2. The Unexpected Visit

“How is the daughter of Azrael the Angel of Death?”

Elise broke out and a smile and ran to hug her Uncle Michael. “Oh, Michael, it is so good to see you, it has been too long.” she said as she buried her face into his chest. Elise loved her uncle. After all, he was the one who raised her. He was the one who filled her in on the circumstances of her birth, who had taught her to fight, and he was the one who showed her what an angel was supposed to be.

She pulled away. “Why did you call me that, I have a name you know?”

“Yes, I know. I thought I may scare you. Did it work?”

“No. I am not scared of you or anyone else for that matter.” Elise crossed her arms. And gave Michael a look of defiance.

“All right, little angel, cut that out. I am older than you and I taught you to respect your elders.” he said with a smile.

It was a kind of banter back and forth between the two of them. “Anyways I'm glad you are here to visit. I haven't seen you in what, 15 years?” she asked

“I thought it was closer to 20 but who knows when you're as old as I am, time seems to blend. Yeah, I’m here to visit. Just wanted to check on you. To see how my favorite niece was doing. ”

“I'm your only niece.”

“So can I stay here or not?” Michael asked sarcastically.

“If you must, yhen you are taking the guest room.”

“What did I say about respecting your elders?”

“Last time, I checked you live in the Realm of light. Of which I can't enter, so the least you could do is let me have the bigger room here.”

“Fine. But on another subject, I vote that we go and get some po’boys and then maybe some ice cream to catch up. What do you think?”

“Yes, that would be great... Wait, I can't?”

“Why?”

“I told my cousin Amanda I would go out with her and her friends.”

“Ahhh, Amanda the last time I saw her she was tiny little tot. It is cool I will Just tag along.”

“Are you sure? We are going to the quarter, and you know there is usually several low-level demons hanging around causing mischief.”

“Why would that bother me? They just run away like the cowards they are.”

“I know they do. It is just that last time we went for beignets in the French Quarter, you complained of the demon's stinking the place up and ruining your appetite.”

“If you can deal with it, then I can as well. Plus, it may be somewhat amusing to have the demons seeing two archangels, not just one.”

“You know very well I am not a full archangel.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah but you are close enough and it's not like you can't kill them. Lower angels can't do that.”

“I know. I know. Can't we get off this topic? You said you wanted a po’boy and ice cream, right?”

“Yeah, but you said...”

Elise cut him off. “I know I said that, but it is 5:30 now so we have 4 hours and 45 minutes till Amanda is here. So, lets grab some grub.”

“Sounds good to me.”

“Michael, I have to change. I am not going out in my scrubs, also you may want to change. Wearing overalls with one strap hanging down is out of style nowadays. Your stuff is packed up in the attic if you want to get it out.”

“Alright I will get it out. But what is in now?

“Slim fit jeans and a t-shirt or khaki pants and a t-shirt seem to work.”

Michael went to get dressed as did Elise. They met on the front porch. “I see you having two new rockers.”

“Well, I have to. I have a lot of divine visitors even if it is every 5 years or so. Not to mentioning my mortal family and friends.”

As we walked to get food, Michael asked. “Who was the last uncle to visit you?”

“Jophiel and Raphael, they came together.”

“Oh yeah what did they want?”

“They didn’t want anything. They came to try to help after Katrina. You know, being the Archangels of beauty and miracles. Also, my father, Azrael was in town.”

There was a long silence. “He didn’t...?”

Elise cut him off again “No, he didn’t try to talk to me or anything... I still don’t understand why all of you won't let me at least talking to him.”

“You know why. He is forever to be punished. His job is too important for him to be distracted. And as we both know he is very susceptible to distraction.”

They both fell silent for the remainder of their walk, and remained that way until it was getting close to the time when Amanda would arrive. Michael was the first to break the silence. “I am sorry it must be in this way. But let's not let that ruin our time together okay. “He gave his niece a warm smile.

She smiled back. "Michael, Amanda will be here soon with her friends. I should tell you Amanda is not that great to be around when her friends are around her. She tends to become rude and self-absorbed around them.”

“Elise, you are living among the mortals. You by now should understand the peer pressure.” Michael said in a mocking tone.

“I know what it is. It is stupid. And I was just giving you a heads up. I Did not want to surprise you. I know how delicate you are.”

Michael just glared at her. He never did like to be made fun of. After all, he was the oldest of the archangels and certainly the wisest. However, he always held a soft spot for his niece. His glare softened to a straight face.

“I am not delicate you know.”

“I know Michael. I was just teasing you. You do seem to comment on your displeasure often though.”

“I do and I do not. It seems in that way because you haven't been around me all that long.”

“So what, 200 years is not a long time?”

“Nope.”