One of a Kind - A KathNiel Story

Chapter 39

Kath and Noah waved DJ off to work before getting themselves dressed and ready for Noah's swimming class, even though it wasn't for another couple of hours - it gave them time to relax before they had to leave and it meant that Kath didn't have to worry about having to rush up and down the stairs when she couldn't see her feet anymore.

"Is Dylan awake?" Noah asked, a grin on his face when he got to say his sister's name and he turned around from the cartoons they were watching to face his Mom completely. He'd seen pictures of Jasmine one day because he was curious and asked DJ, but he didn't feel anything towards her, Kath would always be his Mom in the exact same way she was Dylan's mother and it was a comfort to Kath on some level because she loved Noah just the same as she loved Dylan.

"I think so! She's doing her daily yoga routine right now." Kath teased, smiling as Noah placed his hands on her bump and she moved his hands slightly so that he'd be able to feel it better.

"She's like a bug." Noah giggled and Kath couldn't help but laugh.

"Great, I have a monster and a bug as children." Kath mocked, laughing when Noah giggled.

"Nanna said you talk to her so she knows your voice when she's born," Noah said and Kath nodded her head, caressing her bump gently. It was always a miracle to her to feel Dylan moving, knowing how close they came to losing her and how close Kath came to losing her own life extremely early in the pregnancy. They'd been warned that Dylan could be born with some problems because of the shooting, but it didn't change anything for them. They still loved her and if she was born with difficulties, then they'd do all they could to help her and give her the best life possible.

"Yeah, monster, because she'll know Mommy because we've been together all this time... but she might not know Daddy quite so much, so he talks to her about his day at work and he reads to her sometimes. I'm sure she knows your voice too." Kath said, running her fingers through Noah's hair, but her eyes were on him as he jumped up from the couch. "Where are you going?"

"I have an idea!" Noah yelled behind him as he headed up the stairs and Kath couldn't help but laugh when she felt Dylan jump.

"Your brother yelling makes you jump, baby girl?" Kath breathed, caressing her bump and it was less than a minute later when Noah returned and climbed up onto the couch with Kath again but he had a book in his lap. "You want Mommy to read to you?" Kath guessed, reaching for the TV remote to switch it off but he was shaking his head when she turned back to him.

"No! I read to the bug." Noah giggled as Kath rolled her eyes playfully at his use of a nickname for her, but she wrapped her arms around him as he opened the book and attempted to read Dylan the story, Kath having to help him out when he struggled. He was only four years old, but he could read extremely well for his age due to all the books he was read in his lifetime. Kath rested her head on top of Noah's as they cuddled up together, Noah reading to his little sister. It was the most relaxing and beautiful moment of her pregnancy, just listening to Noah try to read the story using lots of different tones of voice for the different characters and how he'd describe the pictures since Dylan couldn't see them.

Kath jumped when the front door opened, Noah shutting the book.

"Hello?!" A voice called.

"Uncle Max!" Noah cheered, jumping down from the couch and running to him in the hallway and Max appeared in the living room doorway a moment later with Noah against his hip.

"Hey, Kathryn. You doing okay?" Max asked, setting Noah back down on the floor - he came to escort Kath and Noah to the swimming class just to make sure nobody crowded Kath at the public pool. Normally she would have protested, but she was grateful for him since as she was so late in her pregnancy and they'd only just confirmed she was pregnant at all.

"You coming in here gave her hiccups, so thank you for that," Kath said, making Max laugh and he sat himself down on the couch beside her.

"Not long to go now, right? Six weeks... then I have another little girl to watch over." Max said, a hand on her bump and he chuckled when he felt the small jump that came with Dylan's hiccups.

"Six more weeks," Kath confirmed.

"Are you coming to swimming with me, Uncle Max?" Noah asked and Max nodded his head.

"Yeah, I am! I'm gonna keep your Mom company whilst you're in the water." Max said, laughing as Noah cheered and Kath smiled as he started to play with Noah on the floor to pass the time until they had to go, Kath caressing her bump to comfort Dylan as she hiccupped.