A Single Snowflake

  'I think the time is now upon us to send Belle and Henderson to their destinations,' said the Lady.

  Belle and Henderson both replied that they were indeed ready and stood up from their seats. The Lady also rose from her seat and stepped gently to Belle whom she kissed lightly on her forehead

  'Thank you lovely Belle'

  the Lady grasped Henderson's hands and looked into his eyes,

  'Thank you Henderson.'

  Ralph, the Lady, Belle and Henderson walked together, out of the side room, across the Council Chamber Hall along the landing, down the wide stairs, across the reception room and out of the South Door. They were now back in the room at the bottom of the dark steps that led to the small house above. Ralph ushered them to the East Door, he took a brass key from his pocket and placed it in the one keyhole, he turned the key twice and opened the door. They entered the Portal Room, it was from here that they would make their way to the homes of the soon to be born infants. Henderson went first, he stood in the centre of a golden circle that was drawn on a silver floor, closed his eyes and folded his arms, slowly he saw a house in his mind's eye, he saw an expectant mother, he saw a man, he saw two Guardians, when he re-opened his eyes he found he was standing in the centre of a living room, an expectant mother sat in one armchair, a man sat in a matching chair, and sprawled on a sofa under a window were two Guardians.

  Next Belle took her position, eyes closed, arms folded, a garden appeared in her head, she saw a man on his knees pulling weeds from a flower bed, a Guardian was by his side; she opened her eyes and breathed out. The man smiled and sniffed the air, 'Strange, but I could swear I just had a whiff of the most beautiful perfume', he shook his head but the smile on his face remained. Belle made her way up the garden path and passed through a kitchen door, two Guardians were sitting on the floor, chatting to each other; an older woman stood at the kitchen sink, an expectant mother sat at a table flicking through a magazine.

  The Portal Room is ceremonial only, for Passers and Birthers alike can visit Earth from anywhere within Shenka, they just use their minds to transport them to their desired destination. However, to leave Shenka from a Portal Room in the Leader's chambers is seen as a great honour and only a chosen few have been known to use such a device. The third door leading off the small anti-room opens out to a long heavily carpeted corridor, at the end of which is the Grand Portal Room, this room can hold many people, for those Earth people the only entry to Shenka is by this method. The Grand Portal Room has laid unused for many years, but in the distant past many Earth leaders and knowledgeable men and women would visit Shenka and be greeted there.

  CHAPTER SIX

  THE EARLY YEARS

  Sydney and Bertie shot up from the sofa, before them stood an elegantly dressed Shenkan, Henderson had chosen to appear in a pale grey linen suit, which as he was in spirit form, would not crease as it would back home in Shenka, dark grey suede slip-on shoes and a silk shirt of sky blue completed his outfit. He liked the idea that he could change his appearance at will without the need of laundering and tiresome ironing.

  'Hello, my name is Henderson and I bring you greetings from Lord Albion Brightly and my own master Lord Ralph the Mighty', said Henderson.

  'Pleased to meet you Henderson, my this is a surprise, I am Bertie'

  'And I am Sydney, come join us on this most comfortable sofa and tell us all your news, did I hear right, did you say Lord Albion himself sends greetings, look my hand is shaking,' Sydney stretched out his pale hand to prove his words.

  'Yes you heard me correctly, there is much to tell, I will try and summarise the best I can' replied Henderson.

  And so it was, two Guardians and one Shenkan sat on a sofa under an open window, the Guardians listened, and when the events of the past few days had been relayed, even those very Guardians were in awe.

  *

  Belle stood in the kitchen of Stella Master's home, Lionel and Rupert stood up and eyed the Shenkan who stood before them. Belle had chosen to appear in white leggings, a long yellow cotton top and red pumps, her long blue hair sparkled in the evening sunlight.

  'Hello I am Belle, I bring you greetings from Lord Albion Brightly and my master Lord Ralph the Mighty.'

  'Pleased to make your acquaintance, Belle' bowed Lionel, ' My name is Lionel, Guardian to Mrs Margaret Haywood, who stands by the kitchen sink.'

  'And I am Rupert, Guardian to Stella Masters, you see her before you sitting at the table', spoke Rupert.

