Growing together (Chapter 6)
“No! Please! Kazu good. Kazu sorry. No hurt!”
Keiko was up in a second as she could hear the cries coming from the room besides their bedroom. They had decided to give Kazu the room beside them so that they could hear whenever he was in trouble. Originally Keiko had wanted to install the children’s bed in their room, but Kazu had gotten used to not sleep with adults in the hospital and they wanted to make him get used to his room soon so that he would feel comfortable enough there to take a break whenever needed.
She ran to the room to pick up the thrashing boy in the bed, ignoring the hits she got from him as she started to rock him in her arms. She had been surprised that they were able to sleep through the night but then again, Kazu had been very exhausted after the day yesterday.
“Baby mine, don’t you cry. Baby mine, dry your eyes. Rest your head close to my heart, never to part, baby of mine,” she started to sing continuing the song softly until Kazu had calmed down, his head on her chest and she swayed them both softly from side to side, as she placed him more comfortably on her lap sideways.
“Badam…Badam,” he whispered, his thumb stuck in between his lips sucking at it softly.
“Yes, that’s right,” she smiled as he visibly relaxed with a deep sigh.
Keiko rubbed his back as she felt how Kazu started shivering and kissed the top of his head. “All awake now?”
“Uhn, stay with?”
“Yes, you can stay with me,” she whispered as she got to her feet, him still firmly in her arms. “We should get ready for the day, ne? We can make a big breakfast for the rest.”
“Me help?” he asked with big wondrous eyes and she nodded with a chuckle.
“Of course. One can never start early enough to help in the household. Especially if they want. I would never force you ne? But if you want to help you are always very welcome.”
Kazu giggled happily at the promise and hid his face at her neck for a bit as she carried him to the bathroom, to change his sweaty clothes and throw away the used diaper. It was just for during the nights and mostly until Keiko was sure that Kazu would not beat himself up for wetting himself during the nights, but she wanted to get rid of it as soon as possible as she could sense that Kazu was not that comfortable wearing it.
“What do you want for breakfast?” she asked as she helped him brush his teeth and then held her arms open for him. “ARms or do you want to walk?”
“Arms,” Kazu decided. He felt very comfortable in her warm arms and wanted to have that feel for as long as possible.
“And do you know what you like to eat?”
Kazu shook his head as he sighed softly. He scrunched up his nose cutely since he was not used at being asked what he wanted. If they had sweets each child was allowed to pick one out of a bag but that was all.
“Oh, how about we check the fridge together and you point on things that you like?”
“What Sato?”
“What Satoshi likes? He likes almost everything,” Keiko laughed. “He is fond of Japanese breakfast. Shall we do that? With eggs, rice, soup and a bit of fish?”
“Uhn,” Kazu nodded. “Rice good.”
“True,” Keiko agreed at she opened the fridge to let him peek into it. She could feel him stiffen for a moment before his mouth fell open.
“All full?”
“Of course, there are many hungry tummies to feed.”
Kazu nodded as he bit on his finger. “Always food?”
“Yes, there is always food for you available. If you are ever hungry you just have to ask, right?”
“Only food time.”
Keiko sighed as she shook her head and stroke his hair. “No, not only during meals but all days. If you play a lot you get hungry. Some days you might not be that hungry at mealtime but hungry later and then you can have a snack. Also, if you don’t like something you can leave it. But I would like you to try everything.”
“No extra!” Kazu said as he shook his head.
“Here there is always space for wishes or extras,” she promised as she kissed his cheek. She sighed when she felt him start shivering once more and scanned the fridge for the medicine she got for Kazu from the orphanage.
His body was still suffering withdrawal symptoms and never had Keiko wanted to hurt a person as much as the mother of this little boy in her arms. She had planned to maybe feed him first and get him comfortable but she didn’t want for her little boy to suffer.
“Kazu let’s get your medicine, ne? And then you still need to choose at least one thing you want to eat out of here, okay?”
“Okay,” Kazu said as he grabbed her neck tightly. “Tummy hurt.”
“I know, sweetie. This will make it better,” she promised as she carefully counted the drops on a spoon and fed the medicine to Kazu.
The boy grimaced softly as he shuddered almost violently. He didn’t like the medicine but he had already learnt that he felt so much better when he took it then if he didn’t.
