Growing with J.A.C.I.E. (All Time Low Fanfiction | Jack Barakat)

Chapter 5

The journey back to New York actually felt longer than the one that took us on our vacation despite it technically being shorter. The bustling city was overwhelming after spending two weeks in wide-open spaces amongst majestic wildlife. Once the plane touched down, I couldn't help but wish we were back in a place where we didn't have any care in the world.

A taxi ride through the city ended up bringing us right up to our apartment building. My legs felt heavy as we climbed up the steps to the communal front door. Although I was lucky enough to not have gotten extreme nausea on the plane this time, I really struggled to get comfortable in my chair. I had to get up to walk up and down the aisle more often than I wanted to.

We took the elevator up to our floor and I was the one to unlock our door. The familiar scent of our New York apartment greeted me. We'd spent two days here before our vacation, but it only felt like we were truly coming back now. This was going to be our home for the foreseeable future. Since we didn't want to travel back and forth while I was pregnant, my studio was here, and the doctor here was great, we decided we would settle here and not LA. At least until the baby was a few months old.

I immediately flipped on one of the light switches, the little lights illuminating a few of our record plaques and other paraphernalia turning on.

"It's good to be home," Jack sighed as he put the suitcase outside our bedroom door.

I nodded and sank into the couch, the exhaustion starting to hit now that we were in a safe space again. We had a lot of laundry to do, as well as the rest of the bag to unpack, but that was going to have to come the next day. I just needed some rest first.

"Onto the next adventure." Jack joined me on the couch, wrapping an arm around my shoulders.

I raised an eyebrow at him. "Next adventure?

"Yes, it's awaiting us right here." He slipped his hand onto my abdomen that had definitely become more pronounced during our trip. "Our little meerkat."

I chuckled softly. After the safari in which I got super excited about seeing meerkats, Jack had gone ahead and coined a nickname for our unborn baby. It started as a joke, much like when we referred to the fruits and vegetables that represented the baby's size. But it stuck. Our baby would forever be our meerkat.

I leaned my head against his shoulder, looking up at him. His gaze lovingly stayed on my belly before slowly travelling up to my face. We shared a smile before he gently leaned in and gave me a soft lingering kiss. I closed my eyes, savouring the moment of calm before delving into the tasks that awaited us.

"Oh, wait!" Jack suddenly jumped up and rushed over to the suitcase. He zipped it open and pulled out a meerkat plushy. "The first item for the nursery."

"You really are leaning into this meerkat thing," I laughed.

"Meerkats are curious and social, just like their mom."

The mention of being a mom sent a wave of realisation through me. Life wasn't just going to be me and Jack anymore. Our entire lives were going to change, we had to be responsible for a whole human being. I mean, I knew that it was going to happen. That's what came with being parents. But it truly hit me now. These were the last few months it would just be me and Jack.

"You alright?" Jack checked, noticing that I got lost in my thoughts.

I nodded, the soft smile reappearing. "Yeah. It just hit me all at once. We're actually going to be parents."

Jack sat back down, the plushy now settled between us. "It's a good thing, right?"

"Absolutely. We're just officially starting a new chapter."

"No more drunk nights in Vegas for us," he chuckled.

"No more drunk nights in Vegas for us..." I repeated absentmindedly in agreement before shaking myself back to reality and starting to get up. "I'm thirsty, you want something?"

Jack started to sit up as well. "Oh, let me get it."

"I can still do things myself." I held out my hand to stop him and laughed.

Luckily, Jack didn't argue and let me be. I walked over to our kitchen, pulling open the fridge to see what we had. That was one of the perks of having family in both New York and LA. There was always somebody to bring us groceries before we even arrived. It meant we didn't immediately have to go out for groceries. My dad took on the task in LA, and May often did it in New York.

The fridge was full of different kinds of foods, already instigating cravings I knew I'd have later on. What stood out the most was a little paper note placed on some tupperware. I pulled it out and found a handwritten note:

A home cooked meal for your first night back – May

I quickly reached in to see what she had left for us, my eyes going wide with anticipation. Who knew my day could be made just because I knew what I'd be getting for dinner later that day.

"May made her bolognese sauce for us!" I excitedly shouted to Jack. "God, I could kiss her!"

Jack's voice echoed from the living room, "Well, she's not here, so I'll gladly accept the kiss on her behalf!"

I chuckled, shaking my head at Jack's playful response as I put the tupperware back into the fridge for the evening. May's thoughtful gesture warmed my heart, and I couldn't wait to enjoy the home-cooked meal after our exhausting journey. She knew exactly what I needed.

I got myself and Jack a glass of juice before returning to the living room. Jack threw down some coasters on the coffee table for me to place the glasses on. I immediately let myself fall down on the couch again, a wave of exhaustion washing over me. The fatigue of the journey caused me to yawn loudly.

"Tired?" Jack rolled his head to look at me.

I nodded, leaning into him. "Jet lag and pregnancy fatigue are a powerful combo."

He placed a gentle kiss on the top of my head. "How about a quick nap, then I'll tackle the suitcase after and we can have dinner?"

"That sounds like the perfect plan," I murmured, already feeling the pull of drowsiness. The comfort of our couch, combined with Jack's reassuring presence, made the idea of a short nap incredibly appealing.

Jack shifted slightly, so that we could both lie down. For now, we could still fit on the couch together, Jack on his back while I was on my side against the backrest. It always felt so comforting falling asleep on the couch together. It was on a whole different level than taking a nap on our bed.

I chuckled, amused by his impromptu position change. "You're turning into quite the accommodating husband."

He grinned. "Gotta keep my pregnant wife comfortable."