What’s up Elf?

RING!!!!!! “Oh Jebus”, I groan to myself.  “AGAIN?”.  I roll over in bed and instinctively look in the darkest corner and see two shapes this time.  One I know extremely well, and the other that is beginning to annoy the hell out of me.  “WHAT do you want now, and why did you bring reinforcements?” I ask non too nicely.  The elf chuckles and speaks to his companion, “George this charge of yours is more than a little snarky when awakened.  No wonder you like her”.  George looks at me a bit pointedly as if to say “straighten up cher, there are things to be done”.  I comply and soften the tone of my voice…a little.  “The question still stands”, I say to the elf.  “What do you want, and why is George with you”?  The elf bows to me and does the unexpected.  “My apologies for awakening you, Madame, but I’ve been busy and could not come at an earlier time”.  Yeah, my jaw almost hit the floor, since majority of those who come do not offer apology nor explanation. Recovering somewhat, I wait patiently.  “You remember we spoke about your definition of love last we met?”, asked the elf.  “I remember” I tell him.  “Tonight I want to ask about family and what that is”, he tells me.  I look over at George as if to say “seriously?”, but he has seemingly  have decided to take a nap in the corner.  I look at the elf who has removed his hood to stand before me.  He is as I remember yet maybe a little taller somehow.  “I don’t frighten you”…it was more statement than question.  “I’m not sure I have enough common sense to be afraid”, I tell him laughingly.  He also laughs.  “I think you’ve fought so hard becoming who you are that you choose to not show fear”, he tells me.  “It’s a nice theory” I reply, to which he laughs again.  “The sarcasm is a good defense for you..keeps all those who don’t look close at the real you on the outside”.  “So those who do get inside that wall, would they fit your definition of family?” I smile, and tell him that yes I guess they would.  “So family is not all about the blood” he asks?  I sigh…”family by blood relation often disappoints us”, I tell him,”they are close enough to us in our daily lives that they have power to shift us off balance.  Those that we add to our ranks, friends that accept us for who we are, warts and all and still accept us anyway, those are cherished and are, in my world..family.  A tribe that has each other’s back, their best interest at heart, and can chide or cajole one another into pushing ourselves to grow”.  “L’amour est plus fort que le sang”, he asks? “Oui”, I tell him.  “Love is indeed stronger than blood”.  “It nourishes us and helps us find balance when we have to deal with the cruelties of our mundane world”.  “I am learning that” says the elf.  “I am having to push aside old fears and learn the complexities of family, the ones I have made into a family of sorts”.  He seats himself beside me on the bed as he muses to himself.  I say nothing but listen and watch.  “Family  by blood has power of a sort to heal and harm, and yet they exert it as they will without rhyme or reason at times, while those who we’ve made into family also have that power and often do not step across that line, but are more apt to reach out to heal instead of harm”.  “Would that be correct”, he asks me suddenly as if he’s just noticed that I am still here.  “I have found it to be that way” I tell him softly.  He nods.  “I thank you cher, for your patience, and your insight.  I will speak with you again I am sure” he smiles.  I smile as well, knowing full well that it will most likely be in the dead of night and I will be as cranky as ever. The elf stands, seemingly to have grown still, so I find myself looking upwards at him.  He bows once more, turns to George who now has shaken the cobwebs off and is preparing to leave.  George turns to look at me before they depart, and smiles and touches my face.”Vous êtes aimé un peu”.  I smile and bid them both goodby.  Laying back on the pillows, I think over both this conversation as well as the previous one.  Knowing that the questions asked of me are things I have already learned, I am curious as to whom they are really for.  Ah well, maybe that’s for a later midnight visit.  chuckling to myself, I snuggle back among the covers and fall into a deep, restful sleep…one without dreams.