Sunday was the day Anakin was able to sleep in, not that he didn't work on Sunday, it was just a few hours in the late afternoon, with Watto. During this time, they went through the contracts, made schedules and checked supplier invoices.
He visited his mother and Cliegg every second Sunday of the month. More often wouldn't be possible, they lived in a small house in Yorba Linda, over fifty miles away, and it would take at least two to three hours to get there in typical L.A. traffic.
And today was fortunately not the second Sunday of the month, so Anakin could stay in bed longer, sleep, it wouldn't matter when he woke up and that was usually almost noon.
He had gotten into the habit of walking down to Westfield Century City on Sunday in the summer months, to eat good Italian pasta or something else at Eataly. Add a glass of wine, it could cost over fifty dollars. That was the only luxury he allowed himself.
There he was often approached by women, but he always remained alone. Most of his encounters were in Edith where he worked as a barkeeper, or rather after his shift.
Today he didn't go to Eataly, yesterday was an expensive day. The bouquet for Padmé cost sixty dollars. So, he stayed at home and decided to cook for himself instead of going to MacDonalds. Chicken breast, rice pilaf and tomatoes, he always had something like that in his small fridge. Instead of wine, there will be delicious orange juice.
When the meal was ready, he put a place mat on the desk, cutlery on it, went to the stove and filled his plate, took a napkin and put everything on the set. He opened the window, sat down and started to eat, looking at the beautiful garden where he couldn't sit by this wonderful weather. He just rented this little room...for two thousand dollars a month. That was a lot of money, but Los Angeles was an expensive place. He had to confess that he didn't need the car to reach the university, and Watto's Garage was nearby. Edith Nightclub was also nearby. The expensive room was well worth it.
He had not given much consideration to his life. His childhood was difficult, but he had never known it any other way, he thought that was how it had to be. Only later, in high school, did he clearly notice the differences between well off and poor. At that point he wasn't poor, Mom had gotten married, and the job was getting better, but he was far from wealthy. That's why he studied hard and wanted to make something of himself. Everything went according to plan, and he wouldn't have to worry about his life if something unforeseen hadn't happened... Padmé.
She had captivated him within seconds, but he couldn't afford a girlfriend like she was, so he hadn't asked her if he could see her again. She seemed interested, what a shame. He will have to be content dreaming about her, but one day he will wake up and realize that she was away with someone else. What else could he do, she definitely won't wait for him until he becomes Dr. Skywalker and has found a great job. The thought of her in someone else's arms brought tears to his eyes. When was the last time he shed tears, when he fell off his bicycle as a little boy? Back then hurt his knee, now hurt his heart, a completely different kind of pain. The fact that he would fall in love, fall in love at first sight, was not planned... well, something like that never comes planned. He told himself that he was still young, only twenty-two, he fell in love quickly, and it would be over soon.
This Sunday was a beautiful day, cloudless and warm. Late in the afternoon, he decided to take a walk in nearby Holmby Park; he had to get out of his room. Families and couples in love were sitting everywhere on the lawn...and again he thought of Padmé. She is probably sitting with her grandmother in a comfortable lounger by the pool, enjoying the life of a rich young woman. In the evening, she will go out to dinner with one of her many admirers, somewhere in an expensive restaurant where you pay with a black Master Card. He just couldn't get her out of his head.
That evening, when he came back from Watto, he went straight to bed. Tomorrow will be a ten-hours day, one of the three hardest days of the week, work at Watto.
The day after the party, Sunday, Padmé spent most of the day in bed. The last guests left at three, yes, her never-tired friends. They have been entertaining about Anakin most of the time, poor boy. ….and then the comments when everyone left….
"Well Padmé, the guy is so hot, I literally burned myself dancing with him...and he can dance like a pro. Honestly, I was close to breaking our rule. Are you absolutely sure you want him? …I think Rush would be a good one for you….." typical Dormé.
"Stop it girlfriend ! I know exactly what you think about Rush Clovis."
"Uh…yeah. It was worth a try."
"Padmé, he's so intelligent and educated, he's so easy to talk to, and I have no doubt that he's less good at fucking...mmm I can just imagine that body in bed." Sabé enthused.
"Have you had enough sex lately, Sabé?"
"I would trade all my lovers from last year for one night with this Adonis."
"Sabé! Come down, rules are rules."
"I'm just saying, my goodness, why are you so selfish all of a sudden?"
