Baltimore 2011

His firstborn…
Anakin stopped breathing, his throat tightened, he didn't know whether to leave Padmé's hand or not, but then he heard himself sobbing...and Padmé too. The midwife took the baby and brought it to the table, where it was to be examined, weighed, cleaned and changed. He was small, his sister will be too, Anakin thought. They were born two and three weeks earlier, but he wasn't a case for the incubator. Luke weighed 2.4kg.

Padmé was instructed to push again. The midwife came to Anakin and placed his son in his arms. He was still standing next to Padmé. She looked up at him, he was crying, this time overwhelmed by happiness. He knew what babies smell like, but that was his baby, it wasn't the same, it was indescribable. He thought he was holding his son to his chest for just a few seconds when he heard another scream.

"So, the princess is here, congratulations."

Anakin and Padmé watched as their daughter was cared for. Her weight was also good, only 100g less than that of her brother.

"You have to push now Mrs. Skywalker, the placenta has to come out." Padmé did as she was told, and after a few seconds, it was out too.

"Now we have to sew up the cut. "You will get an injection, but it will hurt a little."

"Can I hold my son?"

"No, not yet. He is safe in his father's arms...as is his daughter. Look, he can hold them both."

Anakin held both babies, crying and smiling at the same time. While Padmé was still lying on the table, enduring the pain of stitching up the wound, Anakin came to her side and whispered, "Thank you, Padmé, for these two little angels."

"And I thank you. Without you, they wouldn't be here now."

"Our love, our children."

After she was stitched and cared for, she was wheeled into her room. The babies were put in their cribs and placed next to her bed. Anakin came along and couldn't take his eyes off his children. Padmé was very exhausted and looked like she was about to fall asleep.

"Rest, I'm here checking on our two angels."

She closed her eyes and fell asleep. Anakin sat there and was just happy. Everything went without complications, didn't take that long, and he is a father, a father of twins. Yes, now it won't be as easy as with two, having a baby is tiring...but two. Still, he was happy and couldn't wait to bring them all home.

It was the middle of the night when Padmé woke up. Anakin sat in the chair with his head bent forward, almost asleep.

"Angel, you're awake again?"

"Yes, the babies are definitely hungry. Give me Luke please."

"It is well known that mothers prefer sons."

"Blonde hair and eyes blue as the sky, as beautiful as his father, my little angel...but I love my daughter just the same."

"Look at her, Padmé, she looks just like you, she is beautiful. Fifteen years from now, I'll have trouble keeping the boys away from the door. Our babies, they are perfect, angels."

Padmé suckled Luke first, he seemed hungry, and then Leia. This should now happen every three hours. She knew she wouldn't be able to sleep much.

On Saturday morning, they called their families and informed them that Luke and Leia were born and Padmé would be in the hospital for a week. Her parents wanted to visit her when she got home.

As long as Padmé was in the clinic, she was given a shift, she pumped the milk and the nurse on the night shift did that. For that one week, Anakin slept in the clinic and gave his babies their bottles in the evening and morning.

At home, the rhythm changed, but they found one that was bearable for both of them. Anakin wanted to take a part of her, wanted to help, they were also his children and he wanted to strengthen the bond between them. He didn't want to be a father who went out in the morning while they were still asleep and briefly saw the children in the evening before they went to sleep. He wanted to be a part of her life, a big part, right from the start. Padmé wasn't working now, had time to care for her babies, but she was grateful to Anakin.

Padmé's parents said they wouldn't be coming until a week later, and it was better that way.

A midwife came every day to look after Padmé, to accompany her through the postpartum period, to support and advise her. Anakin took care of her wound, which needed to heal, which could take up to two weeks. It had to be properly cleaned and disinfected. He always joked:

"Lady Skywalker, this is your doctor, spread your legs."

"I only do this for my husband."

He playfully grabbed her thighs, spread her legs and wanted to kiss her.

"Ani no, ugh, I'm still bleeding."

"Angel, that doesn't scare me, I see it every day."

"Yes, gender of other women. Should I be jealous?"

"For me, this has no relation to sex, I see it as a body part of other women that needs to be treated and healed."

"So then you see a part of me that needs to be healed."

"It's different with you. You are my wife, and when I examine you, I can't be completely professional because I see you differently and wish I could…but I can't."

"For how much longer?"

"As long as you're bleeding, no way. After that, if you feel like it, but your wound will remain sensitive for some time even after it has healed."

"No sex for months?"

"When you're ready, Angel."

The first week at home passed in a sort of daze. She had to look after the babies during the day and couldn't do much around the house. Anakin agreed with Mrs. Summers to come three times a week and to do some other household chores, such as washing, ironing and cleaning twice a week. Anakin cooked when he got home when he wasn't working out at the gym. One day, he drove to Washington D.C. went to Tiffany and bought a zodiac sign of Gemini.

