Complications: You Are, Aren't You?
You Are, Aren’t You?
Iella didn’t quite make it to the refresher before losing control of her stomach, but she did get her head over the bowl before she made too much of a mess. So much for dinner. So much for feeling better.
She felt Wedge kneel behind her, gentle hands rubbing her back and easing strands of hair out of her face. She could hear him speaking, but she couldn’t understand the words; couldn’t find the energy to care. She was just glad he was there.
She shuddered for what seemed like ages, tears forced from her eyes by the violence of her heaves. Though she’d been ill many times over the past few weeks, this attack was worse than she was used to; probably because she’d overindulged in fine Alderaanian cuisine.
A cool damp cloth was laid across her neck as her nausea finally eased. She gasped as she slumped backwards against Wedge, trying not to dissolve into sobs. Why is this so difficult? She’d watched Mirax and Sera - neither seemed to have had as much trouble as Iella was having.
“Ssh. Easy, ‘Ella.” Her husband wiped her mouth with another cloth, then offered her a glass of water. When her hands shook too much and water sloshed down her front, he held the glass steady for her. Leaning forward to spit, she caught a flash of white in the doorway - Winter, standing ready with more water and towels.
“So much for not crashing the party,” she rasped. The moment Leia had made the announcement, Iella had decided that she was not going to steal their friends’ thunder. One shared glance, and she’d known her husband had agreed - as much as he wanted to crow about his impending fatherhood.
Wedge almost-smiled, sliding one hand around her belly. “Not your fault, darling.” He raised the glass again, and she sipped from it slowly. When it went down, and stayed down, she tilted her head back to look at him.
“I’m empty.”
She didn’t expect him to plant a quick kiss on her lips. “No, you’re not,” he whispered fiercely. “Not empty.”
“You just kissed me,” Iella muttered, her voice high-pitched with disbelief. Winter almost giggled from where she waited.
“I did,” Wedge agreed glibly. “Is that a crime now?”
“I just barfed up the entirety of dinner, and quite possibly lunch - and you’re kissing me. Gross.”
“You rinsed. And it’s not like I was snogging you. No tongue or anything.” He eased his arms under hers. “Feel like you can stand?”
Her head had mostly stopped pounding and spinning, so she nodded. “It’s still gross,” she protested as he pulled her to her feet. His only response was to plant another kiss on her and wrap an arm around her waist. Once out of the refresher, Winter took her arm on the opposite side. Iella leaned closer to her friend. “Gross,” she stage-whispered, feeling somewhat light-headed.
“Hush, you.” They helped her to the lounge room and eased her into a chair. Winter handed her a fresh glass of sparkling water. Iella sipped from it carefully, the fizz helping to clear her mouth of the acrid aftertaste. When her stomach didn’t rebel, she drank more, then let her head rest back on the chair. Wedge crouched beside her, his hand warm and gentle on hers.
“Wow.” She looked up to see everyone staring at her, varying expressions of concern on their faces. Even Wes, who’d spoken, seemed worried behind his half-smirk. “I think you just set some kind of record. Really.”
Iella rolled her eyes, groaning. “Gee. Thank you. So very much.”
“I know that groan.” Sera leaned forward awkwardly in her armchair, interest lighting her eyes. “I very definitely know that groan.”
Mirax gasped. “Oh! Come to think of it, so do I.” She looked excitedly between the couple. “You are, aren’t you?”
There’s no point hiding it now. They’ll just get snoopy. Iella nodded at her husband, and he grinned almost boyishly. Go on, flyboy. I know you’ve been dying to tell everyone.
Glancing around at their assembled friends, Wedge smoothed his hand over her belly and said simply, “We’re pregnant.”
“I knew it!” Corran’s joyful whoop startled Jysella into crying yet again. But everyone else was also cheering and applauding, so he wasn’t likely to get in trouble for it.
Winter dipped down to hug her friend. “I’ll have to keep that in mind when choosing bridesmaid dresses,” she said with a grin. Iella just returned the hug.
“How far along are you? The wedding’s in four months, so…” Leia mused thoughtfully.
“Three months. Well, thirteen weeks, if you want to be precise.” Iella placed her hand over Wedge’s where it rested on the swell of their child. She felt a warm, shivery feeling running through her at the thought. Our child. Is this what Wedge feels? I’m finally starting to understand. Tears welled in her eyes once more.
“Only three?” Sera blurted, eyes wide. “I’d swear you were closer to four!” Mirax nodded in agreement.
Iella flushed, feeling a little awkward. Feeling a bit fat, you mean, she scolded herself. So she was bigger than usual. She trusted the other ladies to know - after all, only Winter and Inyri hadn’t been there before; and with Winter’s memory, she was probably mentally comparing Iella’s bump to others she’d seen right this minute.
Winter did indeed look thoughtful, staring at the swell as if measuring it. She met Iella’s eyes, a hint of mischief in her smile. “They’re right; you do look further along then they did at that stage. Then again, you’d probably find you match Leia in her first pregnancy.”
So it’s normal then? Iella wondered at the grins everyone was suddenly sporting. “What’s so funny?” she asked the room, bewildered when all she got in response were chuckles. She turned to Wedge, who looked somewhat dumbstruck. “What?”
“Her first pregnancy,” Corran prompted with a smirk. “When she had…?”
“Jacen and Jain…” Horrified realisation struck, rather like a Star Destroyer’s orbital bombardment. “Oh kriff, no.”
Giggles swept around the room - whether at her delayed reaction, or just the reaction itself, she wasn’t sure. She didn’t entirely care. I was just getting excited about this baby; I don’t think I can handle two! Oh kriff, oh Force, oh kriff. She started to gasp, trembling.
