Entry 2: 1:56 p.m.: 11/27/99
Title: “Happy Life Day” Hey; Even Intergalactic Heroes Deserve a Break
Author: Esme Zend
Rating: G
Characters: Chewie, General Han Solo, Chief-Of-State Leia Organa-Solo, Jaina, Jacen and Anakin Solo, Winter, Master Luke Skywalker, C-3PO, R2-D2, and me.
It was a week before Life Day and the entire Imperial Palace was stirring with excitement. Master Luke and R2-D2 made a special visit for the holidays. Mr. and Mrs. Solo’s apartment suit was beautiful; strewn with colorful lights, tinsel, and messages of happiness. Mrs. Solo would sing carols now and again as she worked or cleaned and Anakin was already practicing for that special day; going to bed each night precisely when he was told and not a second later.
As for me, the high spirits were contagious. I was more hyper than usual and chores seemed like a game. It was such a wonderful feeling, having the holiday season so close you could almost taste it. It snowed constantly on Coruscant during the winter; that was my favorite part. Jaina, Jacen, Anakin, Zekk, Chewie and I would have many snowball fights, each would be better than the last. Mr. Solo would even join in sometimes, tickling little Anakin until he squealed with delight.
I liked helping Winter with the cooking, especially the deserts. There were cookies piled high—with every new batch, I’d steal one for me and the other kids—candy canes, ginger zepharillas, sugary tat’lychas—Anakin’s favorite aside from cookies—and so much more! The sense of happiness and utter contentment was nearly overwhelming! Finally, came the eve of Life Day and Anakin soon found out that it was harder to sleep with the holiday so, so close.
I woke to the sound of little feet pattering down the hall and into Jaina’s room and mine. It was Anakin, as I had expected. “Can’t sleep?” I asked him quietly.
He shook his head. “I wish it was tomorrow,” he whispered, coming to sit on my lap.
I smiled. “ It won’t be tomorrow until it’s light out, you know that.”
He looked up at me with his ice blue eyes and said the most adorable thing I had ever heard. “Please?”
I hugged him, laughed quietly, and said, “ I can’t change the time, Ani. We’ll just have to wait like everyone else.”
“I know, I know,” he mumbled. “Waiting is hard work.”
I nodded. “It is, isn’t it? But…we’ve waited this long. We can wait a little longer, right?”
“Right,” said Anakin, nodding his head.
We were silent for a few minutes before Anakin requested, “read me a story. Please Ezie?”
I smiled again. “Of course. What story would you like?”
“Umm…” he thought about it. “Santa Wookiee comes to Town.”
I giggled. “Alright. But you lay down, okay?”
“Okay.” I settled Anakin under the covers of my bed and hunted down the book. I got little over half way through when I noticed the little boy had finally fallen asleep. So, I finished the story silently and then squirmed into my bed with Anakin and fell asleep.
It seemed like an eternity before morning came, but finally, it came. How did I know? Anakin had awakened and started jumping on the bed, lost his balance, and fell on top of me. He looked a little sheepish as he said, “sorry Ezie.” I just laughed.
Without another word, I followed Anakin as he woke everyone in the house room by room. He even was kind enough to 3PO to turn him on before going to anyone else. Probably because if Mr. Solo saw him off, he’d leave him that way. Anakin’s final destination probably until that evening, was the main room. There, in front of the large bay windows were piles of gifts, some for everyone. I had to hold Anakin back until I found which presents were his; otherwise he would have ripped each and every one of them apart.
Suddenly the room was filled with hushed exclamations, laughter and the tearing of wrapping paper.
“Yes!” Jacen exclaimed as he examined his new pet Ganark, a small, furry creature that said only “yip, yip, yip!”
Jaina occasionally whispered “cool!” as she tested out her new mini disk player that was now playing a song from her favorite group, ‘N Space.
Anakin was now jumping up and down, holding his new talking Pikachi, a Poketom, in one hand and at least fifteen collector cards in the other. “Whoohoo!” he cried again and again.
Mr. Solo was placing a pendant necklace around Mrs. Solo’s neck as she laughed at the little Wampa holding a hydro spanner.
Chewie pretended to look vain as he brushed the hair atop his head with his new paddle brush.
Winter examined the beautiful opal bracelet around her wrist that was inside the box with her name on it.
Even Master Skywalker received a gift; it was a book called “The Jedi Order”. I could see he liked his gift very much.
C-3PO and R2-D2 were very excited about their oil baths.
As for me, I got what I’ve been waiting so long for. It was a journal. But, not just any journal; it had a voice recorder, address book, instant messaging, games, and endless storage space! I was very happy. Everyone could tell when I started dancing around the room with a helplessly giggling Anakin.