Keiko rubbed his back softly before he relaxed once more, his head dropping on top of her shoulder and allowing the woman to hold him with one hand. She took the things for breakfast out slowly and Kazu pointed at the cucumber and after a bit of hesitation to the blueberries.
Keiko smiled as she kissed the top of his head as she took both out as well as the bell pepper for Satoshi because he liked them and put everything on the counter. She bopped Kazu’s nose softly with a grin.
“Do you want to play or help?”
“Help,” Kazu decided promptly. He was a bit proud that Keiko thought he would be able to help so of course, he wanted to do that.
Keiko smiled as she put him on the counter, looking at him sternly. “Don’t move too much. I don’t want you to fall, alright?”
“Okay,” Kazu agreed as he watched her turn around to bring his high chair closer to the counter. He made a noise of surprise when with a few movements she made a stand for him that was surrounded by rails in the height of his waist when he was lifted in so that he could reach the counter with ease but wouldn’t be able to fall from the stand. She grinned at his look of wonder and started to prepare the breakfast.
Kazu was allowed to swirl the rice in the water bowl as she brought it over and to stir the egg mixture before she would pour it into a heated pan. For the soup, he could pour in a spoonful of dashi powder in a big pot and stir it again, while Keiko cut the vegetables in snackable sizes and marinated the fish to cook it when the rest was up. She took the pot to put on the heat before taking a new knife and standing behind him.
“This we cut together, okay?”
“Danger?” he asked as she hummed and put the tofu in front of Kazu. She handed him the knife and put her hands on top of his.
“Not if we do it together and be very careful with our fingers. You know knives are sharp, right?”
“Uhn hurt.”
“They can hurt if you cut yourself. That’s why we need to be very careful. So we do it together.”
Kazu nodded as he watched Keiko cutting the tofu together with him. He grinned proudly as that was finished and she helped him down again after cleaning his hands.
“See you were a very big help, Kazu.”
“Kazu help!” he agreed with a grin and clapped his hands as he jumped up and down.
“Yup. And now you can help me again.”
He nodded with big eyes, watching her curiously. “I will set the table and put the hot things on there as well and you go upstairs to wake the rest?”
“Kazu wake?”
“Yes, it’s time for breakfast and time for them to get up or they’ll sleep away the whole day.”
“They mad?”
“Never would they be mad with you for waking them. They will all cuddle with you for a bit probably before they stand up. So you need to be firm and make them stand up, tell them breakfast is ready.”
“Uhn,” Kazu nodded as he got up a bit undecidedly. He stared at the door where Mamoru was probably still sleeping first, before squaring his shoulders and stepping inside.
Sato-mama had said that waking them was okay. And they had told him to come if he needed anything during the dark time. So Sato-papa won’t be mad. (besides this was the only door that was at least slightly open and Kazu couldn’t exactly reach any doorknobs.)
He crawled closer to Mamoru on the low bed and carefully shook his arm. “Up! Sato-papa, up! Bright out.”
Mamoru opened his eyes as he had already heard the boy when he had entered the room with a smile as he hugged him. “Good morning,” he said as he tickled Kazu who giggled as he wriggled on top of him.
“No Cuddle. Sato-Mama food. Kazu help.”
“Oh, you prepared breakfast already?”
“With ma… Sato-mama.”
“Then we can’t cuddle just yet. You’re right,” he said as he tickled him again. “But you need to wear your slippers ne? Aren’t your feet cold?”
Kazu stared down at himself and wriggled his toes at the question. He hadn’t realised since Keiko had carried him mostly and the kitchen had been warm. The tiles had been cold though.
Mamoru grinned as he touched the wriggling toes. “Freezing. Fast, we need to get you slippers,” he said as he swang him in his arms as he stood. Kazu shouted as he laughed while Mamoru carried him over to his room where his slippers had been abandoned.
“Sato and Mi. Up!”
“Yes, let’s wake them,” he agreed as held Kazu up to open the door to Satoshi’s room and run over to the bed. He climbed onto the bed and landed halfway on top of Satoshi as he shook him as well to wake him up.
Satoshi grumbled as he put his arms around the boy to snuggle with him. “Sleepy.”
“No sleep. Up, food. Kazu help. Sato-mama food. Tummy speak.” Kazu struggled to sit up and ended poking Satoshi’s cheek until the older boy opened his eyes. He grumbled again but then he grinned as he hugged him even closer.
