WELCOME HOME
One thing I'll say for our new home on Corellia's South Continent: it's huge.
Okay, it's not the biggest house in the galaxy by a long shot, but for someone who's spent half a standard century living in quarters that might politely be described as 'cramped,' this place is a mansion. It's got five bedrooms, and the master bedroom is bigger than all of the bedrooms put together in our Coruscant flat.
When we lived on Coruscant, I felt like we had so much Stuff that we had no room to move, which in fact was true. Neither Leia nor I could walk half a meter without tripping on something. I have no idea how I'm going to get used to having all this space, but I think I could come to like it.
We've still got boxes that haven't been unpacked that are stacked high in all of the rooms, but we've got the furniture set up. The beds went first. I hate to say it, but I've reached a point in my life where even I need my creature comforts. I rebuilt the bunk in the captain's quarters on the Falcon, and I'm old enough that I need a decent mattress. Besides, it's more room for Leia and me. I originally modified it back when we got together some twenty years ago to a double; now it's bigger than that. And we have good sheets.
This house is something I've dreamed about, but until about three years ago, I was sure I'd die on Coruscant; Leia's work was there and I figured she'd keep on keeping on, even though she'd gotten way beyond burnt out. Then we came here on vacation three years ago with the kids and had the time of our lives. We decided that this was where we wanted to be.
Leia had decided at that point that she would leave government service and figured it would take her three years to complete all of the commitments she had at that time. She did indeed fulfill them-hey, it's Leia-and we moved forward on settling here. We started looking at houses about eight standard months back, and found this beauty. Nobody's been murdered in it, like in our old flat, but it's still a great house. We managed to get our flat on Coruscant on the cheap because there'd been a sabacc game, lots of intoxicants, blasters, and an argument that ended very, very badly. I thought it gave the place a little cachet myself.
Leia's out in the kitchen putting stuff into the cupboards. The place has an impressive
amount of storage and counter space. I'm used to barely being able to turn around in the kitchen, and the Falcon's galley isn't exactly roomy. Somehow, though, I think we'll manage. It sounds like Leia's having fun, as she's singing a Corellian drinking song while she's working. I have done my share to corrupt her. I plan to corrupt her more later on, but that'll be tonight. Anakin and Jarik are here, in their rooms, probably destroying them already. I have no illusions about them keeping their rooms neat just because they have more space.
I think about space, both both on-planet and off. I've always liked space. It's open, and there's a freedom about it that's indescribable. I'm starting to feel this way about this house.
Of course, no house would be big enough to keep the boys from arguing. From the sound of it, Jarik, who's in charge of Jacen's animals, has brought a snake into Anakin's room. Anakin has inherited my fear of snakes. I'm not proud of it, but I really hate the slithery creatures. I wish Jacen would stick to pittins, whom I actually like. We have the ancient but still hanging in there Spot, and Jacen's Krag and Marsune. They've already made it clear they're taking over.
I'm hooking up the holovision; a man's home can't be his castle without eight hundred channels of nonstop sports. I should make Anakin do it, but he needs to disorganize his room first, and he's too experimental. Fine when it comes to conceiving of how to build a better hyperdrive. Not so great when hooking up home viewing.
"Leia!" I call out.
"Do you need help with something?" she calls back from the kitchen.
"I think we need a bigger holovision. Really." We didn't have a larger one on Coruscant because we had no room. Now, we do.
"Then get one," she says to me. "I'll be in the bedroom, setting things up. Some things have to wait." She winks at me and I feel the familiar tingling setting in. I can't wait for tonight.
But in the meantime, there's home entertainment to be hooked up, crates of gods only know what to be unpacked, and two young sons that have moved on from the snake to arguing about what's most likely Jarik's not simply being satisfied with destroying his own room; the boy's appetite for destruction is amazing.
"Knock it off!" I shout to the two of them. I really don't care what they're going on about. I just want them to shut up. I was hoping I wouldn't hear them as much in a larger place, but I've had all my illusions about that shattered now.
The twins' rooms will go unattended for now. I'll assemble the furniture in there, but the rest is up to them. I think they'll be happy that they can actually move around without crashing into each other. They're at the Praxium, but they're excited about the new place. Jacen fell in love with it when he saw it. Jaina's thriving at the Praxium; Jacen's quieter and a homebody and he's having a rougher go with it. And I miss making music with my oldest son.
I have an office that's large enough for both my work stuff and all of my musical instruments. And we have plenty of space between houses here so that I can practice without anyone complaining.
Chewie's back with more crates.
{{{Last ones}}}, he announces. {{{It's all the holos.}}}
"Oh, good!" a voice calls out from the bedroom. Leia's so happy they've arrived. "I'll start on them right away!"
"Leia, relax," I tell her. "We've got time."
And it hits me. Not only do we now have space, we're entering a phase of our lives where we actually have time. I no longer train pilots, and Leia's only going to be working part-time. I subcontract out some of the work to my fellow smugglers, who don't seem to mind that they've gone legit.
We've been so busy getting ready for this move, I hadn't even thought about having time. Actually, it's been a long, long time since I imagined it. The last twenty years of my life have been, well, a little occupied.
But there will be time. Time to walk on the beach. Time to enjoy leisurely dinners. Time to make love…
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Later on, Leia and I enjoyed a leisurely lovemaking session. It felt so unrushed, so relaxed. Well, we had to break the room in. It'd have been wrong not to.
There's a breeze from the nearby ocean coming in through the window. I couldn't have imagined opening the window on Coruscant, unless I wanted to choke to death. But here, I smell flowers, trees and salt. It's soothing in a way I didn't even consider before we got here.
Three of the four moons cast a glow on both of us. Leia's asleep with her head on my chest, my arm wrapped around her. She looks absolutely beautiful, her long hair flowing everywhere, a peaceful smile on her face.
We've come a long, long way, and it feels as if we're right where we belong.
I kiss the top of Leia's head, and whisper to her, "Welcome home."