"I voluntarily renounce Rush Clovis….in your favor."
"On this pile of shit? What kind of friend are you?"
They all laughed so loudly on the terrace, Padmé thought now one or the other neighbor would definitely protest.
"I'll ask my sister Satine about him, Ben is his doctoral advisor and has been his professor over the years, he must know him well."
"Good idea, Rabé. I want to know everything there is to know."
"Almost done, Padmé."
And so it went until three o'clock. After they left, Padmé closed all the doors and windows on the ground floor, leaving everything else behind, which should be cleaned up by the catering service the next day. By the time she had undressed and taken off her makeup, it was almost four o'clock.
She wasn't really tired, maybe a little, but she couldn't fall asleep straight away. It was a long night, lots of drinks, lots of people, lots of conversations and… Anakin. Such an unexpected surprise! ...pleasant and how it felt to be so close to him, so close. She felt every movement of his muscles and perhaps something else that was beginning to make itself known as Rush tore her apart with his clumsy come-on.
In a few years he will be Dr. Be Skywalker, more technically qualified than she is. Maybe he doesn't have wealthy parents who can support him and has to work, but that doesn't make him inferior. Pool boy as she thought, she should distance herself from such prejudices as quickly as possible, she didn't want to be as prejudiced as her father, that had started to rub off on her.
Catering service started around 1:00 p.m. started cleaning up and made such a noise that Padmé had to wake up. A little hangover made its presence known, but only in the form of a headache. She showered and drank lots of water, but she wasn't hungry. She put on a light summer dress and went down to the kitchen.
"Bonjour, Grand Mere."
"Bonjour mon cher. Did you sleep well?"
"Yes, I was tired. When were you in bed?"
"After midnight, after Anakin left. A nice young man, isn't he?"
"Yes, he is."
"I saw you dancing, and he kissed you when he said good night...yes, yes, things can happen so quickly when the fate strikes."
"What are you talking about?"
"Padmé, I am an old woman with a lot of experience, I can see it in your face...you are dreaming with your eyes open."
"You've always been able to see through."
"If you like it, take action."
"He's interested...but kind of reserved."
"Maybe he has a reason."
"You mean perhaps he has a girlfriend?"
"I don't know, find it out."
"When is he coming back for cleaning?"
"He always comes on Thursdays."
"Thursdays...an eternity." She said to herself, and could hardly wait for the catering service to finally be finished.
After another hour, everything was in place and Padmé decided to spend the afternoon lazing around, swimming and reading something on the lounger.
"Grand-Mère, I'm going to eat something, what's up?"
"There are leftovers from the party in the fridge that you can still eat."
Padmé took a few small pies and a large glass of orange juice, and immediately the headache went away.
She went to her room, put the bikini on, picked up the book she started reading and went to the pool.
The pool was at the end of the garden but did not take up the entire width of the property. Areas to the left and right were covered with stone slabs, and the same slabs also went around the pool. On the left side, at the border with the neighbour, a meter-wide strip led as a path to the large terrace with many flower pots. The entire garden was surrounded by cypress trees almost two meters high.
She lay down on a lounger that was put back up after the party and started reading. It was just a trashy novel that Sola had given her, but despite the light literature, she couldn't concentrate. Anakin. Damned. She couldn't get him out of her mind. What a golden boy. Boy? Yes, the grandmother mentioned that he's younger than her, a year, or two years, or... whatever, but he's definitely not a boy anymore. Butterflies in the stomach. She still couldn't forgive herself for thinking of him as just a pool boy at first. She dropped the book to the side and looked at the place where she was dancing with him...and in her imagination she saw herself dancing with him, his arms tightly wrapped around her, he in a gray suit, she in a long white dress and lots of small white flowers in her hair. Oh my God, does she see her future or is it just a fantasy. It's only been a day, but she just wanted this fantasy to become reality. She wanted Anakin Skywalker...as a boyfriend, as a lover...as a husband. So fast?
She got up, went to the path that led to the terrace, grabbed the first large flower pot she could carry, went to the pool and threw it into the water. Then she went into the house.
"Grand-Mère, something stupid happened to me. I tripped over a flower pot, and it fell into the pool."
"Oh, how clumsy!" Grandmother winked.
"Grand-Mère!"
"I'm just saying, something like this can happen."
Padmé knew that Grandmother knew.
Best regards from Germany