  'I am pleased to meet you too, is there anyway we can encourage Mr Masters to come indoors, as I have much to tell and I do need the presence of his Guardian, I believe his Guardian is Denis if I have remembered correctly', replied Belle.

  'You are right indeed', confirmed Lionel, 'Let me try, sometimes I think that Margaret has some talent for hearing me.'

  'Pete needs to come indoors, he could do with a cup of coffee, he's been outside for a long time now', called Lionel.

  Margaret looked out of the kitchen window and saw Pete still working hard in the garden, 'I could do with a coffee couldn't you Stella', she asked, 'call Pete in will you, he's been out there for ages, I'll put the kettle on.'

  Stella looked up at the clock on the kitchen wall,

  'Is it that time already, didn't realise it was past seven, yes coffee would be great thanks, I'll call Pete.'

  Stella rose from her chair and felt a heavy pain in her stomach, she walked slowly to the kitchen door, ouch another pain, she looked at the clock, 'if I'm starting to go into labour I'd better start timing myself,' she thought.

  'Pete, coffee up', she called.

  'Coming', Pete called back.

  Stella returned to her chair and sat back down, she glanced back at the clock, five minutes had passed and no more pains had shown themselves, but she knew the time was coming near.'

  Pete stepped into the kitchen and strolled over to the sink where he quickly washed his earth grimmed hands, he thought he could smell the same sweet perfume that wafted past him earlier, but he said nothing.

  Closely behind him followed Denis who smiled at Belle,

  'I saw you arrive, my name is Denis and I am so pleased to meet you.'

  'Hello Denis, pleased to meet you too, I am Belle from Shenka.'

  Stella, Margaret and Pete picked up their coffee mugs, carried them into the living room and settled down. The Guardians and Belle sat on the kitchen's cool tiled floor, the door between the kitchen and living room was open, they could easily watch their humans from that position and at the same time have enough space to stretch their own legs. The Guardians listened quietly to Belle's words, their souls quivered when she told them of Albion's frail condition, but they were heartened that they were to be part of what laid ahead.

  *

  Marie felt the first contraction immediately after Henderson had finished relating his tale to Sydney and Bertie.

  'Oh, that was strong', she shouted.

  'Have you started, shall I get your stuff, shall I ring the hospital,' panicked Jack.

  Marie laughed, 'Not yet Jack, too soon, I need to time myself, calm down.'

  'Shall I make a cup of tea then or coffee, would you prefer coffee?.'

  'I'd rather you didn't fuss to be honest, odd but I feel really quite relaxed', answered Marie.

  'Right, good, but I need coffee, I'll go and put the kettle on', puffed Jack.

  'Okay, I'll have tea if you don't mind, and for goodness sake go and have a cigarette will you, the last thing I need is you stressing out around me.'

  'Right, I will, thanks, but just shout if you need me, drink first then', said Jack making his way out of the room.

  Marie closed her eyes and sniffed, a sweet smell filled her nose, she inhaled stronger, the aroma relaxed her body and cleared her mind.

  'Marie, Marie, wakey wakey, tea up', called Jack softly.

  She opened her eyes and smiled.

  'Thanks Jack, now go and have that smoke will you, I'm fine.'

  * r />
  It was a ten minutes past midnight when Jack pulled up on the car park of the maternity unit of St Mary's hospital, his wife was sprawled on the back seat of their car, timing her contractions. Henderson sat in the passenger seat next to Jack, clutching the door handle, although he was in spirit form, although he couldn't be harmed, he had felt strangely fearful as this was after all his first experience of a car ride on Earth. Sydney and Bertie hovered overhead as small sparks of light.

  It is a matter of good manners that in crowded places all Guardians will only show themselves as small sparks of light. There are many reasons for this, in times past many Earth people would have the ability to see not only their own Guardian but the Guardians of others, even complete strangers. This did at times become difficult for those Earth folk who would refuse to sit down on certain chairs and stools in bars and eating houses, 'Oh I cannot sit there as a Being is already occupying that chair', these same Earth folk would be seen 'talking to themselves', when all they were really doing was trying to communicate with some neighbours Guardian. Others without such gifts would declare them crazy, mad or loony, because of this many of the talented ones would end their lives in asylums. When the leaders of Grafflin learnt of this injustice they declared that from that day hence all Guardians must appear as tiny sparks of light in crowded public places.

