and I don't know when I'll be back to how I used to be. I haven't worked for half a year..."

"Oh Padme ! You're at odds with your parents...and how are you doing financially? Do you need help?"

"Thanks Anakin, sweet of you, but I'm fine. I made good money in my father's law firm, invested good and am in seven figures."

"Good. What do you think if I order lunch for us? Even good restaurants here have delivery service now."

"I don't want to stop you if you're up to something, I saw you, I might as well go..."

"Please stay a little bit longer...I'll order something to eat, OK. ? What do you say to lobster with everything included from The Oceanaire Sea Food Room?"

"Good restaurant, I was there once..."

"In February 2016….."

"How do you know that?"

"I saw you there...with a dark haired young man...he was holding his hand on your back and I felt like ...wanted to cut it off."

"Oh! Well ,you persuaded me. Lobsters."

Anakin called at restaurant, ordered appetizers, main course and dessert and was assured that the meal would be delivered in an hour and a half.

"Can I help you to set the table?"

"If you want, sure."

They wanted to eat at the kitchen counter. She set two place settings and Anakin marveled at how easily she moved around the kitchen, finding the items she needed quickly. She would make a good wife, but he knew that seven years ago.

The delivered food was delicious, especially the lobster. Anakin dunked the lobster meat in garlic butter and popped the piece into her mouth.

"You need to eat more Padmé, you are skinny. Stay here and I'll make you gain weight...I mean you took a leave of absence and I...well because of COVID-19 I'm limited in my ability to work on my dissertation, I have time."

"Interesting suggestion." She smiled "...I need to inquire if I can book the room for longer."

"I thought…. uh, stay with me."

"With you? Anakin, there are seven years between to be together."

"No, I didn't mean that, I would sleep on the couch. We can begin with the...tender bond of friendship."

"There's nothing keeping me in Washington D.C. right now. and a little change might be good to me...but here...I must think about that."

"Don't worry, I won't do anything you don't want."

"Somehow the sentences from eight years ago are repeated."

"Has any of that not been complied with?"

"Everything was respected to a point where everything was lost."

At that moment the doorbell rang. The postman was at the door.

"You have a mail that you must sign for receipt."

Anakin signed.

"Thanks." He took alook at the envelope. " A letter from an lawyer in Las Vegas. Hm?"

.

Best regards from Germany