One Sunday morning a few weeks later, Kaori and Ukimi were doing their scheduled cocoon patrol of Leyton House. Kaori found a cocoon.
Actually, she found two cocoons, one right next to the other, in one of the bigger second story bedrooms.
She carefully exited the room, and then ran to the stair well.
"Ukimi! Ukimi! I found a cocoon. I've found two cocoons!" She was practically squealing with delight.
They stood, arms around each other, at a respectful distance, looking at the two little cocoons, just twenty centimetres high, side by side, attached by a small stalk to the floor boards.
"My, my, two little baby haibane" said Ukimi.
"Do you think there is actually a baby haibane in there, or do the haibane arrive fully grown when the cocoon is big enough?" said Kaori.
"I don't think anyone knows. And how could we, without, you know, ah, looking inside..." said Ukimi.
"Which would kill the poor little haibane. I'd rather not know."
As part of their patrols they had also been keeping the rooms clean. So there was nothing extra to be done for the time being done except watch the cocoons.
They got a fire screen and positioned it across the opened door.
"Now kids, two at a time please, you can stand in front of the fire screen and look." This was Rakka, supervising the children as they gawked at the new arrivals. Of course, being the supervisor gave her the perfect excuse to look for as long as she liked. This Sunday lunch time there was Matsu and Mado from the Stone Mill nest present. Matsu admired the two cocoons, and then looked at the room itself.
"With all due respects, Old Home tend to be somewhat lackadaisical about preparing for a new cocoon hatching. Considering the buildings they live in, I can't blame them. However, here, I suggest we be a bit proactive." said Matsu.
Matsu and Mado had a discussion with Kaori and Ukimi. As a consequence, over the next week various Stone Mill tradesmen made an appearance and did various items of work in the room. Since a cocoon hatching released a lot of water, they carefully cut a hole through the exterior stone wall at floor level, and put in a flap. They also removed, for the time being, the door, and built a low barrier across the door way. Somebody examined the floor, which was wooden boards, and the lower reaches of the walls, and repaired and sealed all cracks and gaps. All so that the released water would end up outside, and not flooding the house. The Stone Mill electrician rigged up a switch and ran a cable down to both Kaori's and Ukimi's bedrooms, and put a electric bell in each. This was to allow the person on watch duty at the final stages of the cocoon growth to easily call for help. The room had a built-in book case; as a final preparation Ukimi placed some blankets and towels on the top shelf, and a stretcher was leant against the wall in the corner. By now the cocoons were both a metre across; one was slightly larger than the other.
Kaori and Ukimi also belatedly realised that they needed a guest room. The ground floor bedroom at the opposite end of the corridor from Kaori's was selected, and two beds and chairs and various other items were installed.
One Friday afternoon, after they had both returned from their work shifts, they decided to walk over to the library. Kaori owned plenty of books, but the supply of unread books in the house had declined to dangerously low levels. They lugged in their bags of borrowed books, deposited them at the front counter, and went upstairs to the fiction section.
"Kaori, look, there's a book called 'The Princess Bride, the Good Parts Version'" said Ukimi. "It looks like we might both like it!"
A librarian who had been checking books nearby looked up at this, and was mildly surprised to see a human lady and an older haibane teenager discussing books together.
"If you're into fantasy romances, I'm sure you'll like it. I certainly did." she said. "Hello there, my name is Sumika. I don't think we've met, but you must be Kaori of the Leyton House nest."
"Yes, that's right. And this is my friend Ukimi, my first haibane."
"Ahh, that brings back the memories. I was very good friends with a haibane too, for quite a number of years. Her name was Nemu."
Small contemplative silence.
"Also, I am now hosting two more." said Kaori.
"Yes, and I believe you have two cocoons that will be hatching soon. You must be pleased."
"I am indeed. And you must be pleased to be soon having your own new arrival." said Kaori, glancing at Sumika's tummy. Sumika was very obviously pregnant.
Sumika patted her baby bulge.
"So there's a little baby inside you right now?" said Ukimi. She was fascinated at the thought. "We haibane are hatched from cocoons. It's wet and messy and very painful, I can tell you."
Sumika started giggling. "It's wet and messy and painful for us to, but at least we're not single use."
Kaori practically fell on the floor with laughter. She did her best to smother it; they were in a library after all.
Ukimi blushed.
Ten minutes after.
"Ukimi, and Kaori also of course, you are welcome to visit me and my baby, once he or she is born. Our house is actually very close to Leyton House." said Sumika.
"I looking forward to holding a little baby." said Ukimi.