Wedge leaned over and rested his forehead against hers. “Easy, love,” he murmured, reaching up to caress her cheek. “I’ve got you, it’s okay. Easy.” He tightened his grip on her hand as he glared around the room, finally pinning Winter with it. “Thank you ever so for scaring my wife into hysterics, that’s just what she needs.”
“Oh, Iella, I’m sorry.” The white haired woman looked uncharacteristically shamefaced. “I didn’t mean to frighten you.”
Iella shook her head through sudden tears, struggling to get her runaway emotions under control. “You really think it could be… twins?” Her voice was high, her throat trying to strangle off her words.
Leia came forward. “It’s possible. But every woman’s pregnancy is different. You could be having a larger baby than any of us did. Or you just might be expanding faster, in advance of the baby.” She smiled reassuringly. “Don’t panic about it just yet. The doctors will be able to tell at your next appointment.”
Iella sagged against her husband, somewhat relieved. Wedge tilted her face up and kissed her tenderly.
“That’s kinda gross, boss.” Corran was pulling a face at them, even as he tried to get Jysella to calm down. That poor child, how does she ever get any sleep?
Wedge rolled his eyes. “Kissing my wife is not in any way ‘gross’.”
“Corran does have a point,” Myn pointed out reasonably. “She just had a marathon purge session, and you’re puckering up.”
Iella smirked wearily. “See, I told you. Gross.”
“You rinsed, I didn’t use tongue and you don’t taste of vomit AT ALL,” Wedge grumbled loudly.
She couldn’t help giggling at the exasperation in his words. He responded to her laughter with another kiss, this one slow and lingering, despite hollers of “Gross!” from their audience.
Iella’s blood was warm and fizzy when Wedge pulled away, and her stomach was churning for entirely pleasant reasons this time. My hormones really have gone haywire, she thought dizzily, staring into his eyes as if seeing them for the first time.
Her expression must have seemed a little odd, because he frowned a little through his smile. “Are you alri-?”
Before he could finish, she’d slipped her arms around his neck and pulled him back to her. He murmured in surprise as their lips met, fiercely this time, Iella clenching her fists in his hair. After a stunned moment, Wedge responded with equal fervour, equal passion, amid many whistles, catcalls and heckling.
“Do you think they remember they’re not alone?”
“I’m of the opinion that, right this minute, they don’t even care.”
“Cool it, General, she’s already pregnant!”
Iella was gasping when the kiss ended, sideswiped by the intensity of it. Wedge didn’t seem much better off, though he did manage to raise an eyebrow at her. She shook her head. “I have no idea where that came from,” she admitted breathlessly.
“Pregnancy hormones.” When they turned to stare at Sera, she winked and gave Iella a thumbs-up. “You go for it, girl. It’s one of the perks.”
“Perks?”
“Oh yes,” Mirax chimed in. “Second trimester, baby. Woo.”
“I thought that was a myth.”
Mirax sputtered. “A myth? But I told you about it!”
“Yeah, but I didn’t think that counted, since you and Corran are just perpetually horny.”
“Hey!” Corran protested, over laughter.
Iella clapped a hand over her mouth, shocked. That wasn’t at all what I meant to say.
Though obviously surprised, Mirax mustered up a smirk. “Is that how it is, hmm? We could talk about you guys instead.” Her eyes sparkled impishly.
Oh shavit. “We’re not perpetually horny,” she protested. At Wedge’s sideways glance, she added a soft, “Usually.”
“No, of course not,” Mirax drawled. “You just use terms like…” She rubbed her chin thoughtfully. “Corran, honey, what was it she called Wedge at that dinner?”
Iella froze in horror. Next time, engage brain-to-mouth filter before insulting people with blackmail worthy material on you.
Corran was making a big show of trying to recall it, pulling out random words and making everyone intensely curious. Iella couldn’t think of a single way to defuse the situation, and she didn’t dare look at Wedge. She couldn’t bear it if he were that embarrassed because of her again.
He squeezed her hand, and when she finally raised her eyes, she was surprised to see him smile warmly. “I’ve got this,” he whispered, and she wondered what he could possibly have on the Horns that would keep them quiet about this.
Wedge straightened, cool and cocky, drawing the room’s attention. “If you’ll permit me,” he interrupted, voice smooth and commanding, “I believe the term in question was ‘Sex God’.”
Han sputtered, choking on his whiskey, while Luke and Leia cracked up, Chewie chuckling along with them. Myn, Gavin and Inyri were caught somewhere between shock and amusement.
Wes was cackling away, but Hobbie seemed mildly perturbed. “I’m not entirely certain I needed to hear that,” he muttered.
“Is he really?”
“Sera!” Gavin stared at his wife in disbelief.
“What? It’s not like I’m asking for personal confirmation!” She rubbed her swollen belly. “Not like that’d work, at any rate.”
“Sera!” Gavin’s voice hit a pitch it hadn’t come near since he’d been a teenager.
“What?”
Iella ignored them all, staring up at her husband in complete amazement. He’d been utterly mortified when she’d hurled those words at him - and now he was using them to take the pressure off her. Not a hint of shyness hung around him as he stood there. He was all confidence and ego - Cockpit Wedge at his very finest.
She was on her feet and in his arms in an instant, suddenly desperate for him to hold her, love her. His lips met hers halfway, and she felt like crying.
As their embrace turned passionate, she heard Sera pipe up, “You know, you don’t have to prove it; I will take your word for it.”
Iella broke away and faced them all, cheeks flushed. “He really is,” she said huskily, and his arms curved around her from behind. “If you’ll excuse us,” she raised her voice over the chaos, turning back to the only person who mattered at all right now, “I need my god to take me home.”