Authors note: since you asked, here's a bonus chapter, but definitely the last for this book. See you soon!
October 2022
'Jack, can you set the table before everyone gets here please' Amy called from the kitchen, in between banging about some pots and pans.
'What way round does it go again?' He replied.
'Fork, then spoon at the top, then knife' she reminded him, he never remembered.
'I don't understand why they call it a knife and fork then. Why not a fork and knife if that's how it goes' he shook his head and wandered off. She had to laugh. Some of the stuff Jack came out with was comedy gold, and the best part was, he didn't even realise.
Today, their families were coming round for Amy's famous roast dinner, and they wanted it to be special. Their first proper family meal in their new home.
'Can I do anything else to help?' Jack asked reappearing in the kitchen.
'Give me a kiss maybe?' She smiled at him.
He put his hands around her waist and pulled her in close, 'I could give you more than a kiss' he whispered.
'And I could burn the Yorkshire puddings! So you'll need to save that thought til later' she laughed.
He rolled his eyes playfully. 'Such a tease, I mean look at you in that sexy little apron' he laughed.
'My Gran's wedding present covered in flowers, you mean? Yeah it's a definite turn on' she rolled her eyes.
Jack's phone buzzed and he managed to pull himself away from her.
'That's Mum, Dad and Hollie here, I'll let them in' Jack said excitedly.
Chilly and Laura were next to arrive, soon followed by Kevan, Keira, Andy and Lorna..
'That smells unreal' said Chilly as he walked in.
'Dinners ready, have a seat and Jack come and help me please' Amy shouted.
'What a good wee husband' laughed Laura, sending Chilly to help Jack carry the plates.
'Seriously, Amy made this all herself?' Asked Karen as Jack laid hers in front of her.
'She makes the best roast I've ever had, apart from yours obviously Mum' said Jack with a smirk on his face.
'Aims, do you want a glass of red?' Laura shouted to Amy who was just finishing in the kitchen.
'No, she can't' said Jack, as Amy came and sat beside him.
'Is it your liver thing again? What's the doctor saying?' Asked Lorna, sounding concerned.
Jack looked at Amy and smiled, 'no, she's pregnant. We're having a baby'
'We're going to be aunties!' squealed Laura to Keira and Hollie.
'And we're going to be Grannies' Lorna said to Karen excitedly.
'So, tell us everything then' asked Keira. Jack was so excited about telling them all that he didn't even let Amy get a word in.
'She's 13 weeks today, baby is due the start of March, we had our first scan yesterday and everything is fine, look I've got the photos on my phone' Jack showed everyone the pictures
'So basically, what Jack's saying here is that we're over the moon' laughed Amy after he finally took a breath from pointing out the babies hands and feet to everyone.
'That's not the only big news we've got' said Amy.
'Go on' said Kevin.
'I've been asked to go to Qatar by the BBC to present some of the football games. Obviously I was working with BBC Scotland, so they saw me there and thought a random Scottish lassie with a second name like Grealish might do a decent job'
'Wait, so you're going to be working in Qatar for the world cup when you're pregnant?' Asked Lorna, who clearly didn't think it was a good idea.
'It's all checked out and I'll be safe to fly, don't worry. The only issue is Jack really, he still needs to get himself selected for the England team otherwise it'll be him watching me on the tv and not the other way around' she said sticking her tongue out at him.
'No pressure there Jack then' laughed Chilly.
'None whatsoever' laughed Jack.
'How's the wedding plans going?' Keira asked Chilly and Laura.
'The date is booked for July next year, we're going for the works, so none of you are invited' Chilly laughed
'Ben, stop talking rubbish, of course you're all invited' said Laura, nudging him under the table.
'Oooh Ben' laughed Jack. 'Is that what she calls you when you're in trouble?'
'Yeah, just remember to take your pill when you go on honeymoon or this is what happens' Amy whispered to Laura.
*****
March 2023
The baby was now officially overdue. Amy drew yet another Red Cross on the calendar to remind herself that the tonne weight she was carrying inside her uterus still hadn't emerged yet. When the midwife had cheerfully reminded her the day before that babies can come up to two weeks after the lot due date, Amy had never wanted to punch someone so much in her whole life. She was so grateful that they were going to have a baby, but at the same time she'd had enough of pregnancy.
Jack had wanted to stay home from training just in case but she'd made him go, the last thing she wanted was him fussing around her like he had been the last few weeks. She couldn't even go for a pee without him asking if she was okay. She just wanted to go for a long bath, watch crap tv, eat chocolate and feel sorry for herself on her own for a bit.
The baby gave her a sharp kick as she walked towards the bathroom. She rubbed her belly and spoke to him. 'I've told you, the football training starts after you can walk wee man' she laughed. Her and Jack were already 'debating' if he'd play for Celtic or Villa. She'd told Jack that if she was giving birth to him, she was deciding. Celtic it was.
