Nanny Diaries 2 - The New Litter

Positive Vibes

"See...your fans seem to really like the new you, Henrietta." I said as I showed her some of the posts that had been put up since my big idea became a reality. She was sitting on my lap in her school uniform, which had become her second skin during the week, and she did not seem to notice it anymore. She was still getting very tired after school, but that was because she was simply not used to studying. And all three girls were really behind where they ought to be for their age. But I did not care about that, and neither did her grandparents, because they were all behaving themselves and doing their best with their lessons. "I am told you have been enjoying singing with the choir, pickle?"

"Yes, Nanny...it's fun." She murmured sleepily, her stomach full of formula. "Our teacher is nice...she doesn't shout if we make a mistake."

"We are going to film your rehearsal tomorrow...and then post it on here...look, the picture of you in your uniform has two million likes, pickle."

"That's a lot, Nanny...but the studio won't like it..."

"Henrietta...that studio has no hold at all over you anymore...no one is going to bully you anymore, sweetheart...and you are only going to perform if you want to, I promise." I sighed as I kissed her hair.

"We like singing Nanny..."

"And you are very good at it, pickle." I reminded her, because they really were talented little girls, and I was beginning to realise that no one had told her that for a long time. It was nice to be back at work, and back in Meadvale. I felt so refreshed and eager to help all of my charges progress. Mrs Blackstone had sort of inspired me, I suppose, when she said that I had a different perspective on things to most people in the community. And I had been asked to take on the task of managing the social media accounts for the sisters, which was exciting and challenging as well as such good fun. The amount of interest there was in the girls was incredible, especially after the way they were treated by the studio finally became public knowledge. My job was to represent the girls and their new lives as they really were, as nurslings, to try and give a more positive image of the church than the one which had been promoted by Candy Wellman and her odious friends. And that night, after getting my lot tucked up in their cots, I uploaded a picture of the three girls and Caris fast asleep in their child-carrier on the way home. It was a cute picture, they all looked happy and comfortable. And I sat there watching the likes and the comments flood in, faster than I could read them.

Obviously, it was the internet, and not all the comments were positive. It was clearly unusual to see teenagers in a pushchair with pacifiers in their mouths, but the fact was that they looked quite content, and so adorable. The Church did not hide its beliefs, and would certainly not apologise for them at all, but we were able to use social media to explain the theory and the situation. I shared the school timetable, to explain why the girls were tired, and another picture of them doing their homework an hour after their impromptu nap, as well as an article written by one of the Pastors in Meadvale, talking about childcare and the Reformist doctrine. I did not know if everyone would take the time to read it, but I did know that a picture can say a thousand words. I had not meant to do it, but I was giving the church a very modern platform to explain itself to the wider world, and they needed to step up and take that chance, if they wanted to move past accusations of extremism. But that was up to them, actually. I looked up from my phone and glanced at the gown I had borrowed from Sheila, and ended up wearing home on the train, just to experience what it was like to be a Reformist, and to stand out for my beliefs against a world that thought I was a bit strange. My concern was the girls, and I wanted them to be able to use their talents and enjoy doing it, whilst having the family and the education they deserved. So, I posted one of the unseen still of the girls playing in California, laughing with their grandfather as he dropped the frisbee. And then I started to think about me, and my attitude to the church and Meadvale.