One of a Kind - A KathNiel Story

Chapter 71

Kath pulled up in the parking lot of the nearest hotel, tears slowly running down her face and she looked back at Dylan but the car seat was facing the seat making it impossible for her to see her daughter. The fact that Dylan was quiet, though, told her that the baby had fallen asleep during the car journey. "I'm sorry, baby girl... I'm so sorry..." Kath breathed, getting out of the car and she was met almost instantly by a member of hotel staff who helped her with her bags as she got Dylan set up in her stroller, she thanked the young-looking man for helping her and she headed to the front desk.

"Miss Bernardo!" The receptionist instantly recognized her, but his happiness at seeing a celebrity in the hotel was soon replaced with concern when he saw how obvious it was that she'd been crying. "Is everything okay, ma'am?" He asked softly and Kath slowly shook her head.

"I-I need a room for the foreseeable future, if there's one available... I-I didn't have time to pack a bassinet for the baby-"

"If you can wait down here for a couple of minutes, I'll get someone to set up a crib in the room of our executive suite - it's like a small apartment, two separate bedrooms and a kitchen area so you can still cook... it's available for as long as you want it. Is that okay?" He offered and Kath nodded her head, forcing a smile.

"Thank you." She breathed and the receptionist shook his head, silently assuring her that he didn't need to be thanked. He rang the bell and another member of staff came over - a bell boy.

"I'll have Matt carry up your bags for you whilst you wait here." The receptionist said and Kath thanked both the receptionist and the bell boy again before heading to the small couches with the stroller, sitting down and she couldn't help but let out a sob, covering her face with her hands.

=

DJ sat on the couch with Noah, running his fingers through his son's hair as Noah laid with his head in his Dad's lap. Tears were running quickly down his face, soaking into Leo and he'd already pulled on one of the hoodies that Kath left behind. It hurt DJ's heart knowing that Kath had most likely left it behind on purpose for him.

"How did you mess up, Daddy?" Noah asked and DJ sighed, keeping the calming and steady pace of running his fingers through his hair.

"You know how you have a real Mommy and then you have Kath?" DJ asked and Noah whimpered at him using Kath's real name, but he nodded his head. "Daddy... ran into your real Mommy and he met up with her without telling Mommy about it... Daddy lied and it hurt Mommy's feelings." DJ said honestly and Noah slowly sat up.

"You know where my real Mommy is?"

"Yeah, son, and she wants to meet you," DJ said softly, but Noah shook his head.

"I have a Mommy already, I don't want her! I want my Mommy and Dylan!" Noah sobbed, hugging the hoodie closer to him and DJ sighed.

"I'm so sorry, bud... I messed things up for us and I'm sorry, but you'll see Mommy all the time still, we'll make sure of it and you'll still have Dylan-"

"NO! I want them back now!"

"That isn't going to happen, Noah. I hurt Mommy a lot, but that doesn't mean you can't still see her... and someday when you're ready, you can meet your real Mommy too. You're a lucky boy, having two Mommies who love you." DJ said, forcing a smile but Noah didn't say anything. He just hugged Leo to his chest, trying to breathe in Kath's scent to comfort him but he felt lost without her and Dylan. The house felt empty without them.

"I'm going to bed," Noah mumbled after a minute of silence.

"It's only two o'clock-"

"I'm going to bed!" Noah snapped, running out of the room and up the stairs. Instead of going into his own bedroom, however, he went into the master bedroom and he climbed onto Kath's side of the bed with Leo, burying his head in her pillow and he just let himself scream and cry. It tore DJ apart, hearing his son lose control.

=

Kath looked around the executive suite of the hotel, holding Dylan against her chest. "It's just you and me, baby girl... you'll see Daddy and Noah soon, though, I promise... but this is home for now." Kath kissed her head, tears running down her cheeks as she sat on the couch with her daughter. She pulled out her phone and texted DJ, telling him where she was staying. She got a text almost instantly back from him: 'I miss you already x'. Kath let out a quiet sob, not wanting to text back and admit that she missed him too but he'd hurt her so deeply. She laid back on the couch, lying Dylan on her chest. "I love you so much, Dylan Padilla... you and your brother have my whole heart... but Daddy hurt me..." Kath trailed off, crying too hard to talk and it wasn't long until she cried herself to sleep, cradling the baby on her chest.