As they were walking back, Kaori had a thought: "How did Sumika know we had two cocoons coming on?"
"Ding dong" went the front door bell on the morning of the Saturday after the library visit.
Kaori opened the door and was surprised to see the Communicator.
"Hello, I apologise for the unexpected intrusion, but even I am curious to see some new cocoons. Especially a pair, they are not all that common." he said.
"I am honoured" said Kaori. And she was, she hadn't expected such attention.
Together the three of them looked in to the cocoon hatching room.
"I complement you, and the Stone Mill visitors, for you preparations." he said.
"Also, since you will soon be hosting five haibane, I believe it is now appropriate to invite you to be a full time nest mother, so you don't have to do your part time clerical work."
"Why, thank you!" said Kaori.
"As usual, our accountant will be in touch to arrange the details." with that, the Communicator went off to his market day duties.
Kaori looked at Ukimi. "Now I have the Communicator visiting me, to discuss haibane business. Isn't that amazing!"
"I told you he wasn't all that bad."
"Hmm, I'm still thinking about that one."
Hana and Kaze demanded to be included in on the duty roster. So, when both Mado and Rakka said the cocoons were looking almost ready, they arranged their times. At this stage, both Kaze and Kaori were home most of the time, while both Hana and Ukimi were absent in the middle part of the day.
Finally, Ukimi, who was on watch, realised that the smallest cocoon was just about to hatch. At 3:00 in the morning, naturally. She pressed the bell switch.
Let's just skip over the details of the hatching and wings out, they don't change all that much. We shall only look at the naming ceremony.
"I'm sure you have lots of questions, but first, would you like to tell us your dream?" said Kaori. She was sitting in a chair facing one of the beds; Ukimi was sitting next to her, holding the halo mould. The girls were barely containing their excitement and were hovering around in the background. In the bed was a young lady, still without wings and halo. She had blond hair and looked to have a physical age of about twelve.
"My dream?" she said. She was still in the puzzled and mildly shocked stage.
"I don't mean to alarm you, but you won't remember anything of you previous life, except for the contents of your cocoon dream." said Kaori.
"Oh. My dream, I remember being carried and protected by my brother. There was sunlight shining on trees and grass and bushes all around. That's all."
"So you must have been the little sister?" said Kaori. She paused in thought for a while. "How about we name you Komai, little sister?"
"My name? But..."
And two days time, it was Kaori's turn to press the bell. At 2:00 in the morning. These two hatchings certainly knew how to time their arrivals.
This time there were four haibane, and Kaori, present at the naming ceremony. Komai was sitting the other side of Kaori, looking with wonder at this new arrival. By now she had her own halo and wings. Her wings were still twitching occasionally. In the second bed was a middle aged male teenager, also with blond hair, about fifteen or so. He was looking around with the standard puzzled expression, trying to work out what was going on.
"My dream?" he said. "Ah, I remember floating in water... Oh, before that." He collected his thoughts.
"I was carrying my little sister along a path; there were trees and shrubs around..."
"Yes! You are my brother!" shouted Komai. She jumped up and down, and suddenly stopped.
"Ouch, my wings still hurt."
She stood right next to her brother and reached out her hands. He looked at her and took her hands.
"Yes, my sister." He gently squeezed her hands.
"Well. I think your name should be Daiani, big brother." said Kaori.
"Huh? But my name is, is..."
The following morning Matsu arrived with two more name tags. He placed them on the notice board.
"More than half filled! I'm going to have to make an extension soon!"
There was a discussion about where the two new arrivals would have their bedrooms. Kaori's bedroom was on the ground floor, and Ukimi's was on the first floor, and Hana and Kaze were next to Ukimi's. By now the two girls each had a proper bed, but they still shared a room.
"Well, I'm happy anywhere, although I prefer to have a room next to Komai's" said Daiani.
"I want to be closer to the others, how about the two bedrooms remaining next to Hana's and Kaze's" said Komai.
The Communicator made some arrangements and the thrift shop guy delivered two second hand single beds, plus two only slightly worn mattresses and two chairs still in reasonable condition. They arrived the next day. As well, Matsu came over and installed some wardrobes and small desks, in both rooms.
A month later, the Leyton House occupants were having tea.
"Sorry, Hana and Kaze, but there is no special dessert tonight, if we had it every night it would no longer be special, would it?." said Ukimi.
The two girls were not convinced by this logic, but had to make do with a couple of chocolate biscuits each, also made by Ukimi.
"There's plenty of fresh fruit, but" added Kaori.
