There are ten small chicks in our Harui home.
It is a number of lives so large that even the animal hospital cannot fully manage them.
Sometimes, when Hinato is training Popporo at the pigeon center, the chicks flap their small wings, shake their bottoms, and move their heads left and right.
When I looked up in a medical dictionary to see if small pigeons also have a courtship dance, it said that movement is an action to seek a companion.
Even though they are companions, there are ten of them, so they probably need environment-based peers.
Well, there is no way small chicks would lay eggs…
–AM 8:00
After I finish breakfast, when I snuggle up to Karen, who is working from home, and try to force a kiss, the chicks lean against each other and chirp beak-to-beak.
I was worried that this might be a kind of “courtship behavior,” but chicks shouldn’t be laying eggs in the first place. So, I figured this must be just a game and a way of recognizing each other as peers.
Even while working from home, Karen says, “Come here, Kanade,” and lovingly pulls me toward her.
However, the chicks rub their bodies against each other, press their beaks together, and shake their hips.
I took it lightly as courtship behavior or mating practice, but since there are ten of them, we will have to leave them in the care of the pigeon center, move them to a pigeon zoo, or set them free in the wild.
Emotionally speaking, releasing the pigeon chicks we raised into the wild feels like at least some compensation—not just as pets, but as a beloved family. By the time they grow up a little more, it will be easier to tell their genders apart. So, can you wait until you grow up?
“Peep, peep.”
–AM 10:00
When I try to leave the shopping to Karen, the chicks desperately try to escape through the gaps in the basket.
For now, I try to pet their heads one by one to make them stay quietly in the house, but the chicks flap their small wings and try to fly.
As a veterinarian, I wish they would behave a little better, but that is impossible at home, let alone at the hospital. Because they are so small, I was on edge wondering when complaints would start coming in at this narrow apartment, but since we upgraded to an auto-lock door, I suppose we don’t need to worry.
Still, I worry to myself about when I will be able to go outside.
My precious, cute children, please be a little well-behaved.
Mommy Popporo is in the middle of training right now, after all.
–AM 11:00
Since our lunch as humans is usually around 12:30 PM, I feed the chicks beforehand.
As much as possible, so they don’t get too full and can move around easily.
Bread crumbs are fine, but getting them stuck in their throats would be terrible, so I use special feed.
I also make sure they take in water frequently.
Even so, their appearance is cute. Extremely cute.
It makes me realize once again just how much children move around.
It even feels like I am giving milk to a small child.
As they made sucking motions with their little mouths, I stroked their foreheads.
Even though Hinato usually takes care of them, until the day the chicks eventually leave on a journey, I take care of them like this too. That being said, that child cannot remain a child forever, either. I find myself wondering how we will spend the next three years.
After all, I am a mother and the main pillar of the household…
–PM 12:00
“Hey, hey, Subaru-kun~ when are we heading to Market A next?”
I made a reservation for the next animal observation with one of the animal hospital staff members.
The chicks had started taking a nap, so I sent a signal with my smartphone in hand.
Market A is short for Market Animal, a large business partner closely affiliated with our clinic that allows us to study animals and marine fish imported from overseas.
There are many animal-loving staff members there, and their motto is to treat even the most dangerous partners gently. I scheduled to head over there with the staff member next time.
“I’m home~”
Right on cue, Karen returned from shopping.
Today, she splurged and brought back a wide variety of chicken bento boxes, grain-rich bread, and wine for lunch. It is no exaggeration to say this lunch selection was for the sake of beauty. Since she has good physical stamina, she also bought the ingredients for dinner.
Come to think of it, Karen and Hinato are always the ones cooking.
If I don’t cook once in a while, the family name will be ruined.
Is this also a form of maternity?
For some reason, it made my chest swell with pride.
“Ah, this is so good~”
–PM 2:00
The chicks seem to have finally woken up.
Their hateful yet adorable expressions attack the space between my eyebrows.
I got a counterattack from them because I picked them up right after they woke up.
They seemed a little in a bad mood.
And the fact that they woke up is also proof that the laundry has dried.
I immediately bring in the laundry, and Karen neatly folds it.
