DJ couldn't stop thinking about Jasmine - it was like the business card was burning a hole in his pocket. He felt as though Kath knew everything, but whenever he looked over at her she was completely content pushing the stroller and listening to Noah as Max lingered nearby due to paparazzi being around. She had no idea what was going on in his head, she hadn't even noticed the woman sat beside him at the doctor's office.
"DJ, you okay?" Her voice made him snap out of it and it was only then that he looked around and saw that they were outside the ice cream place.
"Yeah, I'm fine." DJ automatically responded and Kath's eyebrows creased in confusion.
"Are you sure? Because you look as though you're miles away." She said, but her voice was soft. She wasn't accusing him of anything, she was concerned that something was wrong - her first thought was that he was still worried about the baby.
"Sorry, I'm just tired... it was a long night with Dylan," DJ said, which wasn't exactly a lie but he couldn't find the right words to tell her about Jasmine and he definitely didn't want to say a word about it in front of Noah. DJ simply went to the front of the stroller and lifted it up to help her get it through the door that Max was holding open for them.
"Okay, just don't worry about her, alright? The doctor seems confident that it's nothing serious and we'll do as he suggests and get the bathroom all steamy when we get home so it'll clear up her airways a little." Kath assured him, laying a hand on his arm and DJ forced a smile, nodding his head but he couldn't face Max. The man was practically Kath's father, he couldn't meet his eye. Max would instantly see through him and he wasn't ready to tell anybody yet, he had no idea what he'd even say about what just happened. He had no idea what to do, it was all that ran through his mind. "We'll sit over there, monster, see? Where there's a space for Dylan's stroller." Kath encouraged and Noah rushed off with Max to claim the table with four seats but there was enough space for Kath to park the stroller too between the seats. "Are you sure you're okay?" Kath asked and DJ nodded.
"I'm fine, baby girl, I promise." He said with a small smile and Kath nodded, pecking his lips before leading the way over to Noah and Max, putting the breaks on the stroller once it was set up and she sat with DJ. Kath then threw a light blanket over the stroller, blocking the sun from being in Dylan's face as she slept but it also ensured that nobody would be able to get a picture of the new baby either.
"Are you gonna steal all of Uncle Max's ice cream?" Kath teased Noah, making the little boy giggle.
"No, because he's gonna get vanilla and that boring." Noah made a face, but he squealed when Max poked him in the sides and Kath laughed with Max, neither of them noticing that DJ had retreated back into himself again, lost in thought. Jasmine seemed genuine, she wanted to tell him something and it had to do with why she left him and their son - he couldn't focus on anything except his ex.
"What do you want, DJ? I'm buying." Max snapped him out of his thoughts this time and DJ shook his head.
"No, I'm good - I'll just have a coffee," DJ said and Noah groaned.
"Don't be boring, Daddy!" Noah whined and DJ cracked a smile.
"It's too early for Daddy to have ice cream!" DJ defended himself.
"Well, it isn't too early for Mommy," Kath said, laughing as Noah cheered but he was quick to shush himself for the sake of Dylan, but the baby girl didn't even stir. She was overtired from barely getting any sleep the night before. "I'll have the birthday cake flavor," Kath said to Max, going to hand him money but he just swatted her hand away and walked away, already knowing what Noah wanted because he got the same thing whenever they came to this ice cream place and Kath turned to DJ the moment Noah distracted himself by coloring in the back of the kids' menu. "What is going on with you?" Kath asked in a quiet voice.
"Nothing, I'm just tired." He said, Kath's eyes instantly locking on his.
"Are you worried about Dylan? Is that what this is? About yesterday?" She questioned quietly and DJ hesitated - he didn't know what to tell her, but he knew he had to tell her about Jasmine.
"Y-Yeah." He found himself lying. "I'm just worried about Dylan."
"Don't be, okay? You heard the doctor and my Dad and Luke are going to be punished for what they did - we'll both make sure of that. I love you."
"I love you too." He breathed, kissing her softly.
The guilt was already eating him alive, but he had no idea what to say to her to explain what was going on. He had no idea how to tell her that he wanted to meet up with his ex.
===
BINABASA MO ANG
One of a Kind - A KathNiel Story
FanfictionHow would anyone make it through all the lows of life without their one person by their side?