Anakin jumped out of bed like he was doused with ice water and ran to the bathroom. "What happened. What happened?" Angel? Oh...I see. Well, here we go. Get in the shower, rinse it off. I'll wipe the mess, get you some clothes and then we'll go."
"My bag is in the closet. Bring me the underwear and the green dress." In the shower she felt her first contractions. She was afraid of not getting to the hospital in time because the contractions were coming at short intervals.
But within half an hour they were on their way to Massachusetts General Hospital in a taxi.
Anakin walked her through the recording and prepared himself, he wanted to be there for the birth of his children. He knew what was coming. Padmé may be in pain for hours and he can't help. He could only hold her hand, which isn't really any help, but that's exactly what she asked him to do and he promised.
It was six hours before Padmé was told to push.
"Aniiiii….I'm falling apart, I can't take it….aaauuuu…"
It was also a while before you could see a baby's head... and then there was a scream.
"It's a boy." The doctor said and Padmé was glad to be halfway there.
Holding Padmé's hand, Anakin was crying. "Just a little more pushing, Angel, and then Leia will be here."
After ten minutes it was time, Leia saw the world with a loud scream.
"My girl, as resolute as her mother."
The babies were examined, weighed and cared for. Wrapped in white blankets, they were placed in their parents' arms. Anakin also put Luke in Padmé's arms, she smiled and Anakin took a photo for the family album.
"They are perfect, aren't they, Ani? Thank you for giving me these two angels."
"Thank you for giving me the family."
Luke and Leia were their angels, they were real family now.
After a few days Padmé came home. It was exhausting, they had little sleep, although Anakin took on a night feeding so Padmé could sleep at least six hours, she knew he had work to do and continued to work on his dissertation so she did all that could alone but mainly was she busy with the babies….day and night.
She often had to send the photos to her parents and friends, they called almost every day.
They spent Thanksgiving at home alone, couldn't go out with babies...nor did they cook great, so they ordered dinner from Atlantic Fish Company. Padmé promised to cook next year, as did his mother.
As the weeks went by, Anakin finished the dissertation and he gave it to the printer. They were also alone at Christmas, not quite, their children were there, always more magical, always more demanding. They didn't just want to lie in their beds anymore, attention and contact was what they wanted and needed. Padmé had a lot more work to do with the babies, so she let Anakin carry them around the apartment, and singing until they fell asleep, take them for walks in the Public Garden, nestled warmly.
In mid-January, Anakin submitted his dissertation to the university's examination board and waited to see what would come next. He soon got the message that the reviewer and his supervisor had the dissertation. Now he just had to be patient...a few months?
In March, the twins were four months old and were no longer on mother's milk, Padmé had no more. Switching to the bottle caused a stomach ache, but that passed quickly. What was most important was that they slept through the night now. Padme and Anakin had more time for their love life, it was back to normal.
Padmé suffered due to changes in her body, she had gained weight from pregnancy and had stretch marks and feared she was no longer attractive to Anakin. She thought such a handsome man deserved a beautiful woman and she wasn't anymore.
"Padmé, I love you, I've always loved you and certainly not because you're beautiful, that's just a bonus. What make you lovable are your qualities, your character. Your body has changed, true, but it hasn't become any less beautiful. You carried our babies, you are the mother of my children and that raises you above any other woman in the world, for me there is only you."
"You said that sweet, Ani...but what if I stay like this?"
"Even then, I love you just as much as I used to, but knowing you, you'll do anything to lose weight and get your figure back to how it used to be. A little more gym and that's it."
"Yes, you know me, my doubts, my weaknesses, my strengths."
Anakin prepared for his dissertation defense. He got the appointment May 23, 2022. Until then, there is still time to prepare well.
For his thirtieth birthday his parents and stepbrother came with his wife. Shmi and Beru helped Padme prepare the food. It was a beautiful being together with Luke and Leia taking center stage. The children's room was too small for all the presents they got.
"The next generation of Skywalkers. I'm so happy Ani...for you, for you two."
"Yes Mom, with the right woman there is also the next generation of Skywalkers."
The guests stayed for three days. Anakin was happy to have his family around, his parents actually, because he had family of his own now, Padme and the kids. He was beloved and loving husband and father, his children meant everything to him, they were still very small but they had already wrapped him around their little fingers... what will happen later?
The big day came, for which Anakin had prepared long and very well. On that day he would complete his education, which had lasted twenty-five years. Dr. Anakin Skywalker.
