When Luke reached the top of the gantry, the first thing he noticed – or perhaps the second – was the fact that Aubé's whole body had changed practically overnight.
Standing next to her brother, Kay'leb, the simple tunic top and flack jacket she wore couldn't disguise the now prominent bump that rested just below her breast-bone.
"Cold…" she muttered, even as Luke took off his cloak and wrapped it around her shoulders. "Where's Pem?"
"With Chewie and Han on the landing pad," Luke whispered in her ear as he nuzzled her cheek tenderly. "We shouldn't keep them waiting too long…"
"You should take my sister home right away, Master Skywalker," Kay'leb said with unaccustomed tenderness. "It's been a long journey."
Affection became concern as Luke wrapped his arms around his wife. He turned his attention to Kay'leb, who's sightless, milky eyes met his own. "Is she all right?"
"She is fine, Luke," Aubé grumbled, although her pallor belied this fact. "I just want to get home and get some sleep…"
"Our father has secured lodgings for myself and Toa in the Senate District," Kay'leb said as he handed Luke a small vial filled with a light blue liquid. "This will help ease the nausea, and help her rest – "
"Don't need it Kay," Aubé snarled, regaining some of her fire. "Stop pushing your potions on me!"
"Now dear sister," Kay'leb said, stroking her cheek. "If you had actually used some of my potions you wouldn't be in this predicament…"
"All right you two," Luke interrupted the siblings, far from being in the mood for such banter. "Let's go collect our daughter…"
As they walked down the ramp together, with Kay'leb leading, and then joined by Toa, Aubé seemed to perk up in the fresh air. The cheers and calls from the sidelines made her blush, and she snuggled closer to Luke. "Maybe I'm not so tired after all," she purred. "You know, kinda continue what we started on the holo call…"
"Oh of course," Luke replied absently, looking around. "Anything you like…"
Aubé stopped cold, pulling on his arm. "Luke, is something wrong?"
"No… Nothing's wrong Bé," he replied as he turned to her and smiled. "Just a feeling… but you were saying?"
"You, me…"
"And the bump," Luke finished for her. "Are you sure it'll be… well… you know?"
"Wild and noisy?" Aubé asked innocuously. "Probably. I hope we don't have neighbors…"
Now it was Luke's turn to blush. "Well yeah, that too – but I mean –"
"He's barely the size of your finger, Luke," She replied, patting her belly. "Most of this is just natural padding! He'll be fine…"
"If you say so," Luke muttered, looking at his feet. "But come on, they're waiting for us…"
Aubé laughed and lightly licked his ear. "Come on then, Fly-boy," she giggled. "Let's not keep our reception waiting."
He nodded as they resumed their walk across the landing pad, excited about the prospects for the evening, but unable to shake the feeling that he had just missed something, or even someone vital…
TBC