She waddled through to the bathroom and turned the taps on, pouring half a bottle of radox in because apparently it contained Clary Sage which she'd read could help induce labour. She did a few a few squats and lunges as the bath filled, she would try almost anything to start labour now. She could only imagine how she looked doing it with her massive belly. That wasn't the worst of it though, she now also had the biggest nipples she'd ever seen, and they kept firing milk at Jack in bed.
The bath full, she sank in and turned the TV on. What could she watch? Free Willy felt the most appropriate, but she settled on Step Brothers. She'd also read laughing released endorphins to help Labour.
The open credits hadn't even finished when Jack called to check in.
'I just got to training and wanted to make sure if everything is still okay?' he asked.
'No Jack, I gave birth to quads on the kitchen floor. Don't you think I'd call you if anything had happened?' she sighed.
'I'm sorry, I'm just excited Aims and I'm just trying my best to be there for you too' his sad voice made her feel guilty. She'd been so mean to him recently.
'No, I'm sorry, it's just me being a bitch again' she sighed. 'I'm just so over being pregnant now' she laughed, then groaned as a pain shot across her belly.
'Are you okay?' Asked Jack.
'I dunno, that kind of hurt. Probably more of those fake contractions again' she replied.
'That's it, I'm coming home' said Jack, she heard him turn the car engine on.
'Go to training, you heard the midwife, first labours take ages. Even if it did start now, you could do training and then play a full 90 minutes and I'd still be no further forward. So go and train, please'
He turned the engine off. 'If anything happens phone me. I've got my watch on so I'll know'
'Goodbye Jack, I love you'
'Love you too, and you too baby boy' he shouted, as if his son could hear him.
She sighed and lay back in the water. A good ten minutes passed and then she got the pain again. This time it felt a bit sharper. Somehow she knew, this was it, she went to phone Jack but stopped herself. It was going to take ages, she'd just give it a little longer to make sure it really was it.
She opened the app that Jack had downloaded on her phone and began to time the contractions, they went rapidly down from 9 minutes apart to 5 minutes. Time to call Jack, and almost time for the hospital.
'I'm on my way!' He shouted back down the phone at her. 'She's having the baby' she heard him shout excitedly to everyone before he hung up.
Next was the doula and the midwife, to let them know they'd soon be on their way to hospital.
Amy hauled herself out of the bath, but as she bent down to get her towel, pop, her waters went all over the floor. She screamed as the biggest contraction yet swept through her body, leaving her breathless.
'Hurry up Jack' she said out loud. She knew he would be as fast as he could be, the training ground was only 20 odd minutes away anyway. She just hoped he wouldn't drive like an idiot and get himself another ban.
Another pain coursed through her body. Amy was starting to panic, she called the midwife back.
'I don't think I'm going to make it to the owwwww'
'I'm on my way Amy' she replied, instantly she knew by the noises coming from Amy that this baby wasn't hanging around.
'Hello? Aims? Where are you?' Shouted Jack from downstairs.
'Bathroom, argh' she screamed. He sprinted up the stairs and couldn't believe the sight of her bent over the bath.
'Jesus Christ' he said.
'Jack, I can feel the head' she screamed.
'You what?'
'The baby's coming now, you need to help. I need to push'
Jack froze. 'Shouldn't we wait for the midwife?'
'If I could fucking wait don't you fucking think I would?' she shouted.
Amy lowered herself to the floor and looked at Jack.
'You ready?' She asked as the next contraction hit.
Jack nodded but he wasn't, and he definitely wasn't prepared to see her vagina look like that.
Amy's face began to turn purple as she pushed, she grabbed his hand as tight as she could.
' I can see his head Aims' said Jack. 'His hair is black' Jack swallowed hard. This was the scariest thing he'd ever done.
She began to pant. 'It hurts' she screamed.
Then with the next contraction she pushed with all her might.
'His heads out Aims' said Jack as if she didn't already know.
She began to push again and Jack caught their baby boy as he was born. It took a second but soon his newborn cries filled the bathroom.
'You did it Aims' Jack said, crying as he looked down at their angry looking baby in his arms.
'No, we did it Jack' said Amy, crying too. Seeing him like that with their very own baby melted her heart. Jack carefully handed the baby to Amy and grabbed some clean towels to wrap them in.
When the midwife arrived minutes later she couldn't believe that the baby had already been born, and delivered by his daddy too. She showed Jack how to cut the cord and he held the baby whilst the midwife helped Amy to deliver the placenta. He was such a natural, rocking him back and forth and talking to him about anything and everything.
'And your Daddy is going to take you to Villa park to watch the best team play with your Grandads, yes I am little man' she heard him say. It was melting her heart just listening to him.
'So do we have a name for baby yet?' the midwife asked.
'Yeah, his name is James Kevin Grealish' replied Jack. 'And he's going to play for Villa and England when he grows up'
'Or Celtic and Scotland, you never know' joked Amy.
'I'm going start teaching him the words to 'It's coming home' and then he'll know where its at' Jack laughed. 'Listen to Daddy, James. It's coming home, it's coming home, it's coming, football's coming home'
#TeamGrealishForever