Dissertation defense is not a public event, Padmé knew, although she wished she could attend. She was invited by Prof. Preston to attend the champagne reception that followed. Of course, there was not only champagne, a little something to eat, there was also something like finger food. Padmé had felt so good to be there as his wife, to be the first to hug him, to tell him how proud she is, to hear all the praise for his achievement. The defense was scheduled for a doctoral thesis and got him Suma cum laude, it was extensive, and Anakin was brilliantly prepared. The ceremony and Dr. title was also something special for the families and friends. His parents gave him Mont Blanc fountain pen set in gold with engraving, and Padmé's family gave him a leather folder for the first printed copy of his dissertation. It was made of calfskin with an embedded Dr. Anakin Skywalker in gold.
Now it was time to find a good job. He was eagerly looking, applied to Boeing and NASA. It could be Cleveland, Pasadena, Mississippi, Huntsville in Alabama, New Orleans in Luisiana? He didn't know that yet.
For Padmé's thirtieth birthday came her whole family. They were all excited about the twins and they got a lot of gifts from them too. The most valuable gift was that of her grandfather Ruwee. He presented a check for two million dollars for children's education. Padmé and Anakin didn't need the money, but they saw good intentions in it.
The big celebration took place at Chart House on the afternoon of June 9th and the twins were there too.
Padmé and Anakin's apartment was filled with flowers ordered online by their friends and delivered on the day of her birthday. She later talked to her friends for a long time. Dormé was about to give birth to her first child. There was nothing new with Rex and Sabé, Rex was still in Miami and Sabé flew there almost every weekend. With the Kenobis, well, they were divorced now. Satine lived with her daughter in Washington D.C. and Ben stayed in New York, devoting himself entirely to his job and…Whiskeys on the rocks.
In late June, Anakin got the job at the John Space Center in Mississippi.
It was time to move. Deadline August 1, 2022. They hired a moving company, not only for the furniture, they could also pack everything and take it away. With two babies it wasn't easy being in a hotel and waiting, so they decided that Padmé would go to New York to stay with her parents for three weeks and Anakin would go to New Orleans to look for a house.
Padmé was very curious how this time will be and has decided to go to Sola with the twins, if there is even the slightest tension.
Anakin had to hurry, the time was short. He found a nice house in a good area, 4619 Owens Blvd. The movers did all the work, they were worth the money.
Padmé was surprised at how her parents accepted her. They even took a week off just to be with her and the kids. Her father hadn't even said anything against Anakin, but questioned when she would return to work. Sola was also happy to see Padmé often, now she will be very far away for an uncertain amount of time.
The children were very spoiled, always in the arms of grandmother, grandfather or aunt Sola. So Padmé had time to meet Sabé a few times.
"So girlfriend, what's so difficult about you and Rex?"
"Everything's fine...except he's not proposing...and it is shit..."
"What's shit?" She gets no answer, asking again "Tell me."
"I'm pregnant."
"That's not shit, that's awesome...uh, does he know that?"
"No."
"That is a shit." Long pause.. "Who doesn't know either and who knows?"
"Nobody knows...uh, except you and Dormé...and Satine."
"Sabé, you have to tell him. How did that happen, I mean you've been on pills all along, haven't you?"
"Yes, until I forgot..."
"How far are you?"
"Uh...two months..."
"Two months and you didn't tell him? Please do that today."
"Not today, when I'm back in Miami."
"Promised?"
"Promised."
After this confession, the friends started talking about Satine, Dormé, old clique in general, life in Miami, Anakin, twins, moving to New Orleans etc.
That evening Padmé spoke to Anakin.
*Hey, Dreamboy...*
*WOW, a new title? I think I feel tension in my jeans.*
*You only think about sex, huh?*
*I miss you.*
*And I miss you…uh, how far along are you with the search?*
*You don't want to talk about sex?*
*Anakin !*
*OK. , OK. , I found a house. It's big enough for us and in a good area, I'm sure you'll like it, I'll let the moving company come.*
*Excellent. I was out today...*
*With whom !?* she could hear jealousy.
*Cool down, with Sabé...and imagine she's pregnant.*
*WOW, my friend must be happy.*
*He does not know.*
*Uh, why?*
*She hasn't told him yet, even though she's three months.*
*Having problems?*
*I don't think so, but what I heard during our conversation, she's waiting for him to propose.*
*Hm? They've been together for... a year and a half now. Maybe there's something wrong and I need to find out somehow, not that it's any of my business.*
*I bet you are going to call him.*
*Bingo.*
*Good pretty boy, see you tomorrow.*
*You really want me to jerk off...*
*Anakin !*
*Uh ! Kiss our little angels good night. See you tomorrow then, love you.*
*I love you even more, bye.*
*Impossible, bye.*
*You always have to have the last word, right?*
*Not true, bye my love.*
Padmé disconnected and shook her head.
.
Regards from Germany