  A porter pushing a wheelchair walked quickly towards them, he guessed it would be a busy night, already he had taken two other women onto the labour ward, since he came on shift at midnight. A twinkling light shimmered over his head.

  Jack jumped out of the drivers seat and ran over to the porter,

  'Quick, please be quick', he panted.

  'Ah coming fast is it', grinned the Porter, 'She's in safe hands now Sir, first is it, I can always tell.'

  'Yes' affirmed Jack as he opened Marie's door.

  'Best leave it to me Sir, I'll get her out and onto this wheelchair, I've had the training, we don't want any accidents do we', said the Porter, 'Can you shuffle along the seat madam' he asked Marie.

  'I think so' puffed Marie, 'Just be quick, oh bloody hell, here it comes again.'

  Gently the Porter lifted Marie from the car and onto the wheelchair, Jack grabbed Marie's case from the front seat, little knowing that Henderson had been travelling with the case on his lap, locked the car and ran to catch up with the Porter and Marie who were now passing through the automatic doors to the maternity unit.

  A gentle aromatic breeze passed over the car park and into the hospital and hovering in that breeze were three twinkling lights, ten minutes earlier another sweet smelling breeze and twinkling lights had done just the same.

  *

  Belle and Henderson sat outside the delivery rooms of the labour ward, it was the first time they had seen each other since arriving on Earth. Every now and then a midwife would dash from one delivery room to another, another woman called Julie was also in the later stages of labour, it was as predicted by the porter a very busy night.

  'Exciting isn't it Henderson', whispered Belle.

  'I'm a bit nervous to be honest Belle, this is my first time', he replied.

  Their conversation came to a sudden halt, a midwife's loud voice was heard

  'Push, nearly there push.'

  'That's me then', said Henderson as he rose from his chair, 'See you soon Belle, hopefully you won't have long to wait either.'

  Henderson made it into the delivery room in time to see Marie and Jack Rose's son being born.

  'Oh Mrs Rose you have a handsome son', said the midwife.

  'See Jack, see we have a boy', said Marie with tears streaming down her face.

  Jack smiled at the child in Marie's arms, 'It wouldn't have mattered if it had been a girl, but I'm so very, very happy.'

  'Do you have a name yet', asked the midwife.

  'Yes', replied Marie, 'His name is George.'

  *

  Three hours later Belle stood by the side of a cot gazing upon a new born sleeping baby girl. Stella's labour had been an arduous affair, she had screamed at the midwives for pain killers and at Pete for having the nerve to step outside for five minutes to have a smoke. Mother and baby were now comfortably resting on the post natal ward of St Mary's hospital. Two other new mothers shared the small ward, to Stella's right a dark haired woman lay sleeping, opposite an older mousey looking woman with spectacles balanced on the end of her nose, sat up in bed reading a book. The mousey woman looked up and smiled at Stella,

  'What have you had', she asked.

  'A girl', replied Stella.

  'Is it your first', the woman enquired.

  'Yes', replied Stella.

  'Ah nice, first is always so lovely', remarked the woman.

  'What about you', asked Stella.

  'This is my third, a boy, already have two girls', smiled the woman.

  'I'm Stella by the way.'

  'And I'm Julie, can I have a look', she said indicating to cot at the end of Stella's bed.

  The woman slid out of her bed and walked across the ward, bent down and looked at the sleeping baby, 'Ah she is a sweet one isn't she, what have you called her.'

  'Joni', smiled Stella, 'Spelt J.O.N.I.'

  Marie awoke from her sleep, rubbed her eyes and looked down at the cot by the side of her bed. She reached in and stroked George's face, then looked across at the two women next to her.

  'You've had a good sleep then' said Julie, 'Must be your first too.'

  'Yes, how can you tell', asked Marie.

  Julie laughed, 'When you get to your third baby you will have learnt to do without sleep, just wait and see.'

  'This is my first and my last', said Stella.

  'I'm Julie and this is Stella' said Julie.

  'I'm Marie' yawned Marie, 'and this little one is George.

  'Welcome George, now this is Joni, spelt J.O.N.I.' grinned Stella.

