Anakin lay in his bed, staring at the ceiling and wondering if what he did was right. Was it correct to reveal the feelings, to let her hope when there is no hope, but he had to do it, she should know. It looked like she had feelings for him too, why would she cry, definitely not because she didn't care about him.
Right or wrong, he has to clarify the situation, has to tell her why they can never be together. The thoughts of how to explain this to her were spinning in his head. He was tired, physically and emotionally. Tomorrow is a long and hard day, try to sleep, he told himself, and a little later he actually fell asleep.
Padmé was having breakfast with her parents, looking depressed, even her father noticed.
"What's wrong, Padmé, do you have problems?"
"I'll talk to you about that….later. Now let's have breakfast." Jobal answered instead of Padmé.
"Daddy, Mom, I'm going to Grand-Mère now, she's been alone for two days and I want to spend most of the time with her until I start work."
"Don't you come here anymore?"
"Yes, on a daily basis, to appease you, Daddy, when I've overused the credit card."
They all laughed, a joke was good for everyone.
"Don't be shy, Sola has shamelessly taken advantage of my generosity."
"Oh yeah, I still have to stop by Sola's to see the girls."
"You don't need to, she'll come over with the girls tomorrow morning."
"Excellent. Then I'll go straight away."
She went to her room, packed some clothes into a medium-sized bag and went to the terrace of the large penthouse apartment where her parents drank coffee to say goodbye. She kissed her mother and father.
"See you then, salut."
"Salut, mon cher." The father greeted her goodbye.
"We don't have to speak French here."
"Non Maman, but we can." She winked and left.
Twenty miles to Grand-Mère, theoretically half an hour, practically more like one and a half or two...so Santa Monica Fwy will be avoided, alternate routes, yes...she knew her way around.
In an hour, she was at Grand-Mère, who was happy to see her. She sat down with her on the terrace and drank a little coffee.
"Such a beautiful day, and Anakin has work to do."
"He has probably on his lunch break, go and surprise him."
"I'll do it."
She didn't tell her grandmother about last night...maybe at some point. Now she wanted to go to him.
Watto, that's what his boss said. Googling. She found Watto Automotive Repair. That has to be it, eleven miles, at least an hour. Pooh.
She put on her jeans, light blue t-shirt and pretty flats, took her jeans shoulder bag from LV and left.
It was 12:05 pm through the garage door, in the back yard, you could see a car with the hood open and someone leaning over the engine. Anakin. She stood there and waited until he turned around or noticed her somehow. After a few long seconds, he straightened up and hit his head against the edge of the hood.
"Shit !" he shouted and scratched his head. He turned to grab another wrench and saw her standing there. "Padmé!? What are you doing here?"
"I thought you had a lunch break, and I'm hungry for Big Mac."
A beautiful smile spread across his face. "That can be arranged." He called for Watto. "Mr Watto, can I have your Harley?"
The grumpy little man with a nose that looked more like an elephant's trunk than a nose replied in his unfriendly way, "Are you the kind of girl who doesn't want to be touched with hands with oil under her fingernails?"
"I never said that." Padmé defended herself.
"Okay, then go and clean your hands thoroughly and take the Harley, but don't get into an accident."
"Thank you." He left, washed his hands thoroughly with a special paste and came back with two helmets. "Here, it fits. MacDonalds isn't far, come hold on to me."
"Tighten, tight and never let go."
At the words and the feeling of her hands around his waist, contentment and calm flowed through him. It would be nice if it would always stay that way.
"We can also go to KFC, you can sit outside there too."
"I don't care where we sit, I just want to be with you."
He took off his helmet, took her hand and kissed it. "That sounds good."
They sat at MacDonalds, eating Big Macs and drinking Cokes, talking about their friends, student days, plans and even family. That's how she learned that his mother and stepfather worked as real estate agents and had a house in Yorba Linda. Now she realized his financial situation and suspected that he didn't think he was good enough for her because of it. The mother was right. She won't accept his reasons for giving up on her, she'll stick with it, show him that he's the only one important to her.
"What are you doing tomorrow, Anakin?"
"I sleep late, take a shower and then go somewhere nearby for a bite to eat… the only luxury I allow myself."
"I have an idea what we could do together."
"Uh…just not an expensive restaurant."
"Nothing like that."
"What then?"
"Surprise…or don't you like surprises?"
"I'm open… should this be a date then?"
"Exactly."
"And how should I dress, somehow special?"
