Late March-Mid-April 1994
Of course that sicko would know she was pregnant. Kate began to believe that this dickhead had planned it. That "the condom broke" comment he made towards her when he found out, was a lie. He probably broke it before they had...Whatever it was called. Not sex.
He was confused at first too. Worried as well. Probably because there would be a baby in the house and he had no idea how to make up a story about a baby. Like, how? What if the baby got sick and needed to go to a hospital? But then after a few weeks Martin Harris apparently began to be opened to the idea of thier family starting earlier than they had planned.
One of the first few things he brought down to her besides food, toilet paper and showering products were some maternity clothes that she could fit into in a few months and a book; What To Expect When You're Expecting. Kate refused to read it. She never wanted to lay eyes on that thing.
Then one day she felt something in her. Not her stomach for food. She had been eating the food he brought down but only the proteins bars and juice. It was gentle; A gentleness that she never felt before within her. Almost soft and like a butterfly landing on her. Kate sat up and waited...Then felt it again. She looked at her grown abdomen. That's you? She asked in her head. A third feeling. "Oh." She gasped. Her hand had shaken as she placed her hand under her top and against the skin of her swollen abdomen. "Hi you."
For a moment Kate thought she was insane. She was talking to her stomach.
"Are you doing okay in there?" She asked it. She didn't feel anything for a few moment. Kate rubbed her stomach. She pushed against her skin, gingerly. She felt something again. "I'll take that as an answer."
She kept silent for a couple of more moments. Just looking down at her body. She wished she had some idea of how far she really was but it had to be somewhat far. She felt little flutters. Martin was at work today. It was nine in the morning. He'd be gone for a while. "I'm...I'm you're mama." She said. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry you're stuck in this. Its my fault. Its my fault that you're going to be born down here."
What is the plan with Martin anyways? Fucking keeping us down here together and I give birth down here?
"Try to stay in there as long as you can. This world outside the womb is fucking crazy."
She stayed awake for the rest of the day. Staring down at her stomach and pressing along the skin. Amazed that there was a baby inside of her. A baby. Now why she'd had to have a baby with that sicko was... No. She didn't want to think about that. She just wanted to spend time with her baby.
When Martin came back, Kate pretended to fall asleep. After a while he had gone back upstairs. Kate sat up again, ignored the food he had brought down to her (healthy food for the baby she suspected) and cuddled her tummy. "Love you baby."
Mid-May. 1994
Kate didn't know if she should be thrilled or horrified
For one, she disposed her captor. Everything about him. Every thing that reminded her of him. She loathed him.
But he reminded her almost daily that he is the one keeping her under a safe roof. He is the one keeping clothes on her back. He is the one feeding her and her child (he says "their" child but Kate knew this was her baby). He was the one making sure they had everything they would need for the birth of their child. Baby clothes, blankets, a crib. He mentioned that he was able to play this stuff off by claiming he was sending it to a friend and his wife that lived out in Key West. But truth was this was all for the baby. His words a daily affirmation that she didn't want.
Kate did eat better. For the sake of the baby. But she was aggressive in her mind that she did not love Martin anymore and she did not want to be with him.
Yet here was Kate. Five months along in her pregnancy with the baby she loved without even knowing them. There was something inside of her with this baby. Kate felt so alone and when she thought that Martin was her friend, someone she felt so comfortable around and made her feel less lonely—only to make her more lonely than she had been beforehand— Kate knew that this little baby would be the reason Kate felt less alone. Less alone in this basement and less alone in the world. One day she'd get out with this little baby and they'd start their own lives. Somewhere far away from Skylin.
Maybe somewhere that had colder weather. Colorado with its majestic mountains and fluffy snow. Or Maine. That was a beautiful state in the beginning of the cold seasons. Maybe she'd go there and sneak a way up to Canada. A whole new country! Just for her and her baby.
The little one would play with its mother. It would push and kick against Kate. A simple wordless way of saying to Kate 'I'm here Mama! I'm in here! I can't wait to see you soon. Love you, Mama!' Kate would rub and play back with the baby to answer them. She'd try to sing (her voice lacked energy) and rock herself side-to-side to rock the baby.
Ironically, the baby never moved when Martin was downstairs. Kate could feel as if the baby could sense Martin's presence and just go to sleep. Or fake sleep. Kate didn't have much energy to try and fight off Martin whenever he placed his hand on Kate's abdomen to feel the baby. He wasn't upset though. He'd smile and say, "Little one's asleep." Or "Just a matter of luck to feel them." Then make a comment about how lucky Kate is to be able feel the baby whenever the baby moved.
This baby was intelligent. More than Kate, in Kate's opinion.
If only that stupid bitch Janette opened her mouth. Kate would had been out of the basement and out of the state with this kid.