The dragon just stood there, wagging its little loopy tail, face tipped up to me like I’d uncovered thesun.
“Do youunderstand?”
The dragon trotted a little circle, and oinkedonce.
Jeansnorted.
“Good.Okay.”
The dragon didn’t say anything even though I knew dragons were capable of human speech. So I guessed that was pretty muchthat.
Jobdone.
“All right then. Hope you have a niceday.”
“And Merry Christmas,” Jeanadded.
“Yes. Merry Christmas.” Did dragons celebrate Christmas? Who knew? ProbablyMyra.
I turned back into the rain that was still pelting down at an angle. At least now it was at ourbacks.
We didn’t try to shout over the racket of the wind, rain, and ocean as we picked our way over stones, soft wet sand, clumps of driftwood, more rocks, a tangle of kelp, and finally trudged toward the land’sedge.
We hiked up the gravel access road, the sound of storm and ocean dampened by the rise of the land on either side ofus.
It was several degrees warmer without the wind, and I rubbed at my face to slick off therain.
Jean hummedJingle Bellsas she walked around to the passenger side of the Jeep. She’d been hummingJingle Bellsfor three weeksstraight.
It was epically annoying but I knew if I told her to stop, she’d only sing itlouder.
Sisters.
She studied the phone in her hand, thumb swiping across thescreen.
I found my keys, got the doors of the Jeep open, and was debating pulling off my soaking jacket when I heard a sound at myfeet.
“Oink. ”
“Jean.”
“Yes?”
“The dragon is followingme.”
“Dragon pig, dragon pig, fol-low-ing us home,” she sang to the tune ofJingle Bells. “I told you this is the best Christmas song. You can put any words toit!”
“Nothelping.”
Jean justlaughed.
“Do you need something?” I asked the dragon. “Are you all right? Are you hurt?Lost?”
It trotted in a circle again, jumped up into my Jeep then hopped into the back seat, making itself comfortable with a snuffle andgrunt.
“You want a ride?” I continued the apparently useless twenty questions. “Somewhere down the beach? Into town? By thelake?”
The pig snuffled again, then closed its eyes, cute as an internet meme. It startedsnoring.