Later in the afternoon, we all went out to have the biggest snowball fight ever! Everyone joined in this time. It started out as boys verses girls, but it ended up as a free-for-all.
When we were all exhausted enough, we went inside and had some hot chocolate. Little Ani just had to have the kind with marshmallows though. While Winter and Mrs. Solo were putting the final touches on dinner and Mr. Solo and Master Skywalker were picking up the remaining boxes and torn pieces of wrapping paper, I got babysitting duty. I didn’t mind, though; we were all in such a good mood, everyone forgot about the rules of sibling rivalry. Jacen and Anakin were teaching the little Ganark how to fetch while Jaina and I listened to ‘N Space—they’re not such bad singers, you know—and chatted with Zekk through my new journal. Suddenly, a brilliant idea hit me.
“Hey, Zekk, do you think you could come over tonight around 8:00?” I asked.
“Sure,” came his filtered voice. “What’s up?”
“I’ve got a wonderful idea. Do you have any leftover mistletoe at your home?”
Jaina started giggling, catching on to what I was thinking.
Zekk’s face broke into a grin as he put two and two together. “Gonna get the Solos this year huh, Ezie?”
“Maybe…” I said, but then broke into giggles. “So can you?”
“Of course I can,” said Zekk. “I wouldn’t miss this for the world! I’ll see you around 8:00.”
“Thanks Zekk,” I said. “Bye!”
“See you, Zekk,” said Jaina. When the transmission broke, she said, yet again, “he’s so cute….”
“Yeah,” I agreed. “But, he’s mine.”
“That’s what you think…” Jaina argued.
Our pretend fight went on until Mrs. Solo and Winter announced that dinner was served. It was a huge feast; garlic potatoes, brustle sprouts—which Ani actually ate without a fuss this time—steamed peas and white corn—my favorite—stuffing, bread, and one big ham. When we all felt that we would burst with one more bite, we each took part in clearing the table.
As soon as the deserts were in place an hour later, the doorbell rang. I rushed to get it. It was Zekk with the mistletoe. Of course, the joke wouldn’t only be on Mr. and Mrs. Solo, for when I opened the door, Zekk already had the plant raised above our heads! Suddenly, everyone was staring, waiting to see what was bound to happen. And it did. Zekk bent down and kissed be ever so softly on the lips! It was my first kiss and I couldn’t think of anyone else that I would have wanted it to come from.
Everyone started cheering, laughing and whooping—except for Ani who just stuck his tongue out in boyish disgust. Even Jaina, who had a world of a crush on Zekk, was happy for me. The way everyone was looking at me then told me my face must have been redder than a mackintosh apple.
Zekk joined us for desert that night, complimenting on how wonderful it was. Later, we were gathered at the fireplace in the main room, assembled in perfect order. Mr. and Mrs. Solo sat together on the couch, Mr. Solo’s arm around his wife, Master Skywalker sat in a cushioned chair, Anakin asleep in his arms, and Jacen sat on the rug in front of them, holding his new pet. Jaina, Zekk and I however loomed in the background, waiting for just the right moment to strike. Master Skywalker found out about our plan early on and had vowed silence.
“Okay it’s now or never,” I whispered silently in the hallway. “Remember, Zekk, hide the mistletoe from sight and act normal. When I give the sign”—I made a motion significant to rubbing my eye—“you let them have it.”
“Right,” Jaina and Zekk said at the same time.
Slowly and quietly we assembled into the main room. Zekk pretended to examine pictures on a shelf behind the couch Mr. and Mrs. Solo were sitting on, Jaina was suddenly interested in her brother’s pet Ganark, and I pretended to read Master Skywalker’s new book with him.
After a couple minutes I rubbed my eye.
“These are very nice pictures Mr. and Mrs. Solo,” Zekk said suddenly, causing them to turn around. They followed his raised arm to find he was holding the same piece of mistletoe he had brought with him. Mrs. Solo looked quickly over at Jaina, Master Skywalker and I; we smiled innocently and waited for the inevitable to happen.
With almost the same deliberate slowness that Zekk had, Mr. Solo bent and caught his wife’s lips in a long, slow kiss. We all cheered—more quietly this time, so as not to wake Ani.
That was the best Life Day I think I have ever experienced and I wouldn’t trade the memory for the universe. Jacen’s pet, now named Zeke, knows many tricks now. Anakin has reprogrammed his Pikachi to say an additional five phrases and in different tones. Jaina is looking forward to going to a ‘N Space concert next week; she has back stage passes. And I think that hydro spanner was just what the Falcon needed to go .5 past lightspeed again.
I know you’re wondering about Zekk and I. Well, guess what; we’re going out! He’s a very sweet guy and Mr. and Mrs. Solo are happy for us. Zekk told me the night of Life Day that he’s had a crush on me for a while, but was just too shy to tell me. That feeling was mutual.
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