Notice - A KathNiel Story

Chapter 41

DJ pulled up outside the main building of the hospital less than five minutes later, not caring that his parking was horrible. He dove out of the car and opened the one to the backseat, seeing Riley barely conscious. Her throat and chest looked mostly red and sore, her lips swollen and painfully dry and her entire body was covered in a thin layer of sweat as she fought to keep breathing. Kath had already managed to get the seatbelt off of them both and she watched as DJ wasted no time in lifting Riley up into his arms but she was limp and needed his support to just stay leaning against him. It pained him to hear her struggling so much to simply breathe. "We're at the hospital now, princess, they'll help you! You'll feel better really soon." DJ promised, turning his head quickly to Kath as she used the door and the frame of the car to help her get out of it. "Baby, you okay?" He asked and Kath nodded her head, a hand on her bump but DJ rushed to her when she winced as she walked. "Hey, hey... what's wrong?" He demanded to know. 

"Nothing! My back just hurts, forget about me!" Kath urged and the two of them rushed to the entrance of the hospital where they saw two nurses and a doctor waiting.

"Miss Bernardo?" The nurse called and Kath nodded her head, DJ instantly lying Riley on the gurney even though it was the hardest thing he'd ever done to let go of her. He held onto Kath's hand instead, able to feel how much Kath was shaking. "How long was it since she started displaying symptoms?" The same nurse asked as her two colleagues were instantly examining Riley to see the extent of her reaction - it was clear to them that she was having an intense reaction to something she'd eaten. 

"Between fifteen and twenty minutes," DJ said the doctor visibly shocked at how little time had passed.

"We need to get her inside, her airway is almost completely shut." The doctor urged, letting his nurses start to push the gurney inside and towards the nearest cubicle in the ER - they didn't have time to get her all the way across the hospital to pediatrics, her airway would close before they could even get halfway there. "If you'd wait here, we'll come and get you when we have an update." The doctor said, his voice rushed.

"No! No, I'm not waiting here whilst my daughter is somewhere dying." Kath begged, tears running down her face.

"It's better if we're given space to help your daughter, Miss Bernardo. Do you know what food she ate before displaying these symptoms?" He asked, looking more to DJ and he nodded his head.

"Sh-She tried my ice cream - it was pistachio." DJ choked out and the doctor nodded his head.

"Thank you - I'll come and get you personally when we have the situation under control, okay? You can wait in the relatives' room for privacy - it's the door next to the reception desk on the left." He gave his instructions quickly before he rushed off once more, disappearing through a set of double doors that led to the ER. Both DJ and Kath looked around the waiting room, seeing that most people were watching them - either recognizing them or having sympathy etched into their faces at the young couple who had been separated from their little girl and who obviously had another baby on the way.

"We gotta get you off your feet," DJ mumbled, pulling Kath along as her hand still shook in his and he helped her to sit down in one of the padded chairs that lined the walls in the relatives room before he sat in the one beside her, taking her hand again, but his eyes were on his girlfriend as she arched her back, letting out a small whimper. "Kath..."

"I'm fine, I'm just stressed and my back is spasming... w-we gotta call everybody, tell them what's happening." Kath went to fumble for her phone, but DJ laid his free hand over hers.

"Baby, stop... stop, we'll call them when we have more information. Come here." He pulled her into his side, wrapping his arms around her and he kissed the top of her head as she started to cry into his chest. He couldn't help but let a few tears fall himself as he rubbed her back, hoping to comfort her and help with her pain. "This is all my fault..." DJ breathed, but Kath was fast to pull away from him, looking him straight in the eye.

"This isn't your fault! A food allergy isn't anybody's fault, DJ! We had to find out about it sometime - she's never had nuts before! It's better we find out now than when she's older and in school, or even when we have a newborn to think about too." Kath tried to make him understand, but she could still see the guilt etched into his expression. She went to say something, but she gasped at a sudden pain in her lower stomach and DJ's head whipped round to look at her properly - his eyes instantly wide and his heart hammering impossibly harder in his chest.

Kath's waters had broken.

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