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

Chapter 21

"Hey," my dad said sweetly as he carefully entered the hospital room.

I smiled back at him from my bed, "hi."

Jack was standing next to me, busy packing up all of our stuff so we'd be able to go home as soon as we were ready. We'd already been shown how to do some basic things, such as giving our precious baby a bath, and we were given a standard talk about what to do and what not to do. For the time being, I was still taking some time to rest in bed before I was officially discharged and allowed to go home.

The most important thing in the room, though, was the little plastic bassinet to my left. Our daughter was swaddled tightly in her light green blanket and little white hat. She was sleeping tightly, but I knew she'd probably wake up at any moment. At this point, she needed feeding every two hours. The two of us were still struggling to get the hang of that, though. Luckily, a nurse would be coming by again to help out before we took her home.

My dad gently closed the door behind himself, his eyes falling on the bassinet. As he walked up towards it, he got the biggest grin.

"Well, look at that," he exclaimed in a hushed voice, careful not to disturb the sleeping baby.

"Come meet your granddaughter," I invited, beckoning him to come closer.

My dad approached the bassinet with a mixture of awe and tenderness. I couldn't help but beam with pride and excitement. Jack turned away from the bag he was packing and smiled as well. As my dad gazed down at the tiny, slumbering form, his eyes softened.

"She's beautiful," he whispered, running a gentle finger over her small hand. "Absolutely beautiful."

"Well, she takes after her mom," Jack commented, looking at me with a loving gaze.

"You did good," my dad chuckled and looked between the two of us. "Now, what's her name?"

I pointed at the bassinet, trying to hold back my anticipation. "It's on there."

Initially, he looked a little confused as he searched for where I was pointing towards. But once he spotted the little name card, his eyes widened his surprise and pure joy spread across his face.

"You named her after me?" he looked up at me and Jack, his voice catching in his throat.

"You and Jack's mom," I corrected, but nodded nonetheless, feeling the emotions bubbling up inside me as well.

My dad's eyes glistened, and he looked at the baby with newfound tenderness. "Really?"

"We wanted her to carry a piece of both our families," Jack added as he moved closer.

My dad was visibly moved, and for a moment, he seemed at a loss for words. He blinked rapidly, as if trying to hold back tears. Before I could fully appreciate his reaction, he pulled Jack into a hug. They embraced each other tightly, clapping each other on the back a few times. I could feel a knot forming in my throat as I witnessed the display of affection.

Once they let go of each other, my dad came over to me and gave me a hug as well, kissing me on the cheek. I sat up straighter, doing my best to wrap my arms around him as well. Everything inside of me was still a little painful and uncomfortable, but at least it was all for a good reason.

My dad moved back to the bassinet and gently stroked our baby's cheek.

"Eliza Stevie Joy," he whispered, as if testing the name on his lips. "It's perfect."

"It's almost as long as my name," I laughed. She'd only been born with one less name than me. But Eliza's names weren't forged in indecisiveness and conflict, they only grew out of the love we shared.

I glanced over at the bassinet, where Eliza continued to sleep soundly, oblivious to the heartfelt moment unfolding around her. The combination of exhaustion, joy, and the overwhelming love I felt for my daughter made tears well up in my eyes.

"Thanks for coming back in time for all of this, Dad," I said, my voice filled with emotion. "I couldn't have done the first few hours without you."

"It's what I do as a dad," he shrugged as if it was no big deal. "Now, when are you three free to go home? I've made sure the nursery and cot beside your bed are all set up."

"Once the nurse comes back to check on Eliza and gives us the green light," Jack replied, zipping up the bag. "We're going to try to feed her one last time before we go."

As if on cue, there was a gentle knock on the door and Eliza started stirring. The nurse, a warm and friendly woman with a reassuring smile, entered the room. She carried a small bundle of items in her hands – a stack of paperwork and a few pamphlets. Her eyes immediately went to Eliza, and she couldn't help but smile at the sight of the peacefully sleeping baby.

"Hello there," she greeted, her voice soft. "How's our little Eliza doing?"

"A little hungry, I think," I chuckled when little cries came out of her body.

The nurse carefully approached the bassinet, her experienced hands reaching in to gently scoop up Eliza. "Let's have a look at you, sweetheart."

She started checking her vital signs and giving her a quick examination. It was all routine checks before we got to take her home. This nurse had been with us for most of the day, being more than helpful. She was the gentlest with Eliza and answered any questions we had.

"Jacie, would you like to give breastfeeding another try?" she asked, knowing that I was still having a bit of a struggle with it.

I nodded, feeling a mix of determination and nervousness. I knew it could take a while to figure it out, but I was still afraid that it was possibly never going to work out. Although I knew there were other options if it came to it, I really wanted to give this a shot. I wanted the bonding moments, even if it meant getting up every two hours at night.

The nurse gently handed Eliza back to me, arranging her comfortably in my arms. She adjusted the pillows and helped me find a comfortable position. Meanwhile, Jack pulled up a chair, ready to offer his support.

"Remember, it's a learning process for both you and Eliza," the nurse reassured, her calm demeanour putting me at ease.

I positioned Eliza carefully, taking extra caution with her head and neck. With the nurse's guidance, we attempted to try this breastfeeding thing again. It required a lot of patience and some encouragement, but eventually we found our rhythm. Eliza finally latched on properly and started nursing. A sense of accomplishment and relief washed over me. Jack and I exchanged proud smiles, witnessing our baby girl thrive in our arms.

It wasn't much longer until we got our official discharge. We were given some more information to help prepare us for parenthood, and were told to take our time. Jack picked up the car seat, and we carefully bundled Eliza, making sure she was snug and secure. It required gentle hands and a bit of fumbling around, but eventually she was ready to go home.

My dad insisted on carrying the diaper bag, taking his role as a proud grandpa seriously. As we slowly made our way down the hospital corridor, I couldn't help but feel a mix of excitement and nervousness. We were officially parents now. There was no turning back. It was daunting yet so exhilarating. This was the next chapter of our lives.

Once we reached the car, my dad stood by to give Jack assistance as he installed the car seat. We'd practised before, but it was different with an actual fragile baby in the seat. My dad kept the situation light by sharing anecdotes from when he used to do the same for me. Everything, no matter how prepared or unprepared we felt, was going to have to take getting used to.

Finally, with Eliza safely in the car, we were ready to head home. Jack took the driver's seat, and I sat in the back, next to Eliza, ready to keep an eye on her. The entire journey home, I kept stealing glances at her, her tiny fingers wrapped around one of mine. This was the start of our next adventure.