"Jeans and a t-shirt."
"With the inscription The Love is…"
"If you have a definition for it…..do you?"
"For me, love is... owning someone with your heart and soul... and body, being loyal, always being there for that someone, respecting and accepting... and a few other things that I can't think of right now."
"…want to spend your whole life with that someone?"
"Yes...but now my break is over, Watto will kick me out."
"Oh, we don't want that, let's go."
Watto waited in front of the garage. "Was the break long enough?"
"Don't worry, Mr. Watto, I'll stay fifteen minutes longer."
"…or I can cover the loss…"
"That's ten dollars, miss."
Padmé took her wallet out of her pocket, took out a twenty-dollar bill and handed it to Watto. "The rest is for you, thank you for your understanding."
Padmé just said something like bâtard, Anakin widened his eyes and Watto put the banknote in his pocket.
"I have to go now." She stood on tiptoe and kissed him on the mouth. "Salut."
Anakin waved, she got into her BMW and drove away.
"Is she your girlfriend?"
"No…an acquaintance."
"I would like to have acquaintance like that too."
You will never have something so precious in your life, Anakin thought, but said nothing.
"Is she a Latina?"
"No."
"Then what was this strange language?"
"French."
"Is she French?"
"No…half French, now more like a quarter French."
"Hmm!" said Watto and went into the garage.
Anakin pursued the BMW until it was out of sight and then went in to do his job. It was a nice hour with Padmé, he was already looking forward to tomorrow... and the surprise.
Padmé told her grandmother how her date went and about the evil Watto.
"People aren't born evil, Padmé. They must have experienced something in their life or in their childhood, something that made them so bitter. Most of the time these are terrible things and if they don't get professional help to deal with them, they retreat into a shell and don't let anyone near. Malice towards others is their defense mechanism."
"Could be, but I won't explore that. I have another date with Anakin tomorrow...I was the one who asked him out again." She then told her about Friday night and the nightly conversation with her mother.
"Quite possible….and then what about tomorrow?"
"I'll prepare a few things now and tomorrow afternoon I'll take him to the park for a picnic."
"That's a great idea, mon cher. Should I help?"
"If you want and can…"
"Yes. What do you want to do?"
"Salad skewers, pancakes rolled with cream cheese, salmon and herbs, sausage and cheese skewers, carrots and celery sticks with dip and fruit salad. Drinks of course."
"You have big plans."
"He's worth it."
"Then let's start…what can be done today."
So they made the pancakes, which had to cool down before they could be spread, topped and rolled. They had prepared everything that needed to be cut. The rest should be made fresh tomorrow.
"Grand-Mère, this waiting and hesitation to introduce us to each other, was that part of your plan, your tactics?"
"I don't even know what you mean." She winked.
Padmé understood that the grandmother had waited so long because she wanted to be sure that they were grown up enough to start something serious. That wouldn't have been the case at eighteen.
Padmé spent the rest of the afternoon by the pool and her grandmother read a book. Grandmother left her granddaughter alone with her thoughts about the pleasant date.
Anakin came home late. He stayed fifteen minutes longer even though Padmé paid for the missed time, even twice. But that was Watto. When he asked him about it, Watto said Padmé has enough money, and he should be paid well for his services. Anakin was really angry. He insulted him and so did Padmé. Anakin would never accept payment for sex, and he would never take advantage of Padmé. He didn't say anything, as usual, he was dependent on Watto's check like a slave. It hurt…but one day that will change. Watto didn't even know he was an undergraduate, now a graduate student. He probably thought he was a nonentity who could just write and read...or not, maybe.
No matter what Watto thought, what was important was what Padmé thought, but she didn't know everything about him. He will soon have to explain his situation to her and open her eyes to the hopelessness of a relationship. Nevertheless, he was looking forward to tomorrow.
He took a long shower, all the dirt and oil and smell of the garage had to get off his skin. If Padmé were there, he wouldn't want to touch her like that. He was frightened by these thoughts. It won't happen, he wouldn't want it. Really not? He wanted...so much that he already felt pain in his groin...and then he moved his hand until he was relieved. It had been a while since he had sex, and it felt good to have relieved himself...but using the thoughts of Padmé as motivation...was wrong, he felt bad, but stayed in the shower for a long time to wash away the shame.
He dried himself off, put on his sleep pants and went to bed. The TV hanging on the wall was turned on, news, sports, a movie, or half of it and he fell asleep.
.
Best regards from Germany