They each dutifully took a small piece. Then Daiani tried to get Komai to eat a piece of apple. "It's good for you!"
"Stop trying to treat me like a baby!" said Komai, batting away the offering. "I can choose my own piece!"
"That reminds me," said Kaori, "Sumika has had her new baby; it's a girl this time. Ukimi, we must pay them a visit."
"Ooh, can we go to!" said Hana and Kaze, in perfect synchronisation.
"And me!" said Komai.
Daiani looked at the eager girls and rolled his eyes.
"We can't all be there at once, it would overwhelm them. I'll ask if it is possible to arrange subsequent visits."
And thus, a week or so later, Kaori allowed Ukimi to take Komai and Daiani to visit Sumika. Initially Daiani had no interest but-
"Stupid boy! You should know how to hold a baby also!" said Komai.
"Why? It's not as we can ever be parents." he said. But Komai dragged him along anyway. Not having the energy to fuss, he compiled.
"Now put your arm under the baby, and with your other hand support the baby's back, oops, don't let her head flop back, that's right." said Sumika.
"She's beautiful" Komai said, looking at the baby with complete adoration. The baby took all of this as if it was her perfect right.
After Komai had oohed and ahhed enough, she decided it was Daiani's turn. She didn't bother to ask Daiani's opinion, she just told him to sit on the sofa next to her.
Using almost the exact same words, she instructed her brother on how to take the baby. She gently transferred the little bundle from her arms to his, and then they sat there, Daiani holding the baby and Komai with her arms wrapped around his.
"You're right, she is beautiful" said Daiani, hooked at last.
Sumika, and her husband, and Ukimi, looked on at the sight of the two haibane, halos visibly glowing in the indoor lighting, grey wings fluttering slightly, soft expressions on their faces, cradling a baby between them. Sumika's husband decided he was suffering from a bad case of cute overload, and had to beat a hasty retreat to his study, where he looked at his martial art trophies for a while to recover.
Back at Leyton House.
"I want to be a baby sitter! That can be my job!" said Komai to all present. "And Daiani can help me!"
"But I don't want to hold a baby all day. I was thinking I might like to do something like window cleaning or general gardening jobs." said Daiani. He had found he enjoyed pottering around in Kaori's garden, and helping her move pots around and rake up the leaves and trim the hedges.
"That's perfect!" said Komai. We go to someone's house, I do most of the baby sitting and he can do odd jobs around the house."
"Err, yes I suppose I can." said Daiani.
"Well, first things first. You need to actually do some practice babysitting first... I suppose Sumika might be willing..." said Kaori.
Somewhat to Kaori's surprise, Sumika was happy to fill the role of babysitter trainer, using her own baby. So for the next two weeks, Komai and Daiani were regular visitors to Sumika's residence.
"If I had to be away for more than a few hours, I would make up some infant formula milk, like so..." said Sumika, showing them how.
This time it was Daiani's turn to feed the baby from the bottle.
"And when the baby is finished, you put her up on you shoulder and pat her back, that's right..."
The baby promptly burped up a bit of milk, which ran down the back of Daiani's shirt.
"Aark!" said Daiani, but still carefully holding the baby.
"Oops, normally you put a towel there first, I forgot. Just think of it as being blessed by the baby."
"Riiight, and do I then kiss her on the forehead as thanks for the blessing?"
"That's optional."
The baby started to cry.
"Looks like I didn't make enough formula, so I'll have to feed her myself." said Sumika.
"How do you feed the baby normally?" asked Daiani.
Sumika told him.
Daiani's eyes went round and he blushed bright red. He hurriedly, but gently, handed the baby to Sumika and made a beeline for the door.
"I'll be back as soon as you've finished."
Komai giggled.
At last the big day arrived, where Komai and Daiani were to look after the baby all by themselves. Sumika lined up her next door neighbour, who was mother of two children and granny of three grandchildren, for assistance, should any be needed. Her husband had already taken their three year old son to his aunty's. Finally Sumika handed over the baby, and she and her husband went to the evening concert at Guri's Ballroom and Function Centre.
"Hey, it's nice to have an evening out like this!" he said at the start of the concert.
"Yes, it sure is" she said.
"I hope everything is all right" she said at the first interval.
"Of a course it is, you have trained them well" he said.
"Was there enough infant formula? I hope Komai doesn't stab my baby with a safety pin when doing up her nappy" This was at the second interval.
"Relax, honey, they have backup from next door."
There were drinks and nibblies at the conclusion.
"Can we just go straight home? Perhaps the baby is having a temper tantrum and they can't control her."