“Teddy bear.”
“Kazu no teddy. Kazu is Kazu! Kazu food.”
Satoshi giggled at his words but then nodded as he ruffled his hair. “Kazu is Kazu, right. And I’m hungry.”
Kazu giggled as he was picked up by Mamoru again. “Kazu wake.”
“Kazu is very good at waking people up. Do you want to wake up Mina too?”
“Yes.”
Mamoru grinned as he helped Satoshi climb out of the bed. “I will join you in the bath in a bit. Choose some clothes?”
Satoshi nodded as he walked over to the three options his mother had put out yesterday night. He rubbed his eyes with a small yawn as he picked out one from each pile as well as underwear and walked out again. In the bath, he put it all to the side and dragged a small step over to the basin to wash his face and hands as his parents had taught him when Mamoru and Mina came in as well to get ready.
Mina had climbed onto Mina’s bed and shook her awake as well. The girl had grinned since she had already woken up by the commotion of the others a bit earlier.
“Good morning,” she greeted Kazu and kissed both of his cheeks much to his delight as he allowed her as well to hug him for a moment, before telling her that breakfast was ready.
Now he was standing at the doorway peering in carefully. “Kazu good?” he asked as Mamoru looked at him.
“Kazu was very good,” Mamoru said with a smile as he turned the sand clock so that Satoshi and Mina could check if they brushed their teeth for long enough.
“Kazu can wake us up each morning,” he promised. “And if he sleeps longer we’ll wake you up, okay?”
“Okay,” Kazu said carefully, with a small smile. He turned around to run down again and came to a stop in the middle of the kitchen.
“All up. Kazu wake. All wash.”
“Oh my what a great helper I have now,” Keiko said as she smoothed down his hair. She helped him into his chair and put a cup of tea in front of him together with a few pieces of cucumber. “Your tummy is all growly. Better eat something before they come down, okay?”
“Okay,” Kazu agreed as he held his stomach for a moment, before starting to eat as he felt really hungry now. He grinned happily when the others came down and sat around them. Keiko served the full breakfast and they all said their thanks.
After breakfast, Satoshi and Kazu ran off to play in the living room with some of Satoshi’s toys and Mina agreed to help her parents to clean up the table.
Keiko was up in a second as she could hear the cries coming from the room besides their bedroom. They had decided to give Kazu the room beside them so that they could hear whenever he was in trouble. Originally Keiko had wanted to install the children’s bed in their room, but Kazu had gotten used to not sleep with adults in the hospital and they wanted to make him get used to his room soon so that he would feel comfortable enough there to take a break whenever needed.
She ran to the room to pick up the thrashing boy in the bed, ignoring the hits she got from him as she started to rock him in her arms. She had been surprised that they were able to sleep through the night but then again, Kazu had been very exhausted after the day yesterday.
“Baby mine, don’t you cry. Baby mine, dry your eyes. Rest your head close to my heart, never to part, baby of mine,” she started to sing continuing the song softly until Kazu had calmed down, his head on her chest and she swayed them both softly from side to side, as she placed him more comfortably on her lap sideways.
“Badam…Badam,” he whispered, his thumb stuck in between his lips sucking at it softly.
“Yes, that’s right,” she smiled as he visibly relaxed with a deep sigh.
Keiko rubbed his back as she felt how Kazu started shivering and kissed the top of his head. “All awake now?”
“Uhn, stay with?”
“Yes, you can stay with me,” she whispered as she got to her feet, him still firmly in her arms. “We should get ready for the day, ne? We can make a big breakfast for the rest.”
“Me help?” he asked with big wondrous eyes and she nodded with a chuckle.
“Of course. One can never start early enough to help in the household. Especially if they want. I would never force you ne? But if you want to help you are always very welcome.”
Kazu giggled happily at the promise and hid his face at her neck for a bit as she carried him to the bathroom, to change his sweaty clothes and throw away the used diaper. It was just for during the nights and mostly until Keiko was sure that Kazu would not beat himself up for wetting himself during the nights, but she wanted to get rid of it as soon as possible as she could sense that Kazu was not that comfortable wearing it.
“What do you want for breakfast?” she asked as she helped him brush his teeth and then held her arms open for him. “ARms or do you want to walk?”
“Arms,” Kazu decided. He felt very comfortable in her warm arms and wanted to have that feel for as long as possible.
