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

Chapter 13

We had an incredibly full car on Christmas morning. The festive day was going to be celebrated at Jack's brother's house, which required a bit of a drive to get to. My dad and Ben were visiting for the period, giving Ben his first cold Christmas. This also meant our car now had four people in it. But that wasn't all. Since we were driving from New York City, May was also coming with us, meaning every seat in the car was taken.

I was lucky enough to get the passenger seat as Jack drove. Usually, I wouldn't have minded sitting in the backseat as my dad or May would take the front. But, now with Meerkat, I knew I would get extremely nauseous if I sat in the back of a moving car for over two hours. Fortunately, everybody let me have the passenger seat. Even with a clear view in front of me, I started to get a little dizzy.

When we finally arrived in Jack's brother's neighbourhood, it was almost a picture-perfect Christmas landscape. Every house was adorned with twinkling lights and other Christmas decorations. One house even had a model of Santa's sleigh. The only thing that was missing was the snow-covered lawns.

Jack parked the car on the street, and I took a moment to steady myself before stepping out into the chilly air.

"You good?" May asked as we both stood outside the car after closing our respective doors.

I nodded and took a deep breath in, trying to calm my stomach. "Another half hour in that car and I would have thrown up."

May chuckled sympathetically, her breath creating little clouds in the cold air. "Well, we wouldn't want that on Christmas. Let's get inside where it's warm."

I nodded in agreement, and together, we made our way to Jack's brother's house. My dad and Ben went to help Jack collect gifts from the trunk before following us up the driveway to the front door. The door swung open before we even had a chance to knock, revealing Jack's brother, Joe, beaming at us.

"Hey, you guys made it!" Joe exclaimed, pulling May into a hug before turning to greet the rest of us. "Merry Christmas!"

I was given a hug next before my dad and Ben were given a handshake each. Although I'd met Joe a few times before, this was the first time he was properly meeting my dad and brother other than at our makeup wedding. It was so generous of him to let us bring them along. At the end of the line was Jack, carrying most of the stuff we brought with us. Somehow, he still managed to get a hug as well, but it definitely wasn't the most comfortable one.

"Come on in, make yourselves at home," Joe invited, gesturing to the festively decorated living room.

A towering Christmas tree decorated with colourful lights and an array of ornaments took centre stage, the fireplace crackling with a comforting warmth. The tree was nowhere as extreme as the one Jack and I had in our apartment, nonetheless the house was full of Christmas cheer. Then again, our tree was a bit too much.

May quickly went in to exchange hugs and greet Joe's wife, while my mind immediately went to getting some rest on the couch. In the midst of the joyful chaos, Jack's niece, a baby with rosy cheeks, gurgled happily in a high chair. I found a comfortable spot on the couch and took in the lively scene. Joe's home was cosy and inviting, filled with the warmth of family. My dad and Ben easily settled in, exchanging friendly conversations with Joe and his family.

Jack went ahead and placed all the gifts we had brought along with us underneath the tree. Once everything had found a spot, his eyes landed on me and he slowly came over.

"You feeling okay?" he inquired as he stood in front of me.

Once again, I nodded, my hand running over my belly, "just a little queasy from the car ride, but I'll be fine."

He bent down, pressing a gentle kiss to my forehead. "If you need anything, just let me know."

"Will do," I smiled back.

Jack joined in on the lively conversations, catching up with Joe and his wife. Ben ended up joining me on the couch, leaving the 'adults' to their chatter. It was almost like the two of us were at the kids table, having our own little conversation. I was given a cup of tea by Joe's wife to help calm my stomach, which I gratefully accepted.

The living room buzzed with laughter and the clinking of glasses as the others shared stories and caught up on the events of the past year. Meanwhile, Ben and I carved out our own corner on the couch, immersed in a conversation that swung between school, video games, and the anticipation of opening Christmas presents.

Jack's niece, still seated in her high chair, giggled and babbled in a language only babies seemed to understand. Occasionally, her attention shifted to the colourful lights of the Christmas tree, her tiny hands reaching out in an attempt to grasp the festive ornaments. It only made me more excited to finally properly meet Meerkat and see her grow up.

As the afternoon unfolded, Joe's wife emerged from the kitchen with trays of delicious holiday treats. The scent of freshly baked cookies and the promise of a hearty Christmas feast filled the air, making my stomach growl with hunger despite the earlier bout of queasiness. Although Meerkat liked to make my stomach do flips, she loved food even more.

"Alright, everyone!" Joe announced. "Let's gather around the tree. It's time for presents!"

"Let's first take a photo!" May proposed instead.

"Okay, but we need to take two photos," I instructed as I stood up and before we got into our positions. "One for social media, one for family."

"Is that a necessity these days?" my dad laughed.

I shot him a glare and gently caressed my bump to gesture towards it. "For family, not for social media."

"Ah," he nodded in understanding.

"Then we have one everybody can post wherever they want, and one we just share with close family."

"You're still hiding it from social media?" May asked, genuinely curious about the reasoning.

Jack nodded as he shuffled towards the back of the group. "Yeah, we won't share it until at least a few months after she's born.."

"It hasn't come out yet?"

"As far as we know, no."

"Then I'll be extra careful with what I post today," May smiled, standing next to me.

We all stood in front of the tree, making sure everybody was visible. Jack was behind me, May and my dad each on one of my sides, and Ben was great at blocking Meerkat for the photo we could share on social media. For the one we were taking to share with Jack's parents and other family, Ben took a step to the side and Jack wrapped his arms around me from behind.

After the photos were taken, we all settled back into the cosy living room, eagerly anticipating the exchange of gifts. Jack and I were mainly given joint gifts, all of them for Meerkat. The gifts included things like toys for when Meerkat was a little older, some clothes, and even some necessities like bottles and diapers. We were happy with every single one of them since there was so much we still needed to get before my due date.

Once the gifts were all unwrapped, the family scattered to get ready for the Christmas feast. Jack and I still found ourselves on the couch, taking in the many gifts we had gotten to help prepare us for Meerkat. I was reading the instructions for the baby monitor my dad had gotten for us while Jack found the little booties May had gifted us amusing. He had a finger in each boot, walking them up and down my abdomen.

"These boots were made for walking, and walking's what they'll do..." Jack mumbled mainly towards himself.

I couldn't help but laugh at Jack's playful antics as I put the baby monitor down. "I think you might be having more fun with those than Meerkat will."

He looked up, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Hey, it's important to break in the boots before she wears them. Practical parenting, right?"

I could only smile at him before we shared a kiss, the joy of the moment lingering between us. As we embraced, I couldn't help but feel a profound sense of gratitude for the love and support surrounding us.