F’sm grunted in her sleep but did not move or stir a bit. Her slumber was deep; had been for eons. Y’hweh standing next to her looked at her cautiously. When she didn’t stir again, he poked her softly again, then harder. “Savta!” he whined. “Wake up. Waaaake up! Wakeup!Wakeup!Wakeup!”
F’sm grunted in her sleep again and stirred. Groggily, she half-opened her eyes and saw her toddler grandson Y’hweh standing next to her bed, a burning bush cradled under one arm and his thumb in his mouth, looking expectantly at her.
“You’re awake!” Y’hweh said, jumping up and down with anticipated glee. “Come, come I want to show you something. Look at what I made!”
F’sm groaned. “I am sleepy, Y’hweh. Go play with your brothers & sisters.” F’sm turned around in her bed and tried to go to sleep again but Y’hweh was insistent. “Savta! Come take a look! Please.Please.Please.”
F’sm relented. “Fine, Y’hweh. I am coming.” Slowly, she woke herself from her slumber, not completely but just enough to pacify the youngling. Y’hweh led her to the backyard. As they passed through the house, one of her other grandsons saw them. “Dadi,” Brahma said. “You’re awake.”
“Just for a moment, Brahma” F’sm said from her half-sleep. “And just a little bit. Y’hweh wanted to show me something.” Y’hweh continued to pull F’sm out into the backyard. Brahma shrugged and followed them.
“See!” Y’hweh said, once they were in the backyard, pointing at a tiny blob of energy. “I made a universe!” His voice carried a child-like sense of accomplishment. “Isn’t it beautiful?” he asked, peering into the Universe, eyes wide with wonder and happiness. Brahma scowled.
“It’s really beautiful, Y’hweh,” F’sm said.
“But, Savta, you’re not even looking.”
F’sm smiled a tiny smile and looked carefully at the Universe, making a big show out of it, making sure that Y’hweh saw her looking at the Universe. “I am looking now, Y’hweh. And it’s still really beautiful.”
“I knowwww!” said Y’hweh in a sing-songy voice. “I made it!” he added again, proudly, matter-of-factly.
“You did not!” said Brahma, no longer able to control himself. “Dadi, I made this Universe. Y’hweh didn’t. He just came in afterwards to play with it. He didn’t make it.”
“Did too!” squeaked Y’hweh.
“Did not!”
“Did too! Didtoo!Didtoo!” and Y’hweh stomped his feet.
F’sm sighed and ruffled Y’hweh’s hair and patted Brahma on his shoulder. “It’s a really good Universe. It doesn’t matter who made it. You are brothers. Play nice with each other and share it,” she said drowsily but with finality. “And thank you for showing this to me, but Dadi is sleepy. She is going to bed,” F’sm finished authoritatively.
Y’hweh and Brahma both pouted but didn’t say anything more. They just looked silently at their grandmother as she shuffled back to her bed.
“Kids and their silly games,” F’sm mumbled to herself and drifted off to sleep again.
* * *
