World Tour

Brisbane XVIII

The party was in full swing, and in all honesty Eddy was having a really good time. He didn't mind parties so much when it was only people he knew really well. And since they'd only invited their best friends he was good with this one. 
The door bell rang again. 
¨I'll go!¨ he called to Brett and made his way over to the front door. 
He stopped dead though, when he opened it. Ibo was there, grinning broadly at him, his arm around no one other than Elina!
What the fuck? 
¨Er, hi!¨ he said, recovering quickly and stepping aside to let them walk in. 
Elina gave him a quick hug and made her way over to Brett to say hello to him.
¨What gives, Ibo?¨ Eddy said, incredulously.
Ibo gave him another wicked grin.
¨What, you thought you were the only one who'd got some at the wedding?¨
Eddy's eyes opened wide and his jaw dropped. 
Whoa. Ibo and Elina? You could have given him a thousand guesses and he wouldn't have put sweet, shy Elina with brawny, happy-go-lucky Ibo.
¨Wow, that's... that's great!¨ he managed.
Suddenly Ibo's eyes turned serious. 
¨I really like her, Eddy.¨ he said, in a tone that Eddy'd never heard coming out of his mouth before. ¨Don't fucking tell anyone but Brett I told you this, okay?¨
Eddy smiled at him. ¨Of course. I'm happy for you, mate!¨
Wow. Eternal bachelor Ibo, really liking a girl, and Elina, no less? He'd have to look up the weather forecast to check on the expected temperature of hell today...
He didn't have long to dwell on it though, because Brett, standing next to Belle, was gesturing for him to come over. 
The nerves gripped his heart straight away. They were about to give some very big news to their very best friends. 
He took his place next to Brett and looked at him. Brett waved his hand to indicate he should talk.
Okay. He would talk.
¨Right, guys,¨ he started. ¨We're hosting a party because we want to see you all, but also because we have some news to share.¨
¨Don't tell me you're pregnant, because I won't believe you!¨ Ibo called from the back of the room, eliciting a roar of laughter from the little crowd. 
Eddy smiled at how you could always count on Ibo to break the tension, even if he had no idea how right he was. He waited for the laughter to die down and continued.
¨Well, no, I myself am not pregnant, thank you very much, Ibo.¨
Ibo mimed taking off a hat and bowed.
¨But we do want you all to be among the very first to know that... that Belle is pregnant with our twins.¨
For a moment you could have heard a pin drop as every pair of eyes in the room widened and everyone's jaw fell at the same time. 
Ibo was, not surprisingly, the first to recover. He rushed forward and looked right at Belle's belly, his head whipping back and forth between her belly and Brett and Eddy. 
¨What, for real? You... you're having babies? Belle is carrying your babies?¨
¨Yes, she is. She's giving us the greatest gift anyone's ever given anyone¨ Brett said, putting his hand on Ibo's shoulder. His voice was soft, but still everyone heard him in the resounding silence. 
Belle smiled and lifted up her t-shirt a bit. Several of their friends gasped as they saw her developing bump, and suddenly everyone was talking at once.
¨Oh my God, you're really going to be a family?¨ Elina said, her eyes a little teary. ¨I can't believe it, this is so great!¨ 
Eddy nodded as he got swept up in another hug. 
¨Mates, this is awesome.¨ Ibo said gruffly, moving to put his arm around Belle's shoulders.
¨You okay there, little missy?¨ 
Belle smiled. ¨Yes, I'm very well. It's a great process to be a part of.¨
Suddenly everyone was coming forward and congratulating them and there were happy faces all around. Eddy breathed a sigh of relief that he didn't even know he'd had inside him. But seeing all their friends being happy for them, supporting them... he was so very grateful it was like this. They even got offers to babysit from several of their friends, which he was sure would come in very handy indeed in a few month's time. 

A few hours later Eddy was slightly drunk, Brett was quite drunk and Ibo was very drunk. Belle had gone home already, saying she was a bit tired, as had most of their other friends. They all had danced, they had chatted and a glow of happiness had taken up residence inside Eddy.
It was just Brett and him and Elina and Ibo now.
'Elina and Ibo.' That had quite a nice ring to it, really. 
¨Imma head home as well, guys.¨ Ibo slurred then. ¨You don't want me passin' out on your couch now, do ya?¨
Elina smiled. ¨I'll get him home safe.¨  
¨You sure you're okay?¨ Eddy asked as he got up to see them out.
¨Yeah, fine. I only had one glass of wine.¨
He gave her a hug. ¨Take care, Elina.¨
¨Will do!¨ She put her arm around Ibo, who wasn't at his most steady right this second, and they walked off to her car. 
When he turned round Brett was eyeing him curiously.
¨So, they a thing now?¨ he said, his speech also slightly slurred.
¨Apparently, yes. And get this, he said he really likes her.¨
Brett looked at him, astounded. ¨What? Wow!¨
¨I know, right? Go figure.¨
He walked over to Brett and put his arms around him, nuzzling his nose into Brett's hair.
¨That couldn't have gone better, hey?¨ he said softly in his ear, kissing the soft spot underneath his ear. 
¨Hmmm...¨ Brett groaned. ¨That's nice. No, it couldn't have gone any better.¨
Eddy smiled at affectionate, drunk Brett. 
¨Come on, let's get you to bed, huh?¨ he said. 
Brett smiled crookedly.
¨Okay, as long as you join me.¨
Eddy chuckled, knowing full well Brett would fall asleep the second his head hit the pillow.
¨Sure thing, my love. Come on then.¨