I Am Still Painting Flowers for You

It was the last show of tour, and for the first time in years, it was a hometown show. They were back in Baltimore for a while after this, and everyone needed the break. As the rest of the band disappeared off-stage Alex wandered the stage preparing for the acoustic section and marvelling still at the crowds in front of me. As he did, his eyes fell on a sign that was being passed to the stage before chuckling and calling his bandmate:

“Jack! Hey Jacko?!” the screams of the crowd got louder but there was no sign of the skunk-haired guitarist.

“Dammit Jack, stop making another baby and get out here!” Alex laughed as he could see Jack side-stage wrapped in the embrace of his girlfriend Jess. He had his back to Alex but Jess could see him and shot him the finger before mussing up Jack's hair and pushing him towards the stage.

“What is it bro? I thought we were in the Alex Gaskarth show now?!” Jack grinned as he approached his bandmate.

In return Alex simply held up the fan-made sign which read; “Congratulations on the first All Time Baby, Evie, we love her already!” Immediately, Jack's grin softened and you could almost see him turning to goo.

“Uh oh guys, never mind the Alex show, this is about to become the baby show!” Alex laughed as Jack grabbed his bra-adorned mic and called out for Jess. She poked her head round the side of the stage with wide eyes but making no sign of moving until Jack grabbed her hand and pulled her close. He showed her the sign and she leant into his side, grin as big as his.

“You guys know I love my job right?! Your support and love over the years has been incredible and we love playing every night with you. But being on the road can be tough, and two months ago it got even tougher for me – I left my girl here with the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen – our daughter, Evie May Barakat and god I’ve missed her more than anything. She's three months old now and she's perfect and I can't wait to be at home and be a daddy!” Jack rambled before catching himself, “Sorry guys, I'll stop now!” Jack grinned as the audience clapped and cooed over his adorable outburst. Alex and Jess simply looked on smiling, knowing Jack meant every word.

“Aww man, I love my niece, but god, I did not think you were gonna shut up there!” Alex grinned before pulling Jack into a hug.

Jess P.O.V.

I started to drag Jack off-stage to continue our reunion but he stopped just at the side and grabbed another acoustic guitar. In response to my confused look he patted an unused amp just on stage and asked me to sit. I looked towards everyone in the wings, Rian and Zack looked as confused as I did though until Alex spoke again;

“Well I guess we should sing little Evie a lullaby, even though she isn't here! Her daddy has suggested something we don't play very often, because he's gone soft and it's one of Jess' favourites...here's Painting Flowers!”

I almost fell off the amp with shock and excitement as Jack shot me a megawatt grin. I'd never heard this song live – and I think most of the audience was the same, the place went insane. Alex almost burst out laughing at the sight of me stumbling off the amp to drag Lisa out to join me (purely to hold me up if nothing else).

As we left the venue to head the Rockwell for the homecoming party, the usual group of fans was waiting by the doors in hopes of seeing the band. As the boys interacted with their loyal fans, Jess and Lisa hung back so as not to disturb the experience, until the fans were calling for them, particularly for Jess. They wished congratulations on the birth, and asked so many questions about Evie, Jess and Jack answered some and left other more personal questions but the most common question was what Evie looked like. Jack leant over and whispered something to Jess before she nodded comfortingly and then he spoke: “we're not posting pictures of her yet because she's so little but since you guys have been so sweet I’ll show you one!” the group of fans cooed and cheered when Jack pulled his phone from his pocket to show the lock screen – a picture Jess sent of Evie laying on her floor mat giving one of her first smiles.

This seemed to be more than enough for the waiting fans who then presented the couple with a box labelled “The All Time Baby Care Package”. Upon opening Jess found it filled with presents for the baby: vests and onesies personalised for the band, pacifiers with the Future Hearts logo and the Skull logo, a tiny letterman jacket with All Time Low on the back and dozens of notes and cute presents for the already spoiled little girl. Jess struggled to hold it together, saying all the thank yous she could before Jack took the hint, put his arm around her and led her to the car.

Alex P.O.V.

We'd been in the Rockwell for around an hour but I could see Jack's heart wasn't in it – he was checking the time as often as he could without Jess noticing and he hadn't let her out of his sight. To any other guest looking on, he just looked like a new father desperate to get home to his baby girl, but I knew there was something more going on.

