Block 8, Cell 18

Chapter 14. High Contrast.

Marcus visited her almost everyday now.
They didn't have sex every time, and Cadence was grateful that he gave her space. It felt like a page had been turned in a book. Previous knowledge had been learned and filed away.

Most of the time, they just talked.
Marcus even disclosed some darker details about himself.
Cadence expressed the fears and nightmares that she'd had during their two weeks apart.
With no where else to sit, they would lie in each other's arms and dose.
Sleep was deep and peaceful when Marcus was in the bed. Safe from intruders.
Another amazing thing about his visits, was he brought enough food for both of them to eat.
It was always hot and delicious, compared to the cold gruel that was usually served.
The ravenous Cadence devoured it, and rapidly.

The good quality meals were helping her to regain some of her strength, and filling the gaps between her protruding rib cage.
Despite Brian's occasional contraband treats, the months of malnutrition were showing.

Yet today, Cadence felt sick.

It was only a matter of time. Food poisoning had been in the back of her mind, every time she was served her "prisoner food". It often smelled slightly rotten, and the bread was always mouldy.

A knock on the door forced her to sit up, causing her stomach to churn.
Jay entered carrying breakfast, and words escaped unintentionally from her mouth.

"Urg! Not food."

"What's wrong with it?" He asked, looking down at the buttered toast. 'For once, this food doesn't look too bad' Jay thought to himself.

"Nothing, I just can't. I feel sick." Cadence explained, hoping he would just turn around and take it away.

Jay just stared at her with a serious look on his face.

"What?" Cadence asked. Did she look as awful as she felt? Was she green, or had she developed some weird skin condition? She hadn't had the energy to check in the crappy mirror.

"Are you pregnant?" He breathed quietly.

Cay's stomach plummeted, then leapt into her throat. She ran to the toilet and threw up.

Thoughts filled her brain as she retched.
'Shit! What if it's not food poisoning after all? What if I am? What's going to happen now? Who's the father?'

"I can get a test." Jay explained, seeing her inner turmoil. "This new one is pretty good."

Cadence pulled her head out of the toilet, and wiped her mouth with some of the thin toilet tissue.

Marcus had told her about his friendship with this guy. He trusted him implicitly. Maybe Cadence could trust him too.
She certainly had no one else to talk to about it, and she didn't want to bring it up with Marcus, yet.
She walked gently back to the bed.

"I'm scared. What if I am? What if it's Marcus's? What if it not?" She whispered, frightened about who might overhear.

Jay walked over and sat next to her.
"You know, we take blood samples from every client. It's all part of the process. Staff's are on file too." He explains quietly.

Cadence just stared at him confused.

"This test will tell us if you're pregnant, but can also tell us who the father is." He explained. "Do you want me to get Marcus to bring a kit up?"

"No, I need some time to get my head around all this. I'm not quite ready for Marcus to know yet." She admitted. It was shocking to know it was all so easy. "Can't you do it?"

"Okay. I'll go down to the medical bay now." He said, getting up.

As he left, Cadence felt her stomach tie itself in knots. Bile rose again and she dashed back to the toilet, retching and gagging.
Not only had science and technology furthered mankind, but it was now being used to map the genealogy of rapists. The thought was repulsive.

After only a few minutes, Jay returned with a black leather case. He opened it up to reveal an iPad, a black box connected to some wires, some syringes, long needles, and other bits and pieces.

"Right, this will be uncomfortable I'm afraid, but don't worry, we've all been trained how to do this. The Doc got fed up of being asked to do it at 3am.
I'll need to take a sample of blood. This will tell us if your pregnant and also compare it with our other samples on file. That will tell us who the father is." Jay explained simply.

Cadence was nervous, but she needed to know. She nodded at him.

Jay ordered her to sit on the bed, as he set up the equipment.
He snapped a strap around her upper arm and told her to make a fist.
He swabbed the crook of her elbow, before inserting the needle.

Cadence looked away, she was already queasy enough. She felt the sharp scratching pain as the needle went in.

"That's your part done." Jay said, as he released her. He passed some cotton wool for her to hold against her arm.

Cadence watched as Jay squeezed a few drops of blood into an indentation on a flat plastic stick. He then inserted the stick into a slot on the black box, that was now connected to the iPad.
His fingers flew over the screen , like he'd done it a million times.
Jay sat back, looking at the tablet in his hands.

"So?" Cadence asked, nervously. Was it really that fast?

"Well, your definitely pregnant, about five weeks." He said simply.

Cadence could feel her gut wrenching. "And the father?" She whispered.

"Looks like it's Marcus." He replied, thinking she would be relieved by the news.

But Cadence felt like she was in a tornado. Yes, she was relieved, but additional concerns filled her head with questions.
'I'm not ready to have a baby! Deep down, I knew it was only a matter of time, being here.
I had hoped that maybe I was baron, or my body would somehow reject it after all the trauma.
And what will Marcus's reaction be? Will he be happy?
Of course he won't be happy, who wants a child born into this?
Will it even survive? The chances are slim on the outside, let alone in here!
Will I be allowed to keep our baby, or will it be taken from me and sold? Would Marcus have any say in it? Would James see it as his grandchild?
Oh god, I don't know! I need to think about this before I talk to Marcus.' It was the only conclusion she could draw from the tangled mess.

"Do you want me to tell him, or will you?" Jay asked, practically reading her thoughts.

Cay let out a sigh. "I will, soon. I just need some time to get my head around all this. Please don't mention it to Marcus or anyone else, please!" She begged.

Jay frowned at her but nodded.
She shouldn't take too long, there was a procedure to follow.
Only Marcus could relieve her of some of her duties, and he couldn't if he didn't even know she was pregnant.

He packed up the equipment and left.