“And do you know what you like to eat?”
Kazu shook his head as he sighed softly. He scrunched up his nose cutely since he was not used at being asked what he wanted. If they had sweets each child was allowed to pick one out of a bag but that was all.
“Oh, how about we check the fridge together and you point on things that you like?”
“What Sato?”
“What Satoshi likes? He likes almost everything,” Keiko laughed. “He is fond of Japanese breakfast. Shall we do that? With eggs, rice, soup and a bit of fish?”
“Uhn,” Kazu nodded. “Rice good.”
“True,” Keiko agreed at she opened the fridge to let him peek into it. She could feel him stiffen for a moment before his mouth fell open.
“All full?”
“Of course, there are many hungry tummies to feed.”
Kazu nodded as he bit on his finger. “Always food?”
“Yes, there is always food for you available. If you are ever hungry you just have to ask, right?”
“Only food time.”
Keiko sighed as she shook her head and stroke his hair. “No, not only during meals but all days. If you play a lot you get hungry. Some days you might not be that hungry at mealtime but hungry later and then you can have a snack. Also, if you don’t like something you can leave it. But I would like you to try everything.”
“No extra!” Kazu said as he shook his head.
“Here there is always space for wishes or extras,” she promised as she kissed his cheek. She sighed when she felt him start shivering once more and scanned the fridge for the medicine she got for Kazu from the orphanage.
His body was still suffering withdrawal symptoms and never had Keiko wanted to hurt a person as much as the mother of this little boy in her arms. She had planned to maybe feed him first and get him comfortable but she didn’t want for her little boy to suffer.
“Kazu let’s get your medicine, ne? And then you still need to choose at least one thing you want to eat out of here, okay?”
“Okay,” Kazu said as he grabbed her neck tightly. “Tummy hurt.”
“I know, sweetie. This will make it better,” she promised as she carefully counted the drops on a spoon and fed the medicine to Kazu.
The boy grimaced softly as he shuddered almost violently. He didn’t like the medicine but he had already learnt that he felt so much better when he took it then if he didn’t.
Keiko rubbed his back softly before he relaxed once more, his head dropping on top of her shoulder and allowing the woman to hold him with one hand. She took the things for breakfast out slowly and Kazu pointed at the cucumber and after a bit of hesitation to the blueberries.
Keiko smiled as she kissed the top of his head as she took both out as well as the bell pepper for Satoshi because he liked them and put everything on the counter. She bopped Kazu’s nose softly with a grin.
“Do you want to play or help?”
“Help,” Kazu decided promptly. He was a bit proud that Keiko thought he would be able to help so of course, he wanted to do that.
Keiko smiled as she put him on the counter, looking at him sternly. “Don’t move too much. I don’t want you to fall, alright?”
“Okay,” Kazu agreed as he watched her turn around to bring his high chair closer to the counter. He made a noise of surprise when with a few movements she made a stand for him that was surrounded by rails in the height of his waist when he was lifted in so that he could reach the counter with ease but wouldn’t be able to fall from the stand. She grinned at his look of wonder and started to prepare the breakfast.
Kazu was allowed to swirl the rice in the water bowl as she brought it over and to stir the egg mixture before she would pour it into a heated pan. For the soup, he could pour in a spoonful of dashi powder in a big pot and stir it again, while Keiko cut the vegetables in snackable sizes and marinated the fish to cook it when the rest was up. She took the pot to put on the heat before taking a new knife and standing behind him.
“This we cut together, okay?”
“Danger?” he asked as she hummed and put the tofu in front of Kazu. She handed him the knife and put her hands on top of his.
“Not if we do it together and be very careful with our fingers. You know knives are sharp, right?”
“Uhn hurt.”
“They can hurt if you cut yourself. That’s why we need to be very careful. So we do it together.”
Kazu nodded as he watched Keiko cutting the tofu together with him. He grinned proudly as that was finished and she helped him down again after cleaning his hands.
“See you were a very big help, Kazu.”
“Kazu help!” he agreed with a grin and clapped his hands as he jumped up and down.
“Yup. And now you can help me again.”
He nodded with big eyes, watching her curiously. “I will set the table and put the hot things on there as well and you go upstairs to wake the rest?”
“Kazu wake?”
“Yes, it’s time for breakfast and time for them to get up or they’ll sleep away the whole day.”