His twins were Astrological sign Gemini. He immediately thought about the descriptions of the characters of the twelve sections, which were called signs of the zodiac, about astrology in general, how it came into being in the seventh century BC and whether one could believe any of this. No, he thought. He was convinced, even without evidence, that the cosmos has a certain influence on every living being, no matter which corner of the universe it is in or which species it belongs to. If astrologers were to be believed, there would only be twelve-character traits, one corresponding to each zodiac sign. Twins have weaknesses like being distant, superficial, and prone to stress...no, they will have inherited their parents' genes and we don't have these traits, he thought. Strengths would be; friendly, open, sociable…OK. , that's not that exaggerated either. quirks; They can't keep secrets, prefer to make acquaintances rather than friendships, and are always on the lookout for gossip. Oh, where did I read that? Complete nonsense. They will have inherited the best qualities of their parents; intelligent with assertiveness, fair, friendly…yes, exactly the same but they will definitely not be the same. He will watch her.

Zodiac signs, believe it or not, and even if you wear it as a pendant, it is not a confession of faith, but rather a small indication of when you were born.

With all these strange thoughts, he went home to his children and his wife, whom he wanted to put this pendant on her charm bracelet.

"Hi Angel, here I am, a little late but…."

"I think I know where you were. We missed you, Daddy."

Kiss once, twice, three times. "Why Daddy, why not dad?"

"Well, we're two girls and one boy here, and that's why you're Daddy."

"I have something for you, Mom."

"Show me."

Anakin showed her the box with the pendant.

"Oh, how beautiful and fitting. Twins for twins. Thanks, Ani, but this is the last pendant. It's nine instead of ten, but I'm glad our babies are here...by the way, my parents are coming over the weekend, just for two days, they have important appointments on Monday. Sabé also wants to come, but not on the weekend."

"Good. Ben would like to see the babies too. Shall we arrange for them to meet here?" he laughed.

"It wouldn't be fair, Ani, since we know they're no longer together. Are you hungry?"

"Always. What is there?"

"Roast veal with vegetables and rice pilaf. For dessert, vanilla ice cream with chocolate sauce."

"That sounds good, but I'm going to see my kids first."

"They sleep."

"I won't wake her."

Anakin went upstairs and stood at the nursery door. It smelled typically like a baby, this scent flooded his nostrils, and he felt high. His children. There were moments when he didn't yet understand that he was the father of these children, but they were only moments. It was probably because he was almost thirty when he found the woman for his life, fell in love so quickly, and had children on the way. There was no time to enjoy this togetherness with Padmé. He somehow didn't have enough time to adapt. But they were just moments. The most important thing was his wife, whom he loved. Having children right away, two even… is difficult but beautiful.

He walked towards the crib, and as if the babies sensed their father was there, they opened their eyes and looked at him, both of them. He didn't know who to turn to first. Leia stared at him with her dark eyes and it looked like she was going to cry. He picked her up and held her to his chest. So small and already so similar to her mother. He kissed his daughter's head.

"You are my little princess and just as beautiful as your mother. I love you my little Angel….endlessly….my little Angel, my sunshine."

Without noticing Padmé standing at the door, he continued to rock his daughter and start singing to her.

Lulla-lulla-lullaby
Hush, little baby don't you
Hush, little baby don't say a word
Dad's gonna buy you a mockingbird
And if that mockingbird don't sing
Dad's gonna buy you a diamond ring…..

"Ani, you shouldn't wake her."

He turned around quickly.

"You scared me...but I didn't wake them, they were both awake."

"And you decide to take your daughter out of the crib, huh?"

"I always see you with your son in your arms, it has to be balanced somehow, but I love my son just the same."

"When I look into Luke's blue eyes, I see you, Ani, he's beautiful, just like you."

"You are beautiful, my Angel, and our daughter too."

"Let the kids sleep, we should eat what I cooked now."

They sat at the counter in the kitchen, Padmé had already prepared everything. "My parents will be there tomorrow at ten. I asked Mrs. Summers to come tomorrow to help me with lunch and dinner."

"Good idea. Then we'll both have more time for your parents."

"She already cleaned today and bought everything for tomorrow and the day after. Sometimes I feel superfluous, but on the other hand, without her, I wouldn't be able to handle all of this."

"You're busy with the babies 24/7, you need help."

After eating, she pumped the milk and put it in the fridge, so Anakin could take the midnight shift. Yes, they didn't sleep much, but they were still looking forward to their parents' visit.

Best regards from Germany