Secrets and Suspicion (Book 1)

Bittersweet Memories

"Go, Luke! Almost there!" Anakin cheered on as he attempted to walk to Padmé.

Luke stumbled and fell right on his bottom, but he didn't cry. He got back up again and kept walking.

"That's my little boy! Keep going," Padmé encouraged.

He got to Padmé, and they all cheered.

"Great job, Luke!" Anakin said, smiling. "Ready, Leia?"

Leia sat on Padmé's lap across from Anakin, and she got up, holding onto her as she did so. It was so cute to watch them stumble around and try to walk. They were really growing up.

"Walk to Daddy," Padmé said to Leia, and she started walking. She fell, but like Luke, she didn't complain and walked on. She fell a few more times, almost crying, but she got back up. He small pig tails on the sides of her head bounced up and down as she walked. She sort of placed a bounce in each step.

"C'mon, Princess, you can do it," Anakin said under his breath. He held his arms out for her to walk into.

One more step...and bam, she was in Anakin's arms. She could walk now! Her teeth that were growing in the front of her mouth showed as she smiled proudly. Her eyes squinted because of her huge smile. Her cheeks were rosy, and she sat in Anakin's lap.

Padmé brought them each a small cookie she had promised them earlier. "I'm so proud of you both," she told them, kissing their heads.

Luke held his hands out for a cookie.
"Here you go, Luke." She handed him one, and he smiled. She handed Leia one, too. "There you go, Leia."

"Here, let me fix your hair," Padmé said, leaning forward to straighten out a piece of hair sticking out of her pigtail, but Leia refused. She screamed when she offered to fix her hair.

"Padmé, she doesn't want her hair fixed," Anakin said. "Hey, relax," he told her. Padmé had been getting anxious lately about the kids. He thought it was because of the nightmares about the secret letting out. And they were growing up. A mother had to be anxious about her kids growing up.

"These are memories that will last forever. Just relax and enjoy it while it lasts."

His comlink lit up. "All right, guys." He turned to the twins. "I have to go. I've been delaying calls so I can watch you walk, but I gotta go now." He kissed their foreheads and sat Leia down on the floor in front of him.

He looked at Padmé, who appeared upset. He put a hand on her back and kissed her temple. "I'll be back tonight."

He stood up. "Remember-duty comes first, especially-"

"-in wartime," Padmé finished. "Even before the kids?"

He didn't answer. "I love you. I can't make any promises I'll be back early, but I just might."

He walked out to his speeder on the balcony, the cool summer air flowing through to inside the house.