One of a Kind - A KathNiel Story

Chapter 30

"So, what pajamas did you pick out for tonight then?" Kath asked, turning her head around to look at Noah, making him giggle. He was wearing one of Kath's zip-up hoodies and it hung on him like a dress and the sleeves had to be rolled up, but he loved wearing her jackets. They made him feel safe and they gave him comfort when she wasn't around. He had Leo hugged to his chest too, his backpack with his overnight things beside him on the backseat.

"Batman!" He announced.

"How am I not surprised?" Kath teased, making him giggle.

"My Disney princess ones are in the washing machine." Noah defended himself and Kath smiled, blowing him a kiss before facing forwards again, taking DJ's hand as he reached for it. During their last trip to the grocery store, Noah had picked out some pajamas that had Disney princesses on, they were made for girls but Noah picked them out - they didn't see anything wrong with him wanting to wear what he wanted to wear. He was four years old, he knew what he wanted.

"And just because we're at Nanna's and we're all going to be there doesn't mean your bedtime is any later, young man." DJ jokingly warned.

"No! Eight o'clock." Noah argued, Kath covering her mouth to stop herself from laughing and DJ raised an eyebrow at his son through the rearview mirror.

"Fifteen minutes past seven." DJ argued.

"Seven-thirty!" Noah exclaimed.

"Deal." DJ agreed, Noah cheering and Kath couldn't help but laugh.

"You're so easy." She teased.

"God help this baby if it's a girl, she'll be wrapped around my little finger." DJ agreed, both of them smiling wide at the thought. They were always thankful for their baby, every single day, knowing that it was a pure miracle that their child had survived the shooting when Kath herself came seconds away from losing her life.

"Where do babies come from?" Noah asked from the backseat and Kath's eyes widened, DJ holding back a laugh.

"Who are you asking there, bud?" DJ inquired, laughing when Kath swatted him.

"Mommy," Noah confirmed and DJ smirked over at her.

"Go on then, Mommy, answer the boy." He encouraged, laughing when Kath hit him again playfully and Noah giggled, confused over what they were doing but he found it funny.

"Well, sweetie... when Mommies and Daddies want a baby, they have to make a very important phone call to the stork." Kath said, looking back at him and Noah was looking at her, listening intently. "And then the stork comes and bring a special baby seed and they plant it in the tummy of the Mommy, and the baby grows there all nice and warm until they're big and strong."

"My baby brother or sister is a seed?!" Noah's eyes were wide with amazement and it was making DJ smile, seeing how invested he was, how incredible he found it all.

"Yeah! And they're growing in Mommy's tummy right now, and we don't know whether the baby will be a boy or a girl yet, because they're too little. But there are special doctors at the hospital with a magic machine that can see through Mommy's tummy and see the baby... you can come with us when the baby is big enough that we can see whether it's a boy or a girl if you want to." Kath encouraged and Noah beamed, nodding his head quickly.

"Yeah! When will my baby brother or sister be here?" Noah asked.

"In six months," DJ answered and Noah pouted.

"But that's so far!"

"I know! And I have to carry the baby around all that time!" Kath exclaimed dramatically, making Noah giggle.

"I take extra special care of you, Mommy."

"I know you will, baby." She said, blowing him another kiss and Noah grinned, hugging Leo closer to his chest.

DJ pulled up outside his Mom's house, squeezing Kath's hand. "You ready for this?" DJ asked and Kath hesitated, but she recognized Max and Liza's cars already in the driveway. Her father had lost his license because of all the times he'd been arrested for drinking, so she had no idea whether he was inside already or not.

"I guess so." She breathed, getting out of the car and she waited for DJ to get Noah out of the backseat with Leo and his backpack before they all crossed the street and went up to the path, knocking on the door.

"Don't be scared, Mommy. Nanna and Papi are really nice." Noah said comfortingly, making both DJ and Kath smile.

"Thank you, baby, I'm sure they are." Kath breathed, but that didn't stop her from being terrified as the door opened and she came face-to-face with Karla.

"DJ! Look at you, all handsome! And Noah!" Karla kissed both her son and her grandson before turning to Kath. "Oh, sweetheart... you're so beautiful! I'm Karla, and I'm gonna give you a hug."  Karla urged, pulling her in for a tight hug and Kath winced because of the slight pain it caused, but she hugged Karla back.

"It's nice to meet you." She breathed.

"KATH!" A voice called and Kath instantly pulled away from Karla, DJ looking to where the voice came from and Kath held onto Noah, ready to push him inside - it was her father.

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