Complications: You'll Just Have To Get Flexible
You’ll Just Have To Get Flexible
“Shavit! Stang! Kriffing Sith-spawned piece of poodoo!”
“Iella?”
“Kriff it!”
Courage, Antilles. Wedge took a deep breath then stuck his head into the bedroom. “Iella?”
A flurry of fabric hit him in the face. Freeing himself, he saw his wife standing in front of their closet, wearing only underwear and bra. A mountain of clothes lay on the bed, and there were tears on Iella’s face - as well as a truly ferocious scowl. “‘Ella?”
She glared at him. “I’m fat already.”
Oh no. Not that. Not so soon - she’s only three months! Wedge shut his eyes for a moment before approaching her. “Iella, you are not fat. You’re -”
“Already unable to fit into most of my clothes!” Several tops were thrown to the floor.
He dared slip his arms around her waist, and was grateful that she didn’t push him away. “Sweetheart, you’re having a baby. You’re supposed to get bigger; it means our baby’s growing in there.” He cupped her belly with his palm.
“But I’m not supposed to be this big! Not yet!” She sniffled, leaning into him. “My pants don’t fit, and my dresses - well, let’s just say ‘bust’ definitely applies.”
Wedge peered over her shoulder at the area in question. “Hmm. I thought they were getting rounder.”
“Wedge!”
“What? I’m not allowed to look?” he protested. “Iella, you’re gorgeous. I’m always going to be looking.” He kissed her cheek as she blushed.
“But what am I supposed to wear? The only things that are comfortable are my workout sweats.”
“Then they’ll do.” Wedge smirked.
“For a dinner party at the President’s? I think not!”
“It’s just Leia.”
“No.”
“Why not buy something?” Wedge rested his cheek against hers, and rubbed her belly distractedly.
“We’re supposed to be there in an hour.”
“Darling, I’ve seen you shop. An hour is plenty.” When not ‘shopping’ with the girls, Iella approached this task the same way she did everything else - as a mission to be completed.
Iella patted his cheek and sighed. “I just - I shouldn’t have to buy something new. I should be able to wear my clothes, as they are.”
He turned her to face him, concerned at the weariness in her voice. “You’re really unhappy about this, aren’t you?”
Iella spread her hands, tired and defeated. “It’s just - Everything is so complicated right now. I have no control over my temper, or my emotions; I can’t stop crying; I can’t eat half the things I really like; I can’t even think straight anymore! And I hate it! I hate not being in control of myself!” She dashed tears away from her eyes. “I hate this!” she almost screamed.
Oh Force. What do I do? Wedge was thrown by her distress. “Are you at all happy to be pregnant? Is there no joy you can find?” A thought flooded through him and he froze. No. Couldn’t be… “Do you even want this baby? Is this why we haven’t told anyone yet, even though we’ve known for weeks?” His voice caught. “Do you wish it were gone?”
Iella’s eyes were wide with shock. “What? Oh, sweetheart. Of course not!” She cupped his jaw with one hand, threading the other through his hair. “I want to have your baby - don’t ever doubt that, ever.”
Wedge sagged with relief, resting his forehead against hers. “I’m sorry, ‘Ella,” he murmured through tears. “I just know this has been so hard on you, you’ve been feeling so bad - I guess I just panicked.”
She rubbed her cheek against his, and he could feel her tears mix with his. “Ssshh, my love. It’s okay. I’ve been falling apart all over the place; I guess it was your turn. You’ve been taking the brunt of all my mood swings, and not complaining at all. Just because I’m the pregnant one doesn’t mean that your feelings don’t matter. I’m sorry.”
He wound his arms around her, pulling her close. “No, ‘Ella. I swore I’d be here for you - and I am. I’d take all of it - the pain, the sickness, the hormonal craziness - a million times over if I could. And it’ll all be worth it the moment we get to hold our baby.”
Iella buried her face in his shoulder, and he ran his hands along her back, letting his tears fall upon her hair. He wanted to put everything he was feeling into words; he wanted to share his joy, help her feel it. “Our child will be so beautiful; all the more precious for the struggle. Our lives are going to change - it won’t be just you and me anymore.” He kissed the top of her head. “We’ll be a family. Like the one I lost… like the one you never really had.”
