Chapter 48

Three months later…

Han and Leia were making their way to Luke's apartment to talk about planning a baby shower. Leia was not pleased.

"Han, I do not want a baby shower! I don't want people talking about how cute everything is and fawning over me! You're bad enough as it is," Leia said.

"C'mon Leia! Everyone wants to give you a baby shower! We're the first ones to be pregnant," Han argued. "And I do not fawn."

"What do you mean 'we're the first ones to be pregnant'? I'd like to see you pregnant!" Leia returned. "And you do too fawn!"

Han grumbled at her last comment, then said, "You know what I mean. You're the first one of our friends to be pregnant, and I'm sure everyone wants to give you a baby shower."

"I'm the only one of our friends who's a woman! Of course I'm the first one to be pregnant. I'm the only one who can be!"

"Well, you do have friends who are women…" Han started.

"Like who?" she demanded.

"I dunno. There's Mon Mothma – she's always fun at parties. There're probably some others, too."

"You see! You can't even think of anyone else. Who would put on the party, then?"

"Hey, us men can put on a perfectly good baby shower! That's why we're going to Luke's place, ya know."

"Ha! I'd like to see a baby shower put on by Han Solo and Luke Skywalker. What's the big deal, anyway? We already know that we're going to love our son. Why do we need to have a party?"

"Ya know, to get stuff for the baby…"

"So basically you want to put on a party to get free things for the baby? At my expense?"

"Pretty much, yeah," Han grinned.

Leia let out a loud, frustrated sigh and stalked away, in the direction of Luke's apartment.

"Aw, c'mon Leia. You'll have a good time, I promise. We won't make it embarrassing for you or anything."

She fumed silently, then mumbled, "I doubt it."

"Seriously! And if you don't want to think about it like an opportunity to get free stuff, think about it as 'a celebration of our child.'"

Leia stopped in the middle of the hall, turning around hesitantly. "Well, that sounds a little bit better. Do you think that I would be able to get a nice massaging chair at the shower? My back's been killing me."

Han reached her and wrapped his arms around her expanding middle. "Oh, I think you could if you asked for it. You don't really need a chair to massage you though, do you? I thought that's what you have me for."

"You're right about that!" she said. "So if I don't get a chair, do you need to promise to massage my back and feet twice a night and once every morning?"

"Hmm…I think I can do that," he conceded. "If you promise to let us give you a baby shower."

She sighed. "Okay. I still don't understand why you're so adamant, though."

"I have my reasons," he claimed with a wink. He bent down and kissed her, tension gone between them. "I think Luke's gonna get a kick out of this party."

"Why?" she asked.

"Well, he'll be the proud uncle, so that'll make him happy. And you know he hasn't let loose for a while. He can get nice and drunk…"

"Wait! What do you mean by that? Why would there be alcohol at a baby shower?"

He shrugged. "There's alcohol at all parties."

"But that's not fair! Everyone can drink except for me!"

"Don't you want people to come?"

Leia raised her arms in defeat. "I give up. Let's just go to Luke's. He must be wondering where we are."

They walked to Luke's door and rang the doorbell. The door opened almost immediately, and Luke greeted them. He then led them to his living room, where he sat down on a couch, setting a book entitled Baby Showers and You on his lap.

"So, Han finally convinced you about the baby shower? Took him long enough."

"Hey!" Han protested.

"So why do you care so much about the party?" Leia asked her brother. "And why do you have that book?

"This book happens to be an ancient book that the Jedi kept in their secret records, providing insight on how The Baby Shower is the key to attaining perfect oneness with the Force. I care about The Baby Shower because only through this can you truly become a Jedi," he said straight-faced.

"Seriously, Luke," Leia urged.

"What? You mean you don't believe me?" Luke asked, feigning shock. "Okay, okay. I care because I want to have a party celebrating my soon-to-be-born nephew. And I have this book because I want to have a good party."

"I still don't understand why you men want to have this so badly. All the baby showers I've been to have little games, gossiping women, cute little decorations…"

"But remember, this baby shower is actually going to be good. Don't worry – you have a Jedi and a General on the mission. There's no way that we can mess it up."

"You want to stake your life on it?" Leia asked.

Neither Han nor Luke responded.