A/N: I'm vvv sorry for my absence school has been kicking my ass but I'm gonna try to update more and if you still read this story then I love you very much ok enjoy lovelies!
As Grayson and Emily walked into a firework stand along with Emily's father, grandfather, and two uncles, the group was more than ready to pick some out. Fourth of July was in two days, and the group of six was excited to prepare.
All of Emily's life, she had looked forward to going firework shopping with her family. Something that usually was a manly activity in her family never failed to include her. This year, they were more than happy to allow Grayson into their little tradition.
"Don't forget, Mom said that we have to get a "Bad Mother-in-Law" this year," Emily said to her father as they began looking around. Her uncles and grandfather had gone to the other side of the tent, leaving Emily, Grayson, and John together.
At twenty-four weeks, Emily and Grayson were more excited everyday for their little girl.
"I know," John said with a laugh. "She makes us get one every year."
Emily smiled and went to pick up the firework her mother had requested. Within seconds, she had both Grayson and her father scolding her that she didn't need to be carrying something that heavy.
"I'm pregnant, not an invalid," she huffed, her father having beat Grayson to taking the firework out of her hand.
"I know that," Grayson said calmly. "We just need your focus to be on the little one."
Emily sighed and nodded, relenting to not picking up anymore fireworks.
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After the group had gotten fireworks, they had gone back to Emily's parents' house to hang out. They quickly threw on their swimsuits to go join in on the fun in the pool.
Outside Emily and Grayson found Aunt Mic, Ella, Emily's Uncle Seth, Emily's Uncle Andrew but they called him Red due to his red hair, and Emily's family's friends the Stevens- Trisha, Gavin, Eliza, and Gabe.
The two jumped in the pool, Emily quickly stealing one of the rafts so that she could relax. Of course all the women asked how Emily's pregnancy was going, Grayson having gone to talk to the guys. They gushed over how big her belly was and the group discussed possible baby names, something that reminded Emily that she and Grayson needed to get going on.
The group swam for a long time, enjoying each other's company immensely as they were a great family, even those not related by blood.
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Two days later, it was Fourth of July. Emily and Grayson had woken up and put on red, white, and blue. Emily opted to put on one of Grayson's red t-shirts with some jean shorts. She put her hair up in a messy bun with a white bandana around her forehead.
She once again had to use her hair-tie trick to get her shorts to stay up, something that reminded her that maternity shopping was going to be an essential trip in the next few days.
"That shirt looks familiar," Grayson said as he came into the bathroom where Emily was.
"It should. It's yours," Emily said nonchalantly, picking up an eyebrow pencil to begin her makeup.
"Borrowing my clothes, I see," Grayson said with a smirk, taking the pencil out of Emily's hand and turning her to face him.
"I'm getting fatter every day. Your clothes work better than mine," Emily replied.
"Hey," Grayson said. "You're not fat. You're-"
"I know, pregnant. But, I'm still bigger than I was, and you're clothes fit," she said, pulling away to continue her makeup.
Grayson laughed slightly, before coming behind her and placing his head on her shoulder.
"You're beautiful," he said softly. She smiled, before laying her head on his. "You're not so bad yourself," she replied.
Grayson lingered for a moment before he left the bathroom, giving Emily the space she needed to complete her makeup.
After about 20 minutes, Emily was ready, coming out of their bedroom with a small duffel bag.
"You going on a vacation that I didn't know about?" Grayson asked with a laugh.
"Yes. I'm running away with Joe Jonas. He spotted me at Taco Bell the other day shoving my face with tacos and decided that he just had to have me and my child in his life," Emily teased with a laugh. She opened the bag to reveal a swimsuit for her and swim trunks for Grayson.
Grayson laughed and walked over to her, taking the bag out of her hand and placing his arm around her shoulder as the two walked out to get in Grayson's car.
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The pair showed up to Emily's house to find the driveway almost completely full. Every year it was a big shindig, so they knew that there were going to be a lot of people.
Upon entering the house, Emily was met with a surprise. Her grandparents were there. Her dad's parents.
Everyone had made their peace on graduation, deciding that even though the Smith part of the family didn't like that Emily was pregnant. They had decided to all but ignore the fact, Emily thinking that they would do so even after she was born.
"Hey, guys! We're here!" Emily greeted, Grayson saying hello as well as he hung their bag on the coat tree.
Emily and Grayson made small talk with Emily's grandparents, trying to make it as little awkward as possible.
Eventually, Emily was all but shoved out of the kitchen by her mom, telling her that she needed to get off her feet and go relax in the pool.
"Mom, I'm fine," Emily complained, tired of being treated like she was fragile.
"I don't care. Go get in the pool with everyone else," Ella insisted.
"But you need help," Emily said.
"I've got Gigi. I'll be fine," Ella shot back, in reference to her mother and Emily's grandmother Gigi. Emily sighed and relented, going to change into her bathing suit to go join everyone else.
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Later that evening, when it was finally dark out and everyone had eaten dinner, all of the family and friends made the trip five minutes away to Aunt Micayla's house.
Ever since Micayla had moved to the little town of Latona, Tennessee when Emily was in preschool, she had lived on the outskirts of Emily's neighborhood. She had a much bigger yard than Emily's parents.
So, every Fourth of July they always set off their fireworks there. Every year the men went out to set them off while the women watched from lawn chairs. Some might view this as sexist, but the women genuinely had no interest in being that close to explosives.
This year, Grayson had been added to that group of men.
"Hey can you do me a favor?" Emily asked from her lawn chair as Grayson walked by on his way to where they had set up the fireworks.
"Sure thing. What can I do for ya?" Grayson asked, stopping and looking at his girlfriend.
"Can you maybe, not set yourself on fire?" Emily asked him with a smile on her face.
"Of course. Is this your way of asking me to be careful?" Grayson asked with a smirk, leaning down so his face was close to Emily's.
"Maybe," Emily said with mock innocence.
Grayson laughed before kissing her quickly and jogging over to the fireworks. Emily made small talk with everyone before it was time for the fireworks to start.
They were all pretty, the group taking note of the ones to buy again next year and the ones that they should never buy again. They had left Bad Mother-in-Law for the finale, and it never failed to impress everyone, especially Ella.
"Happy Fourth of July everyone!" John shouted as the men came back to the driveway.
They each went to mingle, Grayson automatically making his way to Emily.
"You did good babe. I think you are going to be apart of this every year now," Emily said. Grayson smiled, grateful to be apart of another tradition.
Suddenly, Emily felt something that almost felt like something was pushing on her insides. It dawned on her that it was the baby. She was kicking.
Grayson had walked over to talk to Gabe, who was about two years younger than him and Emily and like a younger brother to Emily and now Grayson.
"Grayson! Come over here!" Emily called. Everyone looked at her, concern in their eyes.
Grayson was there in two seconds, concern written all over his face.
"What is it? What's wrong?" he asked Emily.
Emily said nothing but grabbed his hand and put it on where the baby was kicking. Grayson, having not felt it yet, looked at Emily expectantly.
"What is it?" he asked again, still not having felt anything yet and becoming more and more confused as to what Emily was doing.
"The baby was kicking. I'm hoping she'll do it again," Emily said nonchalantly, not having realized how much she had scared everyone there.
"Wait, what? She kicked?" Grayson asked. With that, the baby must have sensed that she was being talked about because she kicked right where her father's hand was.
"Oh my god I felt it!" Grayson exclaimed.
With that, the night was ended with everyone taking turns feeling for kicks as they celebrated this milestone and their country's freedom.