Laurel 2011
Anakin parked in the garage and helped Padmé get out, even that was difficult for her with her big belly. He offered her the crook of his elbow, she gratefully accepted it, and they went into the house through the adjoining rooms.
"Would you like something to drink, are you hungry?
"A tea please."
"Sit down, I'll bring it to you soon."
"I'm going to the bedroom, I need to lie down. Will you bring me the tea upstairs, please?"
"Sure, coming soon."
Anakin hurried with the tea, he wanted to get to her as quickly as possible, he sensed something bad must have happened. Since it was almost evening, he didn't make her favorite tea Earl Grey, but fruit tea. He put the cup and a few cookies on a tray, went upstairs and sat on the bed next to her. He caressed her face and waited for what she had to tell him.
"I've been thinking about what can I tell you. Of course, I know what I can tell, what I'm allowed to tell, there are things relevant to state security and what I saw is not for the public, but I can't keep my silence, not to you. Swear by God and everything you keep for sacred, that you will keep it to yourself."
"Yes, Padmé, I swear on your life and the lives of my children."
"OK. I found Senator Kerry in the President's Situation Room in White House. So, to speak, the most important people of USA were present. I was asked by the senator to come in and stay...I had to. The green images from several night vision cameras flickered on the large screen. It was the countdown to the pursuit and execution of Osama bin Laden, Operation Neptune Spear, they said. Anakin, I saw people getting shot...live...it was horrible, I didn't want to see that, I never thought...I'd get into something like that."
She started to cry, Anakin took her head and pressed it against his chest.
"Let it out, Angel, let it out. I'm here, I hold you."
He knew that these strong emotional movements were not good for the babies, but at least it was good that she was not at the beginning of the pregnancy because such stress can cause a miscarriage. Unfortunately, he couldn't give her sedatives or sleeping pills, it wouldn't be good for the babies. They had to get through it, together, because he wanted always to be by her side, in every situation, whatever happens.
She cried for a while.
"Anakin, that woman...she was there too, she...she..."
"Who?"
"You know who, Ani, she giggled when Bin Laden was shot. I mean, he may have deserved to die for his actions, but laughing when someone gets shot...that's beneath all humanity. Anakin, there were people in the room who decide the fate of the most powerful country and...and if I see them enforcing something that contradicts my view of justice, then...then I can't support that with my work. They invaded a foreign country, executed people, I'm interested...if Amnesty International has anything to say about it. I thought about your mother too. We've had to go through all this political crap before...Anakin?
"Yes Angel? Tell me."
"…I'll get out of there."
He looked at her very surprised, but he quickly caught himself.
"As first, easy down, think about it carefully and if after a week or two you are still firmly convinced that you want to end it, then I will support you in every decision you make. The first thing you need now is to calm down and sleep, but without pills. I will stay with you and tomorrow I will take the day off, I will ask a colleague to take my shift."
Anakin lifted his legs onto the bed and leaned against the headboard, then pulled her close so she could rest her head in the crook of his neck. He put one hand on her hip and with the other, he stroked her hair. They stayed like that in bed for a long time, Anakin thought she had fallen asleep, but she raised her head and looked at him. "Ani, I'm hungry."
"I'll make us a little something. What do you think of…. French toast?
"Good idea, I'll come with you, and we'll do it together."
"You don't have to, I'll do it myself, get some rest."
"No, I don't want to stay alone up here, I want to be with you, Ani."
"As my Lady wishes."
"Hmm, who actually has the final say in a lord's house, My Lady or My Lord...I mean in England?"
"Always the man."
"Oh!"
"But we're not in England, so it doesn't apply. This is where My Lady decides, especially when she is pregnant."
"Luckily, otherwise I would have had to stay in bed."
Padmé stood up, and he helped her down the stairs. They made French toast together, a lot of it, she said you could eat it cold too. Anakin made it for himself with salmon slices, Padmé preferred the sweet version with fresh berries, sugar and whipped cream. They sat down on the sofa, Padmé took a few pillows, leaned against them and squeezed her feet between Anakin's back and the back of the couch.
"Tomorrow we will be looking for furniture for baby room on the internet, so you have to stay busy and think as little about this... crap as possible. OK.?"
"Yes, you're right, too much stress isn't good for the babies."
"Do you already have ideas for the baby room?"
"No specific one, but I know what furniture we need, and I have imagined a suitable color for both; white and yellow with some accents in pink and blue. The furniture should be white."
"I would say these are very concrete ideas, we can start buying because….."
"Because ?"
"Because twins are often born earlier."
"How much earlier?"
"Normal pregnancy lasts forty weeks, twin pregnancy thirty-seven weeks in fifty percent of cases. In twelve percent of cases, only thirty-two weeks…but let's not hope for that."
"Is there a risk?"
"There is always risk with twin pregnancies."
"And why don't you tell me about it?"
"Padmé, everything is going normally in your pregnancy, there is no reason to burden you with unwanted possibilities. It's enough for me as a doctor to know this, but I don't want to have it in my head all the time either. I'm watching and monitoring you, there's nothing to worry about and if the twins are born early, we'll manage, together. I am here for you as your husband and as a doctor."
"Thank you, Ani. It feels so good when you are near me, I feel safe. I need you...just sometimes I feel like I'm suffocating you."
"I don't feel smothered, it feels good to be needed. I'll stay with you and I can imagine how you feel."
