Left in the Shadows

(Lyn comes back)

Lyn: “Ready?”

(Shmi nods.)

Lyn: “alright then, let’s go.”

(They leave for Shmi’s hovel. Along the way, Shmi was beginning to wonder if she had been a bit hasty in her taking Petra to raise her.)

Lyn: “Do you need any help in getting her settled in?”

Shmi: “I think I will be fine…one more question.”

Lyn: “Yes?”

Shmi: “How old is she?”

Lyn: “Five years old…why?”

Shmi: “Just curious.”

Lyn: “Well, I need to get back…*kissed Petra on the cheek* goodbye Petra.”

(Petra simply stared at her as she left.)

Shmi: “well, I hope I can do this.”

(Petra struggled to get down and Shmi let her. Petra carefully walked around the room, being incredibly steady on her feet for a young child. Shmi sat down to watch her.)

Shmi: *whispering* “Once the Hutts find out you’re here, you’ll become a slave. I want to apologize in advance for it.”
 
(Shmi’s thoughts were disturbed by Watto’s voice.)

Watto: *in Huttese* “Stop daydreaming and get to work.”

Shmi: *in Huttese* “I’m sorry.”

(A few days after she had adopted Petra, the Hutts had sent some of their “managers” to implant Petra’s transmitter, therefore making her a slave. Shmi was not allowed to watch the procedure, since the placement of the transmitter could not be watched. In that way, no slave knew where their transmitter was, or how to disable it. The only good thing that came out of it was that children younger than 7 were not made to work by themselves. So, Shmi had Petra by her side for two years until Petra was assigned to work alone. Shmi’s mind again went to the past, this time only two days after Petra came to live with her.)

(Petra wouldn’t eat. She hadn’t eaten in two days. Shmi didn’t know what else to do with her. She was as stubborn as…well, as an eopie. She felt sorry for her future husband.)

Shmi: “Petra, you have to eat.”

Petra: *arms crossed* “NO! I don’t want to, and you can’t make me.”

Shmi: “Are you sick?”

(She reached to touch Petra’s forehead, but Petra recoiled from her touch.)

Petra: “Don’t touch me.”
 
or Han like ;)

(Shmi sighed.)

Shmi: “what then is wrong?”

Petra: “I want to go home.”

Shmi: “But you are home.”

Petra: “This isn’t home…and you’re not my mom.”

(The words were like a blow to Shmi. She knew she could never replace Petra’s real mother, but she had at least hoped to appear as a mother figure in her eyes. Petra left the table and went to her room. Shmi put her face in her hands. She couldn’t be this girl’s mother. Tomorrow she’d have to find another place for her.)

(That night, Shmi was woken up by crying. She got up and went to Petra’s room to discover the little girl crying uncontrollably. She went over and picked her up, this time with no objections. She sat down in a chair and rocked back and forth, singing in Huttese a lullaby. Soon, Petra stopped crying and fell asleep. Shmi continued rocking but laid her head back on the chair….maybe she could do this after all.)
 
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