“They mad?”
“Never would they be mad with you for waking them. They will all cuddle with you for a bit probably before they stand up. So you need to be firm and make them stand up, tell them breakfast is ready.”
“Uhn,” Kazu nodded as he got up a bit undecidedly. He stared at the door where Mamoru was probably still sleeping first, before squaring his shoulders and stepping inside.
Sato-mama had said that waking them was okay. And they had told him to come if he needed anything during the dark time. So Sato-papa won’t be mad. (besides this was the only door that was at least slightly open and Kazu couldn’t exactly reach any doorknobs.)
He crawled closer to Mamoru on the low bed and carefully shook his arm. “Up! Sato-papa, up! Bright out.”
Mamoru opened his eyes as he had already heard the boy when he had entered the room with a smile as he hugged him. “Good morning,” he said as he tickled Kazu who giggled as he wriggled on top of him.
“No Cuddle. Sato-Mama food. Kazu help.”
“Oh, you prepared breakfast already?”
“With ma… Sato-mama.”
“Then we can’t cuddle just yet. You’re right,” he said as he tickled him again. “But you need to wear your slippers ne? Aren’t your feet cold?”
Kazu stared down at himself and wriggled his toes at the question. He hadn’t realised since Keiko had carried him mostly and the kitchen had been warm. The tiles had been cold though.
Mamoru grinned as he touched the wriggling toes. “Freezing. Fast, we need to get you slippers,” he said as he swang him in his arms as he stood. Kazu shouted as he laughed while Mamoru carried him over to his room where his slippers had been abandoned.
“Sato and Mi. Up!”
“Yes, let’s wake them,” he agreed as held Kazu up to open the door to Satoshi’s room and run over to the bed. He climbed onto the bed and landed halfway on top of Satoshi as he shook him as well to wake him up.
Satoshi grumbled as he put his arms around the boy to snuggle with him. “Sleepy.”
“No sleep. Up, food. Kazu help. Sato-mama food. Tummy speak.” Kazu struggled to sit up and ended poking Satoshi’s cheek until the older boy opened his eyes. He grumbled again but then he grinned as he hugged him even closer.
“Teddy bear.”
“Kazu no teddy. Kazu is Kazu! Kazu food.”
Satoshi giggled at his words but then nodded as he ruffled his hair. “Kazu is Kazu, right. And I’m hungry.”
Kazu giggled as he was picked up by Mamoru again. “Kazu wake.”
“Kazu is very good at waking people up. Do you want to wake up Mina too?”
“Yes.”
Mamoru grinned as he helped Satoshi climb out of the bed. “I will join you in the bath in a bit. Choose some clothes?”
Satoshi nodded as he walked over to the three options his mother had put out yesterday night. He rubbed his eyes with a small yawn as he picked out one from each pile as well as underwear and walked out again. In the bath, he put it all to the side and dragged a small step over to the basin to wash his face and hands as his parents had taught him when Mamoru and Mina came in as well to get ready.
Mina had climbed onto Mina’s bed and shook her awake as well. The girl had grinned since she had already woken up by the commotion of the others a bit earlier.
“Good morning,” she greeted Kazu and kissed both of his cheeks much to his delight as he allowed her as well to hug him for a moment, before telling her that breakfast was ready.
Now he was standing at the doorway peering in carefully. “Kazu good?” he asked as Mamoru looked at him.
“Kazu was very good,” Mamoru said with a smile as he turned the sand clock so that Satoshi and Mina could check if they brushed their teeth for long enough.
“Kazu can wake us up each morning,” he promised. “And if he sleeps longer we’ll wake you up, okay?”
“Okay,” Kazu said carefully, with a small smile. He turned around to run down again and came to a stop in the middle of the kitchen.
“All up. Kazu wake. All wash.”
“Oh my what a great helper I have now,” Keiko said as she smoothed down his hair. She helped him into his chair and put a cup of tea in front of him together with a few pieces of cucumber. “Your tummy is all growly. Better eat something before they come down, okay?”
“Okay,” Kazu agreed as he held his stomach for a moment, before starting to eat as he felt really hungry now. He grinned happily when the others came down and sat around them. Keiko served the full breakfast and they all said their thanks.
After breakfast, Satoshi and Kazu ran off to play in the living room with some of Satoshi’s toys and Mina agreed to help her parents to clean up the table.