Katrina was walking along the steps of the cathedral as usual that night when she felt a slight twitch in her protruded belly but ignored it since it was normal for the baby to move around in the belly. She was starting to sweat normal than usual but kept going up the stairs since it was part of her daily exercise to keep herself fit.
She just finished dinner and decided to stretch her legs since she spent all her day knitting in the house. She managed to reach the top of the stairs and inhaled the fresh air blowing on the high balcony of the cathedral.
“This is refreshing” she murmured and closed her eyes to inhale more before placing her hands on the rails to look around the city.
“I wonder what everyone is going through right now. Even in this harsh world, we still selfishly bring people to join us in the struggle” she said and slowly looked at her belly
“But don’t worry my baby, I will make sure you don’t share in the struggle” she said and rubbed her belly with a small smile and felt another twitch in her belly.
“You are kicking harder than usual today” she remarked and patted her belly before she saw father Michael passing below
“I guess it’s time for prayer already” she muttered and turned to go down when his voice stopped her
“Katrina, how are you doing today?” Father Michael called out to her and she turned back to face him
He had gone out very early that day so she couldn’t see him all day and seeing how he was heading straight to the chapel as soon as he came back, he must have been anxious to miss the night prayer.
“I am fine, father and I am sure you are too” she answered with a smile
“I got you a huge gift so come down and let’s have it together” he said and raised his hand to show a very big watermelon in a carrier net and her eyes popped up in happiness
“As always you are the best” she remarked happily and turned to go down the stairs
It has been up to seven months she came to the cathedral. She was covered in blood that rainy night and she fainted immediately she got there. Father Michael and the other sisters present there were the ones that took care of her till she was conscious after three days. She wanted to leave but they advised her to stay since she was pregnant and that was the first time she would ever hear that she was pregnant, she was pregnant and she didn’t know.
For the sake of her baby, she decided to stay there where she would at least have shelter and also do some work to feed herself. Over the seven months, they became her friends and family, they made sure to take care of her and her baby without anything in return but she decided to knit for them as her own way of repaying their benevolence.
She had three steps to go before reaching the floor of the steps when the twitch hit her harder this time. She felt a sharp pain in her abdomen and it wouldn’t go away, she groaned in pains and her legs became weak so she quickly held the rails to support herself.
Her legs were so tired that she only managed to drag them down a step leaving her with two to go, she groaned harder when another twitch swept through her and this time she could no longer hold it, she screamed and her water broke.
Father Michael who was waiting for her below heard her scream and ran to check what was happening only to find out that she was in labor already. He dropped the watermelon with the speed of light and rushed to help her down the stairs while screaming the names of the sisters in the cathedral.
They rushed out to see what was happening and quickly helped her out. She was taken to the cathedral’s hospital where she was attended to as fast as possible. She was in labor for more than six hours and finally gave birth to a baby boy.
“It’s a boy and he’s so handsome” Sister Tina said with a smile as she brought the baby to her
She burst into tears as she held her baby in her hands, the tiny creature wrapped in a white shawl was sleeping soundly.
“Everything about him is so tiny” she said and wiped her dropping tears with the back of her hand
“I know right? The heavens decided to bless you with this tiny and cute creature. Congratulations on being a mother, Katrina” Sister Tina said to her and that only fueled her tears
She could not believe that she was holding her own baby in her hands, everything felt strange to her and she could not stop crying.
“It is not okay to cry this hard, you need to rest first” Sister Tina advised and slowly retrieved the baby from her
“Thank you” she muttered as she laid down to rest like she was advised to.
The rising sunlight peeped through the flowery curtain in the room and it slowly landed on her face waking her up from her sleep. She turned and tussled on the bed before slowly opening her eyes to see where she was. Everywhere was white and unfamiliar, she tried raising her hand to scratch her itchy forehead but something was dragging along with it.
She glanced to see what was happening and saw the fluid hose tightly fixed on her hand, she was wondering what happened to her before her memory kicked in and she remembered holding a baby few hours ago.
She jolted up and touched her belly, she had given birth but where was her baby? She was about removing the IV hose from her hand when Sister Tina and Father Michael came in with a baby in his hand.
“You are awake” he said with a tone filled with joy and she sighed
“I went to clean him up since you were still sleeping” Sister Tina said to her and she nodded before she stretched forth her hand to receive her baby
“I don’t know what has happened in the past but I want you to consider this baby a gift from the heavens. You said your dreams is to become a mother so you have to take care of this dream jealously now” Father Michael commented and she nodded
“You have done well, congratulations Katrina” he added and patted her before leaving her with Sister Tina who brought some food for her.
She was finally discharged in the evening and went back to her room where she cleaned up and stared at her baby all day. She could not believe that something this precious and cute came out from her but at the same time, she was so happy to welcome him.
“Welcome to the world my little prince” she said and touched the nose lightly
For many days, kids who visit the cathedral kept coming to play with her child and brought her many gifts since she was a kind fellow who knitted them different things from sweaters to scarfs. She was grateful that they were all taking care of her child with her.
She was drying her laundry one afternoon when she heard some of the kids talking about her and her baby
“Don’t you think Katrina’s baby is really cute?” one of them said
“I know right? But I feel so sad that he will be growing up without a father. I wonder where his father is, he would have been glad to see such a little prince as his son though” the other supported
“I am just worried for him, people are not nice to those who don’t have parents or have single parents” the first kid remarked and that word hit her hard.
It was not as if she didn’t know the father of her child or neither was he dead. She went back inside to see him sleeping in the cot and stared at him for a long time. She came to the realization that although her dream is to be the best mother in the world, she will not let her baby grow without a father.
Immediately, she stood up and packed her things. She went to visit Father Michael and Sister Tina and told them that she was leaving to be with her father’s child. That day, she left the cathedral and went back to where she ran away from.