Iella raised her head and captured his lips in a brief but deep kiss. “You know what?” she whispered, half-smiling. “I’ve changed my mind. I hope you do get your little girl. I want to see you wrapped around her finger.”
Wedge laughed softly. “Our little girl, ‘Ella. Ours.” He nuzzled her neck, feeling the swell of her belly against his. “If she’s anything like her mother, I won’t stand a chance. I’m already wrapped around your little finger.”
She huffed a laugh, then used the hem of his shirt to wipe her eyes. “You’ll just have to get flexible then.”
He chuckled, glad she was feeling better - for now, at least. “Come on, my lady. Let’s get you and our bump all dolled up.”
Iella flicked a surprised look at the chrono. “Sithspit! Half an hour?” She sighed, staring at the mess on the bed. “I certainly can’t shop for a dress now.”
“Sure you can.” He dug through the pile and chucked her sweats to her.
“We’ll be late!” she protested, making no move to pull them on.
“So, we’ll be late. They can deal.”
“But - my hair - my makeup -”
“We’ll get those done out too.”
“Wedge! It’ll cost a fortune!” Iella seemed astounded.
“I don’t care how much it costs. You need this.” He caught hold of her shoulders before she could protest again. “I want this. I want you to feel comfortable, and beautiful, and pampered, and spoiled, and it doesn’t matter how many credits it takes, because you are priceless! I would sell my X-wing, if that’s what it took!” He surprised himself with the intensity of his words.
Iella stared at him, mouth open in wonder. “Why did I take so long to marry you?”
Wedge grinned. “Because my general awesomeness had you totally stunned.”
Her laugh broke up the tension, and she slapped his belly playfully. “Ah, there’s my husband. I was wondering where he got to.”
He pulled her in for a fiery kiss that left her gasping. “Never far from you,” he whispered, his voice gone hoarse.
“Good,” Iella breathed, stroking his cheek. “Otherwise, I’d have to hunt you down - and you wouldn’t want that.”
“Oh, wouldn’t I?” he murmured huskily, and she swallowed nervously.
“We should get going,” she said shakily, and Wedge couldn’t restrain an evil grin, “or we really will be late.”
“So - let’s be late.”
She wavered, but Wedge could see the surrender in her eyes. “Okay,” she whispered. “Let’s be very late.”
“Shavit! Stang! Kriffing Sith-spawned piece of poodoo!”
“Iella?”
“Kriff it!”
Courage, Antilles. Wedge took a deep breath then stuck his head into the bedroom. “Iella?”
A flurry of fabric hit him in the face. Freeing himself, he saw his wife standing in front of their closet, wearing only underwear and bra. A mountain of clothes lay on the bed, and there were tears on Iella’s face - as well as a truly ferocious scowl. “‘Ella?”
She glared at him. “I’m fat already.”
Oh no. Not that. Not so soon - she’s only three months! Wedge shut his eyes for a moment before approaching her. “Iella, you are not fat. You’re -”
“Already unable to fit into most of my clothes!” Several tops were thrown to the floor.
He dared slip his arms around her waist, and was grateful that she didn’t push him away. “Sweetheart, you’re having a baby. You’re supposed to get bigger; it means our baby’s growing in there.” He cupped her belly with his palm.
“But I’m not supposed to be this big! Not yet!” She sniffled, leaning into him. “My pants don’t fit, and my dresses - well, let’s just say ‘bust’ definitely applies.”
Wedge peered over her shoulder at the area in question. “Hmm. I thought they were getting rounder.”
“Wedge!”
“What? I’m not allowed to look?” he protested. “Iella, you’re gorgeous. I’m always going to be looking.” He kissed her cheek as she blushed.
“But what am I supposed to wear? The only things that are comfortable are my workout sweats.”
“Then they’ll do.” Wedge smirked.
“For a dinner party at the President’s? I think not!”
“It’s just Leia.”
“No.”
“Why not buy something?” Wedge rested his cheek against hers, and rubbed her belly distractedly.
“We’re supposed to be there in an hour.”
“Darling, I’ve seen you shop. An hour is plenty.” When not ‘shopping’ with the girls, Iella approached this task the same way she did everything else - as a mission to be completed.
Iella patted his cheek and sighed. “I just - I shouldn’t have to buy something new. I should be able to wear my clothes, as they are.”
He turned her to face him, concerned at the weariness in her voice. “You’re really unhappy about this, aren’t you?”