“Jack, go home if you want! We don't mind, we know how much you've missed your girls!” I said, clapping his shoulder as I did.

“I feel bad though, it's Jess' first night away from the baby, I don't wanna rush her home when she's having fun!” was Jack's reply, and it would've carried more weight, had Jess not taken a huge yawn just as he finished speaking.

“Go get your girl and go home, otherwise your surprise isn't going to work!” I smirked as I pushed him in the direction of Jess.

Jess P.O.V.

I was confused as Jack came over to me to hurry me home, he was usually the last to leave a party and my sister, Julianne, was happy to sleep in the spare room. She'd been there at least once a week since Jack went back on tour anyway.

“We don't have to rush home babe, Evie's asleep, and I’m okay!” I lied not-so-convincingly as another yawn escaped my mouth.

“Nope, home babe. I've missed my girls too much and I wanna spend some time with you before you crash out!” He smirked as I leant heavily into his arm.

A few minutes later we'd done the goodbye rounds and were heading out into a waiting Uber and my exhaustion had left me. I was so excited to have Jack back – this absence was the longest we'd spent apart in almost four years and it had been tough.

Once inside the house, we found both my sisters, Julianne and Jordan, snuggled on the couch with popcorn watching 10 Things I Hate About You, clearly not having read my text saying we were headed home.

“Oh hey guys, I thought you were having a late one?” Jordan asked, visibly confused that we'd turned down a night of freedom.

“Yeah, well mister softie here missed his girls too much and wanted us all to himself apparently...” I grinned as I shoved Jack lightly, but he stood his ground, shrugging.

“We'll head home then, I assume you won't be wanting us to stay! Give Evie a kiss from her favourite aunties when she wakes up please!” Julianne smiled, hugging me as she passed.

“We're taking the movie and the popcorn though...I’ll drop it back during the week!” Jordan called as she shovelled popcorn into her mouth and grabbed the bowl as she left the living room.

The door shut swiftly and I laughed at the hurricane of my sisters before turning to Jack;

“Welcome home, babe! I'm so glad you're here.” I smiled before kissing him. We dropped our bags where we stood and headed into the living room where I settled in Jack's arms making up for the two months of kisses I'd missed.

Of course, just as we got comfortable, we were quickly reminded of Evie as she began grumbling and wailing through the baby monitor. I started to rise to get her but Jack stopped me.

“I'm home now, you don't have to do it all now, Mama! Sit, I need to take our bags up anyway, and I want a cuddle with our girl!”

I snuggled deeper into the couch and sighed contentedly, it was nice to be told to relax, and the sound of Jack singing to Evie through the baby monitor had me grinning and singing along softly,

'I would've married you in Vegas
Had you given me the chance to say "I do"
Could I make it more obvious, could you
Be any more obvious'

I heard Jack on the stairs and quickly realised he had Evie with him, I should've known he wouldn't set her back down, but I wasn't prepared for how damn cute the two of them looked. Evie was so tiny in his lanky arms and her pink onesie was so bright against Jack's standard black shirt.

“Hey, would you take her for a sec, I’ve got a cramp from holding her funny” Jack sighed, obviously not catching on to baby holding just yet. I took her gently and held her to my chest in the same way Jack had been until I saw the onesie, I didn't recognise it and wondered where it had come from so I leant Evie forward so she was looking up at me and gasped when I did:

'Will you marry my daddy?'

Was printed on the pink in black lettering, and as I looked to Jack in surprise I found him on one knee, in front of me holding the most perfect ring, a black center diamond surrounded by a cluster of white diamonds on a platinum band.

“Jess, I told you on our fourth date that I was planning on keeping you around forever, and you know I would've married you in Vegas that one time if you'd let me...but I want to make it official now, so we can have our little family forever. Will you marry me?”

I held out my left hand to him, carefully supporting Evie with my right, and grinned,
“Of course I will! You know I'd happily have married you in Vegas, but both my mother and yours would've killed us! Before kissing him with all I had and staying curled in his arms with our baby girl between us.

It was apparent that Evie was fast asleep again, so we headed upstairs, placed her safely in the nursery and then I was really able to tell Jack how I felt. I launched myself into his arms and he stumbled backwards laughing as I covered him in kisses and directed him the bedroom.