Sometimes, the three of us take turns sharing roles.
These chicks also performed one of those roles.
Good job, good job.
–PM 3:00
Karen resumed her work from home.
I observe smartphone videos by the side of the chicks.
It is about animals in general, not just pigeons, but speaking of pigeons, because they rest their bodies during this time slot, there is a lack of ecological records.
Unless they move their bodies moderately and rest moderately, pigeons will not flap their wings.
Every now and then, I am driven by the urge to put a chick inside my chest, so I slide one right against my bare skin.
The chick rejoices and chirps inside the cleavage of my chest.
Our chicks are children that adorable.
Playing with them is also part of a parent’s heart…
“Kanade, it’s almost 4 o’clock. Won’t you go pick up Popporo?”
–PM 4:00
I headed toward the pigeon center, driving my car.
Whenever I catch sight of students walking home along the way, I feel a sense of youth.
I am still young myself, but to them, I must look like an aunt.
Besides, it is almost time for Hinato to come back home, too.
Ah! There she is!
I pressed the blinker button and parked the car right where Hinato was.
Since I’ll give you a lift, let’s go pick up Popporo, I told her through the rolled-down car window.
“Mommy Kanade, to pick up Popporo now?”
I said, “Yes,” let Hinato in, and headed toward the pigeon center.
Straight to the head of the Pigeon Section, Manager Tamaki—
–PM 6:00
When we return home, Popporo shows a slightly painful expression.
I leave dinner preparations to Karen and prepare lukewarm water. Hinato acts as Popporo’s interpreter.
“Mommy Kanade. Popporo is saying, ‘Please take good care of my beloved child.'”
“It’s okay. Leave it to me.”
The temperature is around 38 degrees Celsius. The goal is to remove the egg as gently and carefully as possible so that Popporo’s birth canal does not open up too much. Normally, this kind of method is not done because of natural discharge.
Because Popporo is elderly, we had to supplement the birth method from the outside.
I see—so you had fallen in love again, huh.
Advanced maternal age births might be a thing, too…
–PM 7:00
I wiped the egg clean, placed it in a straw-like kit, and draped a small cloth over it.
Just a little more patience until it hatches. It’s going to get lively.
Karen, Hinato, good work. Let’s finish our meal.
“Let’s dig in!”
The three of us gathered together and ate while making the sounds of tableware.
Karen seemed a little lonely, perhaps because she was doing housework while working from home.
Hinato has been completely tied up with her studies and says exams are just around the corner.
Still, both of them smell faintly of infidelity habits, or is that just my imagination?
“Hinato, did you kiss Ms. Nagisa again?”
“Ms. Tsumire? No. Today I taught her how to care for pigeons.”
“You’ll be turning 16 soon, too. Before you become a pigeon, you need to make sure your grades are looked after as well.”
–PM 8:00
Popporo seems tired from giving birth and looks to be sleeping next to the egg along with the chicks.
Feeling relieved at that sight, we decided to take a bath.
Pouring liquid soap onto a sponge, we lathered it and gently rubbed each other’s bodies.
The three of us soak in the narrow bathtub.
We talk about what happened on this day and float pigeon toys in the bathtub.
Everything is peaceful, and everyone falls in love.
It was a moment of contact that lasted a full hour.
It was also a brief moment where we could be as free and carefree as we pleased.
–PM 10:00
Though there was a bit of a commotion, the chicks seem to be sleeping quietly.
They are sharing the body heat of the ten of them in a circle. Like batteries.
Popporo is also sleeping peacefully, spending the time until the egg hatches into a chick.
“Hey, Mommy Kanade. You’re going to work tomorrow, right?”
Yes. So, tomorrow Karen will take the role of working from home and looking after them.
The other residents will probably want me to look after them too, after all.
Besides, there is also the pet owner. I hope things can stay peaceful.
“Kanade, massage me for once~”
You have no choice.
If I don’t give you a reward once in a while, you’ll sulk…
But please spare me from any cheating, okay?
Like this, we sleep with our three bodies overlapping in a single bed.
Pressing skin to skin, wishing we can stay together forever, no matter when or where.
And wishing that someday, we will be able to fly.