  'And that one over there' said Julie 'is Bruce, named after his father.'

  'That's nice', said Marie, 'and Joni is a lovely name too.'

  A midwife hurried onto the ward,

  'Nearly visiting time ladies, can we all get into bed now, let's get tidy shall we.' The midwife busied herself by straightening bed covers, fluffing up pillows and tidying the cupboard tops by each bed. 'Three minutes then, so can we stay in bed now please', she stood for a few seconds looked around the ward once more to make sure all was in order and left.

  Julie laughed, 'Honestly you'd think we were little kids wouldn't you, look make sure you get your visitors to come back tonight with something to eat, you'll know what I mean when you get served the slop they call food for our evening so called meal.'

  'Thanks for the tip Julie cos I'm starving hungry', replied Stella.

  'Yes thanks', said Marie whilst combing her hair, 'I would kill for a bag of chips.'

  A bell rang and the door to the ward opened, in walked three men, each carrying various parcels and gifts. Belle and Henderson were sitting together on a wide window sill, at the far end of the ward.

  'Looks like it is going to rain', observed Henderson.

  'Yes the sky has gone grey hasn't it', replied Belle as she looked out through the closed window.

  Babies were picked up, cuddled and cooed at, mothers were kissed, given cards and flowers and photos were taken. A bell rang and visiting time was over, the fathers left with instructions to bring back some tasty treat or other when they returned later that evening, the ward fell silent.

  Stella rose from her bed, put on a cotton nightgown, dropped a packet of cigarettes in her pocket and pushed her feet into a pair of leather soled slippers. She looked in the cot at the end of her bed and smiled, Joni was fast asleep, yes she had time for a smoke before the baby would need feeding. Stella gently pushed the cot out of the ward and down the corridor to the nursery, well if she did wake up then one of the nurses could see to her, thought Stella. Quietly and carefully Stella deposited Joni to the care of a young nurse who sat in-between two other babies in the st
erile nursery.

  'You going for a smoke then', asked the young nurse.

  'Yes I am, so where's the best place to go', smirked Stella.

  'Down the stairs, out through the main doors, then go right, there is a covered area out there and a few benches', laughed the nurse.

  'Thanks', replied Stella, 'I'll try and be quick'

  The nurse looked in Joni’s cot and looked read at her feeding chart, 'No rush, can see you are bottle feeding, if she wakes early I'll feed her for you.'

  'You are an absolute angel, what's your name', smiled Stella.

  'Angela', laughed the young nurse.

  'Thanks Angela, I wish everyone was like you.'

  *

  Stella left Joni in Angela's capable hands and made her way outside, she walked through the automatic doors and turned right, she would have carried on walking but a man's voice called her name.

  'Stella, Stella Haywood, it is you isn't it.'

  *

  Belle sat on the floor next to Joni's cot and started to sing a sweet lullaby

  'Little baby sleep now, we are by your side

  Just to keep you safe now

  All troubles we will hide'

  Angela stood up and stretched her arms above her head and yawned,

  'Oh sorry didn't mean to be rude, please excuse me, I love your hair by the way.'

  Belle stopped singing and looked up in surprise,

  'You can see me then?' she asked.

  'Oh yes, I have my Grandmother's gift for sight', replied Angela, 'always have, used to think it was a curse, but now I have come to recognise it as a gift, I see the bright lights over these other two babies as well, but the one you have in your care, well that is something different, isn't it?'

  'In a way you are right', sighed Belle, 'I have been sent to guard this little one, but I cannot tell you more, I do not know what her future holds, I just know that she is very special.'

  'But there is another one isn't there on the ward, a boy who has another spirit just like you guarding him.'

  'Yes, I cannot hide the truth from you can I, yes the baby George does indeed have one of my kind guarding him, we came here together', replied Belle.

  'Well nice to meet you anyway, I can see that baby girl is in safe hands', smiled Angela.

  The nursery door swung open and a senior midwife strode in,

  'You talking to yourself again then nurse.'

  'No Sister, I was just singing a lullaby' answered Angela.

  'I believe you but thousands wouldn't', stated the midwife as she checked each sleeping baby, 'well I guess everything is okay here, so I'll be off.'