Waving merrily to a couple of neighbors, Marxx pulled his XG82 landspeeder into the driveway of his and Jaina’s bungalow on Naboo. He deeply inhaled the warm, Nubian afternoon air and enjoyed the sensation of the pleasantly warm wind caressing his skin. The day was glorious, mostly because he and Jaina were home and finally away from Coruscant. After practically dragging Jaina kicking and screaming away from her Senatorial duties to begin her maternity leave, they returned to their cottage in the Lake Country on the planet where they had wed over three years ago.

Massaging his hand over his tanned neck, Marxx wove his fingers through his thick, curly brown hair and then launched himself out of the speeder. Whistling, he scratched his chest through his soft, white, cotton shirt. He grabbed three bags of groceries and proceeded to the front door. Barely able to see over the groceries, he reached out with the Force and opened the obstacle.

A wave of intense sadness greeted him as he entered the cottage. Shouting in a muffled voice over the bags of food, he asked, “Jaina baby, what’s the matter?” Grunting, he threw down the bags haphazardly onto the counter and raced towards the source of the radiating despair. Behind him, the bags fell over, causing bright yellow limons and purple pallenberries to escape and bounce onto the floor.

His bright blue eyes filled with relief at seeing his very pregnant wife, Jaina, sitting comfortably on the couch. Her light brown hair sat in messy clumps around her head, and her eyes puffed red from crying. She snorted and then noisily blew into a tissue.

Marxx sat beside his wife and gently stroked back her hair. Lightly he placed his lips on her forehead and he cooed, “What’s the matter, honey?”

The sound of crashing metal filled the room and Marxx turned his head towards the holovision. Jaina was watching the show “Demolition Wars” where rogue mechanics fixed up derelict spacecrafts from junkyards, reassembled them, only to crash into each other after making them space-worthy. Peaking his brow curiously at his wife, Marxx waited for her to reply.

Snorting again, she stammered, “Th..th…they rebuilt…a beautiful…Correl..lian.. Jumpm…master200 and ju..jusst SMASHED the darned thing into oblivion! Look at it, Marxx!”

Furrowing his dark brows tightly together in utter confusion he glanced at the holovision with wonder. Pieces of flotsam and spare parts spun in open space as a Correllian Outrider continued to pummel the charred remains of a burning vessel. Placing a hand over his mouth to hide a smirk, Marxx quickly pulled his wife into his chest and consoled, “You’re right, that’s just such a waste, hon.”

Grabbing onto his shirt, Jaina bawled into the fabric. Marxx connected with the Force to enhance his strength so as not to burst out laughing. Sniffling, Jaina pulled herself up and stared in Marxx’s eyes. A loopy smile crossed her lips as she asked, “I sound like a complete idiot, don’t I?”

A genuine smile broke across Marxx’s face as love swelled his heart from her question. He replied, “No, Jaina. You’re just unique in what you find to be sad is all.” He reached forward and gently rubbed his hand over her protruding belly and gently kissed her full lips.

Giggling, Jaina broke from their kiss and commented, “You really do deserve to be a Jedi Master in being able to put up with me and my mood swings.”

“Yeah well, it’s a tough job but someone’s gotta do it,” Marxx teased. Still stroking Jaina’s belly, he felt it shudder under his massaging. “He’s certainly active isn’t he?”

Moaning, Jaina replied, “I think he wants out as much as I do. Don’t get me wrong, I love being pregnant, but enough is ENOUGH! Look at me, Marxx. I look as big as a house.”

Brushing her hair back, Marxx flattered, “No, you don’t. You look beautiful, Jaina. Your skin is glowing…”

“…From perspiring so much. It takes me four minutes just to launch myself off of this couch. I have to plan ahead for my trips to the refresher,” Jaina groaned, moping.

Marxx held his tongue and continued to stroke Jaina’s hair. She continued, “I’m really sick of crying. I really just want to be me again.”

“I know this has been hard on you, Jaina. But from what I understand most women go through this. Unfortunately, the mood swings go along with being pregnant.”

“Yeah, but most women will be blissfully happy at times. I’m rarely happy. All I want to do is bawl my eyes out or get so angry I want to hit something,” she responded. Her lips drooped into a quivering frown. “I’ve been just [i]horrible[/i] to you.”