Finding a calm place

Max, my eldest brother and my husband Teddy’s best friend, has come for the weekend. I never know what to expect from Max. OK I do know what to expect, but it is always a little different. There is always some little surprise, or not. You know how it goes with family.

Max and Teddy grew up best friends. Our parents were all best friends. Our fathers were business partners. Yes, we were Vampires and Teddy’s parents didn’t know but the friendship worked. They’d come to California in 1849. Teddy was born in Panama on the way. Max came along a few month later in Sacramento.

It made sense that Max and Teddy would go off to college together. Once there Teddy would worry about Max being out all night or gone for days on end.

Teddy went into history and the classics. Max studied the same but was recruited by his own kind to serve and protect our community. Yes, Max is a hunter, he hunts Vampire Hunters among other things.

Years later Max has become what some fans of Vampire fiction would call “one bad ass Vampire.” But tonight he is my brother, not a cold calculating creature of the night.

So Max was coming for the weekend holiday. Yes, we DO have holidays in our own way. We ARE spiritual in our own way and appreciate the feelings of the days to come. We get it.

Max came in last night like an unwound demon all brooding and agitated. It was work, his work, that had him so agitated. I brought out decanters of Bourbon and blood along with shot glasses.

His team had been running into problems. They weren’t getting the support they need. Some of them were starting to become passive aggressive. There is nothing worse than passive aggressive Vampires. I was going to ask Max about someone he been involved with (or maybe not). Teddy caught my eye and gave me the “don’t ask” look. I guess he’d invited her but she had slightly different traditions/culture and Max had been an asshole to her (that would be the main reason.)

We just let Max talk it out and listened. Most of the time the best support you can give anyone is just listening.

I guess the point of all of this is that for me, any special day or holiday should make us reflect on our lives and be positive and support those we love. It is always about fellowship and caring.

I’ve been dealing with my own work issues and transitions so I can understand what my brother is going through. Sometimes, even if you do everything right, it just sucks. He deals with people who don’t like Vampires. I deal Vampires who don’t want to be Vampires. We both deal a lot of difficult and uncomfortable situations. We’re good at what we do but politics and personalities, bad timing and bad planning can take a toll. That is why times like this are good – to regroup and clear our brains even if only for a day or two.

So it is nice to chill and unwind and take a break both physically and mentally.

Anyway, Max likes to cook on such occasions. He is cooking tonight.

Vampires do not live by blood alone. We can’t eat everything (a real pisser) but can eat a lot of things in moderation. All things in moderation.  Max makes a dish with kale, walnuts and apples. No sugar. I’ve made a point to go out to the Certified Organic Farmer’s Market in the wee hours of Saturday morning and pick up large bunches of assorted types of kale and walnuts. He brought the apples. He’ll sauté them all in butter then squeeze fresh lemon juice over the top. Simple but hey, we like it. Kind of sort of.

He’ll pair that with duck eggs poached in white wine with fresh rosemary from my garden. Teddy will take care of the wine choices. I’m going to suggest a nice Carmel Valley Joullian Chardonnay.

On Sunday we’ll have a full house, but tonight it will be quiet.

As Teddy and Max talked quietly and the kids were out with friends I took a moment to go on the deck with a glass of wine. The Ghost appeared, this time in jeans and a white dress shirt.

“You’re a bit somber tonight Vampire,” he said to me.

“Not really. I just feel like being quiet. How are you Nigel?”

“You’re the only person I know who asks a ghost how he is doing. I’m ok. I was thinking about how my grandmother used to wear gloves and a hat on Easter. I loved going to church with her when I was a kid. Don’t ask me why. I guess because it was full of good people.”

“Good people?” I had to ask.

“My dad was in prison and I don’t know where my mom was for a while. It was nice to be around people I wasn’t scared of.”

I didn’t ask anymore. He didn’t say anymore. We watched a couple of deer walk down in the meadow behind my house. They didn’t seem concerned that we were there. It was calm. And that is what we all need on this weekend to reflect and appreciate those we love and new beginnings. Calm and peace.

Nigel drifted off into a wisp of light and I went back in to join Max and Teddy. They were laughing about something. It was good to hear.

Wishing you all a weekend of joy and love.

 

~ Juliette aka Vampire Maman