Her husband gazed wistfully at the snacks, but he knew where his duty lay.
They quietly opened the front door and walked into their apartment. They looked into the opened door of the main bedroom, and there was the baby, sound asleep in its cot at the foot of the bed. They continued on to the lounge, and Daiani was sitting on the sofa, reading a book while Komai leant against his side, half asleep.
"Oh, hello. There were no problems. I hope you had a nice time out." said Komai, after yawning and stretching.
After that, they baby sat Sumika's baby once a week or so, and Sumika learnt not to worry. At least not too much. Sumika also had a little discussion with Kaori about payment.
"I suggest that you act as the co-ordinator for their baby sitting duties, and customers can directly pay you with cash, which you pay into the Renmei's bank account. That way we maintain the prohibition against haibane dealing with money."
Naturally, at first, Sumika was the only customer. Mostly Komai looked after the baby, and Daiani was assigned odd jobs like sweeping the leaves from the lawn, or stacking firewood. Sumika did her best to spread the word, and eventually they had two more regular paying customers. The endorsement from Sumika, a mother of a baby, was a big help in finding these. The novelty factor of having two haibane babysit one's babies also played a part.
Daiani found an old bicycle in Kaori's garden shed. With the help of some of the haibane from the Abandoned Factory, he was able to make it serviceable again. He also installed a pillion seat, so he could pedal and Komai could ride behind him. A few weeks later they rode on the bicycle, in the middle of the day, out to a new customer's house for babysitting. The location was in the local farming area; since it was still winter and it was half way between raining and snowing, they were well rugged up. The father was currently working on a farm way over on the other side of Guri's agricultural area, and the mother needed to visit her parents. She welcomed them in, introduced them to the baby and showed them the preparations, then off she went. She drove off in what was effectively a small enclosed motorised three wheeled scooter.
Komai picked up the baby and made goo-goo noises to him. Daiani put his hands on his sister's shoulders and hugged them both, kissing the baby's fuzzy crop of hair.
"Ain't he so cute." He pressed his cheek against the baby's and the baby gurgled back at him. "Ok, that's enough of the lovey-dovey stuff; I'll do my own work now."
He went about his assigned duties, shovelling snow off the garden path, bringing in more fire wood, and cleaning out the fire places. The time came to feed the baby, and Komai took the prepared milk out of the fridge, warmed it up, and let the baby have a good feed. She carefully put a towel over her shoulder before burping him. Daiani came in from the cold, stamping his feet and rubbing his hands.
"It will be fun going back home tonight, the rain is half frozen, and is falling almost horizontal."
He took out their own prepared tea and they shared it. 6:00pm came and went.
"She's supposed to be back by now" said Komai. She looked at the baby. He was still contentedly sleeping, but he would be getting hungry soon.
7:00pm came and went.
"I've found the packet of infant formula, but it is almost empty." said Daiani as he came back out of the kitchen. "I've searched everywhere and there doesn't appear to be any more."
Komai was trying to distract the baby from its emerging hunger pangs, but was beginning to fail. So she made up the rest of the formula. It would keep the baby quiet for another hour or so.
By now they were both distinctly worried.
"I don't suppose you can feed a baby just like a mother can?" asked Daiani.
"Of course I can't! I'm not old enough. And I'm not a mother. Not to mention the fact that I'm a haibane."
"Hmm, have you heard of the term 'left holding the baby'?" asked Daiani.
"I have now. What do we do? We don't have any more food for the baby. How long can babies last without food?"
"Well, judging by the way they cry and scream, probably about five minutes" said Daiani.
Komai rocked the baby and began to really worry. "It had better be more than that, but what shall we do?"
"We will have to take the baby to somewhere where he can be looked after. I just hope we don't get in trouble for taking the baby away from his home." said Daiani.
"If we do, it can't be helped, we must look after him." said Komai.
They started preparing for travel with a baby in bad weather. Daiani decided there was no way in Guri he could safely ride a bicycle in this weather with two passengers, one a baby. So they had to walk. A search of the house yielded a baby harness, so he strapped it around Komai, then they rugged up the baby and put him in it. It was a front harness, so Komai could see the baby. Daiani found a bright blue and yellow baby sized woollen hat, so that went on his head. Komai's raincoat was now too small to fit her, so Daiani used a larger one he found in the hallway. By buttoning it almost all the way up to the top Komai was able to cover the baby's head, while still being able to have a peek at her charge if needed. Daiani looked at an umbrella, then looked out the window, and decided the umbrella would just fly away, and probably take Komai with it. Finally he wrote a note about what they were doing, and where they were going, and stuck it in the middle of the dining room table. They took a deep breath, and stepped out into the storm.
