One of a Kind - A KathNiel Story

Chapter 45

The operator on the other side of the phone was in complete shock, stunned at the sound of the little boy crying and begging for an ambulance. "Okay, sweetie, do you know where you are?" The operator asked and Noah had to repeat his address three times before the woman understood what he was saying. "The closest ambulance is about twenty minutes away, sweetie, alright? Can you tell me your name? What's happening? Stay on the phone with me until the ambulance gets to you." The operator ordered, but her voice was soft and Noah poked his head out to the hallway where Kath was still laid out where she'd fallen. One arm was tucked under her head to act as a pillow and the other was on her bump as she tried to breathe through the pain and the pure fear that something could be wrong with Dylan - she could die, and it was taking all of Kath's strength not to scream.

"It's my fault!" Noah sobbed. "Mommy forgot my new clothes and I told her and she fell down the stairs! It's my fault and now my sister is hurting!" Noah cried out, falling to the ground because he couldn't stand up anymore.

"Sweetheart, it sounds to me like it was an accident! But what do you mean your sister is hurting? Where is she?"

"In Mommy's tummy." Noah cried and the operator's eyes widened slightly and she was instantly typing in the computer, sending the ambulance team further information about what happened - 'young female, fell downstairs, heavily pregnant'.

"What's your name, sweetie? Do you know Mommy's name?" She asked and Noah sniffled, but he still couldn't stop himself sobbing. He wanted to be with his Mom, but he couldn't face her. He blamed himself for her falling. They were having a good time in the nursery until he reminded her that they'd left things downstairs, he couldn't help but blame himself.

"Daddy said not to tell strangers things." Noah got out through tears and the operator couldn't help but laugh.

"Your Daddy is very smart, but I'm here to help you and Mommy, okay? I'm trying to give the ambulance team as much information as possible so they can help straight away when they get to you." The operator explained, taking things slowly for the sake of the little boy. He didn't sound any older than her own nephew and it was hurting her heart to hear him blaming himself for something that seemed to be nothing more than a tragic accident.

"N-Noah Padilla and Mommy is Kathryn Bernardo," Noah said, having to remind himself how to say Kath's surname because he wasn't used to it and the operator was stunned for a moment - her daughter was a huge Kath fan, they'd gone to concerts during her last tour, she'd comforted her daughter when news came out about the shooting, she'd seen the videos on social media of their family as they healed and recovered from what happened. It also meant that the operator knew that Kath was very pregnant, weeks away from giving birth. "Mommy said the baby is coming, but she can't come yet! She still has six weeks left to grow in Mommy's tummy!" Noah urged and the operator shushed him to try and calm him down.

"Babies are born early all the time! There are special doctors that can give your baby sister some extra support if she needs it, but Mommy's are magical when it comes to babies - sometimes, all babies want and need to feel better is a big hug from Mommy." The operator said and Noah just kept crying. "Where's your Dad, Noah?"

"At work." Noah sobbed. "It's my fault! It's all my fault that Mommy and Dylan are hurting! I'm bad!" He screamed down the phone, unable to speak any quieter due to his hysterics.

"Noah!" He heard being called and he lifted his head up. "Noah, come here!" Noah didn't hesitate - he got up from the tiled floor and ran to the hallway where Kath was and he dropped her phone on the ground beside her, her hand that was once on her bump pulling her son to her and holding him close and she kissed his head, anywhere she could reach. "This isn't your fault." Kath managed to choke out. The contractions weren't even painful yet, but the fall was making her head throb and the side of her stomach was causing her pain - she wasn't bleeding, though and that was what she was clinging to. If something was wrong with Dylan, she'd bleed, but there was no blood.

"Yeah, it is." Noah sobbed into her chest and Kath just held him tighter.

"It was an accident because Mommy can't see her feet. None of this is your fault, Noah Padilla, do you understand me?" Kath urged, her voice determined and serious. Noah slowly nodded his head, but he still couldn't stop crying as he pulled away from her and he gave her her phone back. She instantly just put the phone on speaker and set it back down on the ground.

"Noah, are you still there?" The operator asked.

"You're on speaker." Kath choked out, but she turned her head the best she could as the front door opened, Noah practically screaming at who stepped through the door.

"DADDY!"