Regenesis

Katie - Sunday morning

Katie had been woken at 7 with a smile and the curtains being thrust open to let the bright spring sunshine into her bedroom. "Her bedroom" - it still felt novel after her months sharing a dormitory with 5 other girls. She yawned and stretched and smiled back up from her bed as the duvet was lifted off her and she was beckoned to stand beside her bed. Needing to be changed when she woke up was no longer such an embarrassment to her, but she felt different about Miss Anderson. There was an impersonality about the routines in Nursery: although Nanny Morris had been the nanny mostly responsible for her care, she could be, and was frequently dealt with by any of the other nannies who happened to be on duty when she needed to be changed, or dressed, or fed, or any the other duties which were taken care of for her. With Miss Anderson she felt a bond, a sense of belonging and homeliness. This was of course not coincidental. The Programme had been specifically developed with certain progressions built in. One of the main aims of progressing the girls from Nursery to individual homes under one guardian was to build a sense of belonging after the period of institutionalisation which was Nursery. Girls were matched with specific guardians who were best placed and qualified to provide the kind of home atmosphere which would best suit each individual girl after she left Nursery. Different girls reacted in many different ways to their time in Nursery. Some were defiant and needed more time in Nursery to break down the spirit of disobedience. Some were more compliant and just needed a nominal period of strict discipline and control to prepare them for their more personal training outside Nursery. Katie had fallen into the latter category and Miss Anderson had seemed the perfect choice as guardian. It also worked that her recent charge, Abigail, had only just moved on to the next stage within the Programme.

Indeed Miss Anderson had reported that the pairing had started well and that Katie was responding perfectly to the various changes in her life and that her emotional state was exactly where it should be after just two days. During their time together last night after tea, Katie had maintained proper discipline in her respect for her guardian, but had shown signs of affection and even the "crush" which so commonly developed at this stage. Katie had shown a neediness for physical contact with her guardian and, when it had been offered, she had lapped it up with obvious pleasure. When her hand had been brushed as she held the book she was reading aloud, she nuzzled herself closer to Miss Anderson, leaning into her soft cardigan and allowing her knee, bare below her white nightie, to edge closer to Miss Anderson's stocking. Although not discouraging such physical contact, Miss Anderson did nothing to encourage it either, prompting Katie to battle within her own mind how far she should push her own desires to become closer physically. Her emotional closeness was beyond her control and had already begun its inexorable journey, all according to the plan.

Saturday night had ended with Katie watching from her bed as her guardian fussed around her room getting things ready for the following morning. She lay there, snuggled beneath her duvet, watching as Miss Anderson fetched various items from different areas of her room, laying them correctly on the chest of drawers just out of Katie's sight. She smiled at the orderliness of it all, and the sense of belonging which just seemed to increase in her own mind. If she had to be anywhere in this strange town, she would be here, safe and, dare she say it, loved. As she passed her bed, Miss Anderson would look down and see Katie's face beaming up at her, the faint glistening of metal occasionally glimpsed as her lips parted in a smile. It had only been one day since they were fitted, but Katie was so caught up in her new surroundings and guardian that she was beginning to forget they were even there.

"Night night, my darling"

Katie caught her breath at the unexpected but wondrous way she had been addressed.

"Night night, Miss." She lisped back, the smile genuine, but known only to herself.

And the light switch clicked off, leaving the room bathed in just the glow of light from the landing through the half-open door. Katie fell asleep still smiling.