"You can probably imagine how I feel physical, but this experience, this emotional shock...it's something like... disappointment...these are not my principles, my understanding of democracy. We have been treated badly, but we cannot take revenge and retaliate in kind. It's not that I don't know what America is doing and why there are always terrorist attacks...but that...well, no. Ani, I know I won't go back there."
"I will support you by all of your decisions, Padmé. I know how the world works and, as you know, I have experienced it first-hand. We will now focus on ourselves and the babies that are coming soon. They will be light in our lives, there have been enough heartaches and disappointments, OK. ?"
"Yes."
That evening they were watching CBS News, they knew that President Obama was going to give a speech. He told the nation that Osama bin Laden had been killed, but he said nothing about the incident itself. Padmé didn't need any explanation or details, she saw everything, he didn't say anything that she didn't expect. That was the first statement. The military will comment in details…. which sound good.
The next day, as promised, Anakin was home and helped her with everything she had planned to do. Then there was a call from the British Consulate, the marriage certificate had been verified, and they were supposed to pick up the document. He left Padmé alone and went to the British Consulate in Washington D.C. There he received the verified marriage certificate where his wife was already registered with the title. He then drove to Tiffany's and bought a pendant for Padmé's charm bracelet; it was already the beginning of May. This time he chose a pacifier.
At home, Padmé was browsing the internet, her iPhone rang, it was Sabé.
*Hi Missy, how are you, you've probably heard that Bin Laden is dead.*
*I didn't just hear it, I saw him get killed...live Sabé.*
*What? How, tell me.*
*No, not on the phone. Come to me on Tuesday after work.*
*Uh, how did you see it, were you in the White House...with President Obama in the Oval Office?*
*Exactly…well, not exactly, it was in …. you have to come to me, it's confidential.*
*And how are you, I mean now…after that…?*
*Shitty.*
*OK. Missy, I'll come the day after tomorrow. See you then and try to stay calm, think about the babies.*
*See you then. Bye.*
Padmé continued to look for furniture that she had imagined for the children's room. She chose a cradle for twins that could be separated in the middle. This will be difficult at first, they will sleep in their parents' bedroom. Anakin, of course, knew what it meant to have a baby, yes in theory, but he will now experience first-hand what it means to get little sleep.
"Hi, this is me, My Lady. We can file the marriage certificate now, it's official, you're Lady Skywalker… and I've brought something else for you."
"What? Let me see."
He took the Tiffany box, opened it and showed her the pendant.
"It's so sweet, thank you, Ani. What's next?"
"This was supposed to be a surprise. Have you picked out the furniture yet?"
"I'll show you some things, hopefully you like it."
"Certainly, you have good taste."
They looked together at what Padmé had chosen and Anakin liked everything in white, it was so baby like. That was just an idea for Padmé; they wanted to choose things together in a furniture store. They planned to go to Washington D.C. to drive to Pottery Barn Kids. You could also order directly, but Padmé wanted to see and touch it, it was English furniture. Anakin was pleased with it, he said it was good quality.
Padmé should put together a list of what is needed, there is not only nursery furniture, but also blankets and bed linen.
She wanted to order baby clothes online from Jacadi Paris, Rachel Riley in London and Nickis Germany, as well as a few little things from Nordstrom in Washington D.C.
"You're quite demanding, My Lady."
"I always had to wear Sola's clothes, not because there was no money, but out of principle. It wasn't until Sola was a teenager who was taller than me and her clothes didn't fit that I got new clothes to wear. My children should have it better."
"OK. , then we should do as much as possible this afternoon, but at least see the furniture."
"Somehow we still have to go to buybuy BABY because of the stroller and baby car seat."
"Padmé, do you know what else we need...a really big, important thing?"
"No. What?"
"A new car, a family car."
"Oh yes…and then who will give up the car, you or me?"
"My Lady…perhaps?"
"I saw that coming."
"It's logical, Angel, you'll be out with the kids for now."
"Just don't give away your beloved Porsche."
"It's not like that."
"OK. "If that's not the case, then I'll get a Porsche Cayenne SUV, we'll keep my Audi, which we can use with children if necessary, and you'll sell your Porsche."
"I should drive an Audi?"
"Yes, great car, solid German work…you like Germany, right? Besides, your Porsche is also a German product."
"But that's not the same...Porsche is...the epitome of...of...sports car, we don't sell that, you can buy a larger SUV instead...for example Toyota Highlander..."
"Excuse me ?! Toyota? Is My Lord starting to save on me?"
"That was a joke, you're so cute when you're angry. If you weren't pregnant, I would hold you close and kiss you until you started squealing."
"You change the subject, now what about the car?"
"I'll keep my Porsche...for now, and you'll get a new car, whatever you want."
"Porsche Cayenne…like with 300kW…maybe."
"Padmé, do you want to kill yourself and the children too?"
"My A5 has 245kW and already has power under the hood."
"In a Porsche, you press the accelerator, and you quickly reach two hundred…."
"Lord Skywalker, I know how to drive a car!"
"I'm sorry, Angel, I'm just afraid something will happen to you and the kids. You have no idea how much I want these children, how excited I am for them."
"I know, I'm happy too, Ani, and I'm not tired of life."
He hugged her from behind, kissed her hair and her neck.
"It feels so good, Ani, but we still have to go to Washington D.C. to see furniture."
So, they set off.
Best regards from Germany