"Walk right behind me, since we are walking into the rain. My, this is, err, interesting." said Daiani.
Guri had a small population, only about 10,000 people. So there wasn't a lot of overly formal structure. They made up with a lot of semi formal and informal arrangements. One of those arrangements was an ever shifting network of baby houses; a house where a mother of a young baby lived and who was prepared to have an open house for any other mothers (and fathers) of babies that needed a bit of help or assistance. As part of their preparations for babysitting, Komai and Daiani would memorise the nearest baby house for each babysitting location. They were now walking to the nearest such location, about twenty minutes walk away.
In good weather, that is. Forty minutes later they staggered through the front gate and up the path to the baby house.
Nanny Ogg wasn't actually a mother of a baby, that was too many decades ago for her to count. But considering that: she had two daughters, and they had children, and now there were great grand children; she kept in touch with her sister, and her children, and cousins and friends, and they all had children or grand children or great grand children; also Nanny Ogg was a great one for inviting people over, her house was big and she willingly let people sleep over. Consequently there nearly always was a baby somewhere in her big house. So it was only natural that she would put her hand up to be the hostess of a baby house.
This particular evening she was settling into her comfy armchair in her front parlour. The fire was going full blast, and there were about a dozen women of all ages socialising, with two babies and some small toddlers, and some young teenagers, and, while Nanny wasn't quite sure, there may have been some older teenagers in other rooms of the house. Exactly what they might be getting up to she had long ago given up worrying about. She was holding court with a group of women gathered around her chair, while the others present ignored her and made their own entertainment.
There was a 'dong' from the front door bell. Everybody looked up, wondering if anything of interest was going to happen.
"I don't think anybody was expecting any visitors, in this weather, are they? asked Nanny.
Getting no replies, she got up, went down the front hallway and opened the front door. She saw a young man, a complete stranger, standing there, water dripping off his raincoat. Nanny, having become fearless about men during her long life and having a house full of guests anyway, merely said hello and invited him in out of the cold. She was a little surprised to see a smaller female, also rugged up, right behind him. And she was very surprised to realise they both had halos.
"Two haibane?" went the whispers as the guests from the parlour crowded in to the hall way to see who had arrived.
And as they took off their raincoats, it became apparent that the female was carrying a baby in a harness.
Nanny Ogg, being used to parents bringing in their babies, looked in complete astonishment.
"But, haibane don't have babies!" she said to herself. Eventually, she realised that just because they had a baby, didn't mean it was their baby.
Half an hour later.
Nanny had requested one of the nursing mothers to look after the baby, and had pressed upon the two haibane some hot soup and toast. They didn't protest too much. She had gone through her house, poking her head into various bedrooms, until she had found a suitable man; this one was in his early twenties.
"Ok, Tadashi, you are going in your truck and driving to the watch house, so as to start enquires about the location of the mother."
"But I was trying to get some sleep."
"Indeed," said Nanny, raising her eyebrows. "And I suppose that young lady was reading you a bedtime story?"
Tadashi knew defeat when he saw it. Nanny gave him the name of the baby and mother, since she actually knew them slightly; they had visited several times.
An hour and a half later, Daiani and Komai were sitting in a lounge chair in yet another room of Nanny's house. Komai was holding a very well fed and sleeping baby, and the brother and sister were almost asleep themselves, leaning against each other. Nanny strolled into the room.
"Good news!" she said, loud enough to wake up the haibane but not loud enough to wake the baby.
Two watchmen came in after her, looking slightly damp from the weather.
"We've found the mother. She had an accident while driving her vehicle and ended up in hospital with a broken leg. When we last checked she was still out from the anaesthetic."
Tadashi went back to his bed time story, Nanny and her social friends went back to the parlour room with a new topic of conversation, and the watchmen drove the haibane and the baby to the hospital.
The doctor led the three up the stairs, down a white corridor with numbered doors, and into one of them. She spread apart the curtains of one of the beds and brought up two chairs. The haibane sat down and looked at the mother in the bed. She was sound asleep, with one of her legs in plaster. The doctor said that she will be around, just ask one of the nurses if need be, and left them in peace. They waited, battling to keep their eyes open. Eventually the mother stirred and opened hers, and slowly focused upon the two haibane. .
"Hello, we bought your baby in for you" said Komai, as she gently transferred the baby to his mother's arms.
After that, they had no problems in getting enough babysitting jobs.