Nanny Diaries 2 - The New Litter

Finding My Place

"How many likes did the last post get?" Helen asked, peering over my shoulder as I checked my phone. She had only given it back to me when we got back home after the school run, as a reward for better behaviour on the Monday morning. With Annie back with her own litter, she had needed me to work, in my new guise, and I had happily obliged, which seemed to please her, as much as it pleased me. It felt like we were back to normal, almost.

"Seven hundred thousand, Mama...it will be over a million by teatime," I grinned, looking at the picture of Henrietta hugging Caris which we had shared from the day before. It felt so good calling Helen Mama, like I really was part of the family. "And the live charity broadcast of the Christmas concert already has two million people registered...that will mean ten million pounds for our good causes...isn't that amazing?"

"And we have seats in the front row...it really is quite exciting." She said, moving back to the coffee machine, to pour us both cups. "You are a bit of a whizz on social media, Daphne dear...the elders are absolutely delighted with what you are doing...and those three girls are so pleased to be performing again...when they know how much they have earned for charity they are going to be over the moon!"

"They have all grown so close to each other...the choir, I mean...even Nicola seems to be enjoying it...and Caris looks after Henrietta, Georgina and Philippa like a mother hen, the dear thing," I smiled, scrolling through all the photographs we had taken. "I rather like thinking of them as my sisters, Mama."

"Well, we are an unusual brood, right now...collecting waifs and strays from all over...but you are a very welcome addition to the family, dear." She grinned, as she put my coffee down in front of me. "But we do have to think about your development as well as the nurslings...and that is why I don't want you to be our nanny anymore."

"But Mama...that is my job? It is why I am here..." I gabbled, but she just rested her hands on my shoulders and shushed me.

"No, dear...you are now here to follow the doctrine, and whilst I do need your help with your many sisters, Colin and I do not think it is appropriate for the community to think of you as our employee...because you are much more than that to us...to all of us." She said, taking the seat next to me, and taking hold of my hands. "Yesterday confirmed that, I am afraid...and we can't keep borrowing Annie...so, we are going to employ another nanny...in fact, we may already have done so...and you can concentrate on this social media nonsense for the Brewster Sisters and learning to be a good maiden. You will still be useful, and you will still see a lot of your sisters...but you are part of this community now, not a servant to it...and you need some time to get used to this new you."

"But Mama..."

"Daphne...I know I was hard on you this weekend, and I know you are finding this tough to cope with...but this is what Pastor John told you to expect...isn't it?"

"Yes, Mama." I admitted, although he had not actually ever mentioned me being diapered or going to bed in a sleepsuit, but he had said that I had a lot to learn and expressed some concern about me continuing as a nanny, and I really had promised to obey my guardians. I might not like that aspect of things much, but I had been warned, and I had promised everyone that I would do as I was told, even my parents. "I do want to be a good Reformist...and a good maiden, if that is what I have to be first...but I want to be close to the girls even more...I love looking after them?"

"Darling...you will see them every day, I promise...and whoever we employ will have two days off a week, so you will be helping me with that...but you have started a difficult process most maidens have spent a lifetime preparing for. And those girls you love so much will be your sisters for life...not just your charges...this is your family now, for life."