Iella spread her hands, tired and defeated. “It’s just - Everything is so complicated right now. I have no control over my temper, or my emotions; I can’t stop crying; I can’t eat half the things I really like; I can’t even think straight anymore! And I hate it! I hate not being in control of myself!” She dashed tears away from her eyes. “I hate this!” she almost screamed.
Oh Force. What do I do? Wedge was thrown by her distress. “Are you at all happy to be pregnant? Is there no joy you can find?” A thought flooded through him and he froze. No. Couldn’t be… “Do you even want this baby? Is this why we haven’t told anyone yet, even though we’ve known for weeks?” His voice caught. “Do you wish it were gone?”
Iella’s eyes were wide with shock. “What? Oh, sweetheart. Of course not!” She cupped his jaw with one hand, threading the other through his hair. “I want to have your baby - don’t ever doubt that, ever.”
Wedge sagged with relief, resting his forehead against hers. “I’m sorry, ‘Ella,” he murmured through tears. “I just know this has been so hard on you, you’ve been feeling so bad - I guess I just panicked.”
She rubbed her cheek against his, and he could feel her tears mix with his. “Ssshh, my love. It’s okay. I’ve been falling apart all over the place; I guess it was your turn. You’ve been taking the brunt of all my mood swings, and not complaining at all. Just because I’m the pregnant one doesn’t mean that your feelings don’t matter. I’m sorry.”
He wound his arms around her, pulling her close. “No, ‘Ella. I swore I’d be here for you - and I am. I’d take all of it - the pain, the sickness, the hormonal craziness - a million times over if I could. And it’ll all be worth it the moment we get to hold our baby.”
Iella buried her face in his shoulder, and he ran his hands along her back, letting his tears fall upon her hair. He wanted to put everything he was feeling into words; he wanted to share his joy, help her feel it. “Our child will be so beautiful; all the more precious for the struggle. Our lives are going to change - it won’t be just you and me anymore.” He kissed the top of her head. “We’ll be a family. Like the one I lost… like the one you never really had.”
Iella raised her head and captured his lips in a brief but deep kiss. “You know what?” she whispered, half-smiling. “I’ve changed my mind. I hope you do get your little girl. I want to see you wrapped around her finger.”
Wedge laughed softly. “Our little girl, ‘Ella. Ours.” He nuzzled her neck, feeling the swell of her belly against his. “If she’s anything like her mother, I won’t stand a chance. I’m already wrapped around your little finger.”
She huffed a laugh, then used the hem of his shirt to wipe her eyes. “You’ll just have to get flexible then.”
He chuckled, glad she was feeling better - for now, at least. “Come on, my lady. Let’s get you and our bump all dolled up.”
Iella flicked a surprised look at the chrono. “Sithspit! Half an hour?” She sighed, staring at the mess on the bed. “I certainly can’t shop for a dress now.”
“Sure you can.” He dug through the pile and chucked her sweats to her.
“We’ll be late!” she protested, making no move to pull them on.
“So, we’ll be late. They can deal.”
“But - my hair - my makeup -”
“We’ll get those done out too.”
“Wedge! It’ll cost a fortune!” Iella seemed astounded.
“I don’t care how much it costs. You need this.” He caught hold of her shoulders before she could protest again. “I want this. I want you to feel comfortable, and beautiful, and pampered, and spoiled, and it doesn’t matter how many credits it takes, because you are priceless! I would sell my X-wing, if that’s what it took!” He surprised himself with the intensity of his words.
Iella stared at him, mouth open in wonder. “Why did I take so long to marry you?”
Wedge grinned. “Because my general awesomeness had you totally stunned.”
Her laugh broke up the tension, and she slapped his belly playfully. “Ah, there’s my husband. I was wondering where he got to.”
He pulled her in for a fiery kiss that left her gasping. “Never far from you,” he whispered, his voice gone hoarse.
“Good,” Iella breathed, stroking his cheek. “Otherwise, I’d have to hunt you down - and you wouldn’t want that.”
“Oh, wouldn’t I?” he murmured huskily, and she swallowed nervously.
“We should get going,” she said shakily, and Wedge couldn’t restrain an evil grin, “or we really will be late.”
“So - let’s be late.”
She wavered, but Wedge could see the surrender in her eyes. “Okay,” she whispered. “Let’s be very late.”