Okay, quick author's note here! First off, I posted this story on Wattpad earlier today and wanted to try my luck over here as well. I will leave a link to that on my profile, eventually.
Second, this storyline is going to be a tad bit different than the original FNAF storyline. Nothing too drastic, no big changes, just tiny tweaks since working around this game's jumbled storyline is quite difficult.
Well, that should be it. Please review and leave me some feedback! I'm crazy nervous about this since it's so different.
"C'mon, now, don't be bashful!" A middle-aged woman called out from the front of her crowded living room, waving towards a young woman who stood nervously in the doorframe. Cheers and laughter erupted from the family members that sat shoulder-to-shoulder throughout the room, celebrating the day and the reason behind the celebration.
The young woman shook her head with a nervous smile. "No, you go on with your story. This ain't about me, it's about Jackson."
The middle-aged woman huffed and put her available hand on her hip. "Emaley Grace, don't make me come over there! Get your little self over here and let me make your head a little big!"
Emaley, the young woman, rolled her eyes and sunk back into the wall, next to her husband of four years. He just chuckled at his wife and nudged her shoulder with his elbow.
"You know she ain't gonna stop until you're out there in the front." He reminded her with his signature crooked grin, his Southern drawl thick in his words.
Emaley just arched a brow, head cocked to the side. "You know your mother is crazy, right? Today's about Jackson; it's his birthday! She tells this story at every family gathering! I'm pretty sure this entire room has heard this story six times, John." She protested, ignoring the calls from her extended family.
John guffawed and nudged her again, pushing her a little harder. "C'mon, Em, it's her grandson! Telling his story involves you, so get over it!"
Realizing the odds were against her, she finally sighed and complied to her mother-in-law's wishes. Her family cheered, clapped, and laughed as she struggled to walk by, careful not to accidentally step on fingers and toes. Once in the front, under the flatscreen TV, her mother-in-law snatched her in a warm sideways hug and gave her a big kiss on the cheek.
Little children giggled at the exchange and some made sounds of disgust. Emaley was half-tempted to do the same, but didn't get the chance once her mother-in-law started talking again.
"Look at 'er! My baby boy sure picked a good'un to have my first grandson!" She praised, raising her glass of wine in one hand. Emaley just blushed and caught John's twinkling, brown eyes and gave her a wink.
Emaley blushed a deeper shade of crimson and looked back at her mother-in-law. "In all honesty, Jackson took all of John's features, so it wouldn't have mattered who he decided to knock up." She teased nervously, looking back at John for support.
The family chuckled approvingly at her joke and her mother-in-law hugged her shoulders tighter. "Whether or not that's the truth, I'm so glad it's you! Because of you, I know both my son and grandson are being well taken care of. You're a hardworkin' girl, have been for years. You stepped up when found out about little Jax when anyone else would've been throwing the biggest pity party. You accepted the consequences of your actions and accepted this responsibility." She gushed, the cheerful atmosphere dying down as the past came trickling in.
Emaley smiled warmly at the thought, remembering the days of panic and worry. She was just a fifteen-year-old girl, still a child in so many ways. Both she and John thought that they were smarter than the science of it all. They never thought that would happen to them. That changed when Emaley's precise cycle was off. They were both in an absolute panic when Emaley finally met him at school and told him her suspicions
When the doctor confirmed their, seemingly, biggest fear, Emaley was overwhelmed by it all. She was sick for a week from the constant fear and worry, on top of her pregnancy symptoms. They both thought their lives were over. They were both so young and so unprepared to take care of a child. For months, they planned on adoption. They even met with a great family that just seemed to be the perfect fit. They had it all planned out. She would carry the baby full-term and then once he or she was born, they'd go home with this new, successful family.
That changed when they were able to hear and see their baby. They had heard the heartbeat before, but really seeing him was the game changer. Seeing him moving and flexing his fingers pulled at her heartstrings. It was like magic. All of a sudden, he went from being the baby to her baby. He was really hers; living happily and comfortably inside of her. She couldn't go through with the adoption and signed off on it. She felt so sorry for the family, but she couldn't give him up after that visit.
After that, she and John were head-over-heels in love with their unborn child. Emaley knew of all the insults and labels that were put on her by so-called friends and even teachers, people that she always praised and respected; people that used to respect her. Normally, most pregnant teenagers would escape the world of taunts and torments by her fellow classmates and teachers, which was totally understandable. It was hard and unnecessary for both her and her baby. Yet, she took on the burden. She wanted to show every one of her nay-sayers they were wrong about her.
So, she stayed in high-school throughout her pregnancy and did some temporary home schooling after he was born. Thanks to generous family members and real friends, she was able to go back once Jackson was big enough and didn't full rely on her anymore. She was able to graduate with honors and was now attending a secular, online college.
Emaley's mother-in-law thought on this, as well, as she turned to her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "You've put a lot of people in their place with what you've done. Now, we ain't saying that you're the only teen mother that has done this, but we're saying that we're so proud to have one of the few in our family. I'm proud of John and the wonderful father he has become. He works two jobs to provide for his family and I don't think we can be any prouder. You two, together, have done more than what most thirty or forty year olds have done! You've grown to be smart, respectable, independent citizens and I couldn't be any happer that my grandson is growing up under your influence."
The room was quiet as each and every family member soaked in this experience. Emaley looked around to see so many warm, genuine smiles her way and even John's cousin, Natalie, who was five months pregnant, had to wipe tears from her eyes. She returned their encouraging smiles as she felt an arm slink around her waist.
John was now by her side and pulled her against him, kissing the top of her head. She could smell the intoxicating scent of his strong, musky cologne and the muscles in his strong arms as he embraced her. She felt like she could live in this moment forever, by his side, dwelling in the love of their family.
"To John and Emaley!" Someone shouted with a raised wine glass in his hand.
Others repeated the action and they were drowning in cheers; even the children, not quite sure what was going on, tried to join in with their cans of soda or juice packets. Emaley looked out the window where she could see her precious son playing in the front yard with the cousins closest to his age. The summer sun shone down on his light blonde curls, its rays bouncing off the locks radiantly. He looked so happy and so sweet running around in the yard, chasing after his playmates in what she guessed was a game of tag.
"Alright! Let's get on with the birthday video before I start bawling buckets!" Emaley's mother-in-law cried out, taking her focus off the window.
The family complied and Emaley and John took a seat right where they were since every other available space was already taken. As she sat there, wrapped in her husband's warm embrace, she couldn't think of anything better in her entire life. She had everything she would ever need right here in this living room. John's aunt was calling in Jackson and his friends and in a minute, they were going to sit together and watch their life unfold in front of them. It was absolutely perfect.
Too bad it was going to be short-lived. Not everything stays perfect and life never turns out the way you expect it to...