𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐲𝐨𝐮 - 𝐣𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡

𝚝𝚠𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚢 𝚏𝚘𝚞𝚛

"We have some news," Jack started as he looked at the two families that had been gathered in the Jarrett's living room.

"Oh my goodness gracious, you're breaking up, aren't you?" Marie yelled, immediately starting to panic. Jack and Joelle both screwed their faces up at the very overdramatic reaction.

"What? No!" Joelle sighed, watching as her mother immediately let out a sigh of relief and calmed herself down.

"I don't think they would be standing so close to each other if they were breaking up," Phil whispered to his wife, rubbing her back to make sure that she was comfortable after her little meltdown.

"We wouldn't... why would we-" Jack stuttered, trying to understand his future mother in law's logic but he just couldn't.

"Anyway, we have some news and we would really appreciate it if you didn't interrupt us until we're done." Joelle looked at her mum with stern eyes, letting her know that they didn't want or need anymore interruptions, especially dramatic ones.

"A few months ago, we thought that we would be becoming parents but after a visit to the doctor's, we were told that it was a false positive," Jack started the story of how they got to be where they currently were but a sob that came from karen interrupted him. Joelle and Jack's sister both rolled their eyes, smiling at each other when they realised that they had had the same reaction to the mother's dramatics.

"He suspected that I had Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome but we didn't investigate further. This meant that we could expect to have trouble conceiving," the next sob escaped from Phil, interrupting Joelle's continuation. Phil had no idea what any of it meant but he was getting emotional seeing his wife and Karen getting emotional.

"We decided that we would try anyway. We had months of disappointment because every test came back negative," the room was filled with suspense as Jack looked to his girlfriend, waiting for her to finish and tell everyone what they had been gathered for.

"Until this one." Joelle held the piece of paper that the doctor had given them a few weeks ago to confirm and prove their positive result.

The room was filled with silence. Nobody could believe it. Marie and Karen had been waiting for this moment ever since their kids were thirteen and fourteen. The mothers both knew that their kids were in love with each other before Jack and Joelle did.

"I'm going to be a gran?" Marie asked her daughter and Jack with tears in her eyes.

"Yes you are." The Brummie boy confirmed for the slightly older woman because he knew that if Joelle spoke, she would cry.

"come here you two." joelle took her boyfriend's hand and pulled him towards her mum, obeying her request and hugging both of her parents.

"You two are going to be wonderful parents and I'm so proud of you for not giving up." The hug from Marie and Phil was an emotional one. Of all their daughter's life achievements, this was the one that they were the proudest of. Of course they were proud of Joelle's success as a musician but they didn't need millions of fans across the globe to tell them that their daughter was talented and deserved to be successful because they already knew that. The baby that she was currently carrying was a product of love, forgiveness and perseverance and they were the most proud of her for that.

"We need to celebrate! I'll get the champagne." Karen ran through to the Jarrett kitchen, forgetting that her son was trying not to drink as part of his diet for Aston Villa and Joelle was no longer allowed to drink, the baby in her stomach being the reasoning behind that.

"To baby Grealish!" The two families clinked their glasses together. Most of them were full to the brim with the alcoholic beverage but Jack, Joelle and Jack's younger sister had a glass of lemonade.

"Place bets. Boy or girl?" Phil questioned and Joelle rolled her eyes. Of course everyone would be placing bets on her unborn child. That was the 'normal' for her family.

***
Joelle stood back and watched as her boyfriend laid fresh flowers on the grave.

"You know he would be so proud of you, right?" Joelle wrapped her arms around his bicep and held it tightly, wanting him to know that she was there for him.

"I wish he was here." Jack's voice was thick and she could tell that he was trying not to cry.

"We all do, my love but he'll be up there in the sky, looking down on you and smiling because you're the captain of his favourite football team but also because you're a massive idiot." Joelle tried her best to reassure her boyfriend but she knew that he was hurting. Every time he got good news, all he could think about was his little brother and how he wasn't there to share the moment with him.

"I can't believe you still get to call me an idiot in a moment like this." Jack's laugh was weak as the tears started to fall from his eyes and roll down his cheeks.

"Anything to see that smile. Keelan would want you to be smiling, Jack." Her soft voice soothed him and he looked down at her, kissing the top of her head softly before turning away from the grave and walking with her back to the car.

"I still can't believe that we've made a baby." Jack laughed, wiping his eyes as he sat in the driver's seat with Joelle in the passenger's.

"I love you more than anything in this world, Jack. I hope you know that and never forget it." The curly haired girl turned soppy on her boyfriend who could only smile at her. The words fell from her mouth so often and he would still never get used to it. She was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. She was kind, soft and caring and he wouldn't want anyone else in his life.

"I know, baby and I feel the same way about you. I love you." He leaned over and kissed her softly and quickly before driving away and heading home to watch a chick flick with his favourite girl.

a/n: the final official chapter :( we only have the epilogue left! i'm crying as i'm proof reading and writing this note because i have become so attached to 'only you'. it is undoubtedly one of my favourite stories i've written and jack and joelle might be my favourite couple (sorry to ailsa, james, maggie, ben, fran, jack and i guess nora and james. i love them all really).

what's been your favourite moment of the book so far?
- i don't think i'll ever get over jack's movie night for joelle or her teepee in the back garden or them on the villa pitch. i'm aware it's more than one but i can't pick! this one is in contention too.

see you on the 18th for the epilogue ♡

enjoy and stay safe!

lots of love, e x