Written for Steemit: Purgatory - Life is an adventure and no one is ever certain what it is about or what will be faced, or in this case learned ©Jeff Kubitz 2017 - All Rights Reserved.

Love Lessons, Chapter 2.1 of Purgatory

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Chapter 1 - Table of Contents

"Hello,” Carol stood and addressed the hemlock tree, Mr. Cawra.

“And Hello from me too,” Vestas said to the tree while he stood beside her.

“Should we say anything dear?” Adela the blue jay whispered to her husband from high up in his branches, “They are being much nicer than one would expect after their ordeal.”

Mr. Cawra, a towering, huge tree, tried to whisper to Adela, “Quiet.”

“What was that, did you say ‘quiet’ Mr. Cawra?” Carol asked.

“I am going to talk with them; it is forever since we had any interaction with another couple in any meaningful way.” Adela whispered.

“No! Stay silent!” Mr. Cawra tried to shut his wife up.

“So, you didn’t say, ‘quiet’?” Vestas asked puzzled.

“Look, we are not mad and we are not going to do you any harm to you or the forest because if we were, why would we just stand here and try to talk to you?” Carol said.

“My friend is very new and naïve and I just want your permission to continue to give her lessons about how to avoid the pitfalls of our wonderful world.” Vestas said.

“Do you truly promise you will do us no harm?” Adela asked.

“Adela cease at once!” Mr. Cawra ordered.

“I want to converse with another couple and they have done us no harm at all.” Adela said in a loud voice.

“What do you mean? Both of them bit me!” Mr. Cawra exclaimed.

“I didn’t hear a scream in pain. It didn’t hurt at all and you know it.” Adela began her argument with her husband.

“That is not the point. Both of them bit me and I could have become infected or who knows what could have happened to me. I could have turned into a bird mite or something, you don’t know. Now stay silent until they go away.”

“Yeah, and they turned back into humans, maybe you are their hero, Hemmel.”

Mr. Cawra remained silent for a while first because he ordered his wife to stay silent and because perhaps he was the hero. He liked that idea. The more he thought about it he decided to speak to Adela in a whisper, “Well, since you refuse to obey me Adela, at least ask them if I am their hero for changing them back, then we will see.”

“There is no need to ask Adela,” Vestas yelled up toward where she was perched.

“Oh he is certainly my hero and a handsome hero he is too, so shady, protective and a real transformer.” Carol praised.

“You see Hemmel,” Adela said, “You are the hero.”

“Yes, but all I ever did was stand here and get bit. I really did not do much of anything at all.” Hemmel deprecated himself and went on to say, “I didn’t even know I could do that.”

“He really didn’t know that he could turn you back and neither did I,” Adela said as she peeked over the branch at Carol and Vestas.

“Even so, we thank you, don’t we, Vestas?” Carol said.

“Most definitely, too bad you didn’t know, I thought you did and I apologize for my rude behavior on being transformed into a Groot.” Vestas was sorry.

“Apology accepted,” Adela and Hemmel graciously responded together.

“Are we friends then?” Carol asked Adela and Hemmel while she observed Vestas for his response and he nodded.

“Friends,” Adela and Hemmel replied. Adela went on to say,”Ages have passed since we had any friends. This will be delightful.”

“You mean you don’t talk with the other trees and birds?” Carol asked.

“Everyone here in the forest is pretty much a stand-apart group.” Adela joked.

“Yeah, there’s a lot of jealousy about pretty birds perching on another bird’s wood,” Mr. Hemmel winked at Vestas, “If you know what I mean.”

“Yeah,” Laughed Vestas, “Well, I have to be getting her to her lessons, Carol is new and not like the rest of us, ‘been here so long’s’”

“Perhaps you could come over tomorrow for cards, do you play Rummy?” Adela asked.

“I don’t know what cards are.” Vestas answered.

“I’ll tell him about it do you have a deck of cards?” Carol asked Adela.

“We do.” Adela replied.

“Oh good a foursome to play Rummy,” Hemmel sounded overjoyed.

“We will see you tomorrow then, and do you care where we set up?” Vestas asked.

“Plant yourself anywhere you like. Welcome neighbor.” Adela joked.

“Oh, one last question before we go if I may?” Vestas asked.

“Yes?” Adela and Hemmel asked together.

“You started out as a blue jay and a tree correct?” Vestas asked.

“Why of course we have always been a blue jay and a hemlock.” Adela and Hemmel replied.

“Excellent! We’ll get ourselves settled now.” Carol grabbed Vestas’ arm, “Bye for now.”

“Wha?”

“Look at that area and that view, what do you think Vestas?”

“Let’s go see it and see that it is safe.”

“Couldn’t help but overhear, not eavesdropping, you know, it is safe there.” Hemmel said.

“Thank you again.” Vestas called back as Carol forcefully dragged him away.

“Well you said you wanted me to practice dragging you like you dragged me.”

“Not like that! But we’ll get to it later. This really is a nice view.” Vestas viewed the valley as he spoke.

“What is that flying down there?” Carol asked.

“What?”

“That there.” Carol pointed.

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