Happy Place - A KathNiel Story

Chapter 22

DJ leaned down, picking up her chin again but before she could pull away from him, he pressed his lips against hers. She hesitated but slowly started to kiss him back for a moment, DJ being the one to pull away from her after a moment. "You're really pregnant?" DJ breathed, his eyes locked on hers and she nodded her head, fear evident in her expression. She couldn't lose another person she loved, not when she was expecting her first baby.

"They, um... did an ultrasound inside of me and they saw it... the little space where it's growing... they were gonna call the maternity building, but I begged them not to because I didn't want your Mom to somehow find out..."

"She also fainted," Arisse added, knowing Kath would never tell him otherwise and DJ's eyes widened, looking over at Kath again.

"You fainted?" He questioned.

"I-I panicked... it was a shock. I-I'm gonna have my eighteenth birthday pregnant and my house isn't big enough for a baby, Kaye is gonna fucking disown me and you still haven't said a damn word about how you feel about all of this-" Kath was once again cut off by DJ pressing his lips against hers but he pulled away from her before she could kiss him back.

"I love you," DJ said simply and Kath's eyes widened slightly - it was the first time he'd told her that.

"I... I love you too." She breathed honestly and DJ held onto her hands, lacing their fingers together again.

"I'm shocked about the baby, but this... this baby is gonna be so loved, and I'm not going anywhere. This baby is a miracle, K... and yeah, this wasn't planned but I love you and this is the start of our family." DJ said and Kath let her tears fall faster, throwing her arms around his neck and he clung onto her too, kissing her shoulder because it was all he could get to. "Does anybody else know?" DJ asked, the two of them slowly pulling away from each other but he kept a tight hold of her hands. He didn't want to let her go and he found himself looking down at her stomach every now and then as if expecting things to look different now that he knew his baby was growing inside of her. It was overwhelming, but he knew he wouldn't leave Kath's side.

"No, just us three," Arisse assured him, DJ kissing Kath's head as she rested her head against his chest.

"I'm scared to tell Kaye," Kath mumbled.

"You're her little sister! She isn't gonna disown you, Kathryn... you're all each other have." DJ tried to comfort her, but he knew it wouldn't help. "I'll be right there and I'll help you tell her, alright? You don't have to do any of this alone." DJ promised.

"Are we heading there now? Because once we get to your house, K, I think I'm gonna leave you guys to it..." Arisse breathed and Kath slowly nodded her head, the three of them heading out of the diner and Arisse drove Kath's car back home with Kath in the passenger seat and DJ followed along right behind the girls in his own car - still trying to process the news. He couldn't help but think that the job in the maternity building was fate, he had a job to help Kath support their child.

Both DJ and Kath said goodbye to Arisse once they arrived at Kath and Kaye's house, Kath hugging her for longer than necessary and they squeezed each other.

"Stay strong, okay? And call me later, I wanna know how she took it." Arisse said, Kath nodding against her shoulder before slowly pulling away from her and they watched her walk towards the bus stop at the end of the street before they walked together to the front door. It was only once DJ came into the hallway that he truly saw that there wasn't any space for a baby in the small house - a stroller wouldn't fit in the hallway and he knew from being up there that Kath's room wasn't big enough for a crib or even a bassinet.

"Kath?" Kaye called.

"Yeah, it's me!" She called back, walking into the living room with DJ to see that everything was tidied away and Kaye's duvet was gone. "You look better," Kath said honestly and Kaye nodded her head.

"I had a little nap and some soup - I don't feel completely over it, but I'm definitely better. How did the clinic go?" Kaye asked, her eyebrows creasing when she could see the nerves on both of their expressions, but it was more like pure fear on Kath's.

"They, um... found a little something during the tests," Kath admitted, sat on the couch with DJ beside her and Kaye sank down onto the couch opposite them.

"N-Not a tumor or anything, right? Y-You're safe?" Kaye choked out and Kath nodded her head fast.

"I'm not dying, I... I'm pregnant already." Kath breathed and Kaye's eyes widened, her jaw clenching and she stood up quickly. "Kaye?" Kath begged, a sob escaping her lips as Kaye marched out of the room. "Kaye!" Kath ran after her, but it was too late.

Kaye had gotten into her car, speeding away from the house without saying a word.

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