ON A VILLAGE HILLSIDE (the conclusion)

Ember thought about Grumpy’s secret and the deal he had made on June’s behalf. “Oh, June… I don’t believe that. You shouldn’t either.”

They sat quietly for a while, both looking out over the view and listening to the rustle of leaves stirred by the wind. But Ember felt June was not done with her story. And June was thinking, too. Finally, June spoke again. And Ember noted that when she did, June looked off into the distance. This quirk is important to remember, she thought.

“You know how to keep a secret, I bet. I mean… you’d keep a secret if I told you one, wouldn’t you?”

“Someone else asked me that. I’ll tell you what I said then. I live with them inside me and they’ll die with me.” As she was saying it, she felt a tiny premonition.

“Well…. Sometimes I pretend Grumpy is my grandfather. But I don’t talk about it. Not any more. I told it to mom once and she got mad and said I shouldn’t ever say it again.”

“I…” No, I can’t, Ember thought… “I see.”

“So, anyway, maybe that’s why they don’t like me being friends with Grumpy. But here’s the real secret… I had a dream one time that Grumpy told me he really was my grandfather. He was going to tell me why it had been a secret before but how it was finally all right and didn’t have to be a secret anymore… and then I woke up.”

June turned and looked into Ember’s eyes. “Ember, do you believe there’s anything special about dreams?”

And there it was. Her premonitions were usually less accurate and usually a long time in coming to pass. Now, she was caught between promises to keep two secrets she would rather not be bound to. “Special?”

“You know, like how some people think they can show the future, or they can reveal things like where a treasure is lost, or a lost person can be found?”

“I’m sorry, June, you have to remember I’m not a real human. I don’t have that kind of insight into what human dreams might mean… or not mean.”

“It’s okay. I think maybe they sometimes tell things. Anyway, I’m just glad we’re friends and I can tell you things and you don’t get mad or anything.”

June returned to looking out at the view but Ember thought, I’d be freed of my promises if they discovered for themselves! “June… have you ever talked to Grumpy about the way you pretend, or your dream?”

“No! Oh, no. Not ever.”

“Oh? What would be so bad about telling him?”

“It would ruin everything. I’ve thought about it a lot.” June paused a moment, recalling her internal arguments, before continuing.

“There’s two things that could happen: either he is my grandfather or he isn’t. If he isn’t, he’d be embarrassed, and I might be embarrassed then, too. Do you know how a friendship can be messed up when one of them falls in love with the other one and tells them?”

“No, I don’t, not really.”

“Everything changes after that. They aren’t on the same sheet of music anymore. Feelings are out of balance. One is longing and sad and the other is feeling guilty because they aren’t in love, too, and it’s hurting their friend. And that’s the end of being able to spend happy times together. It’d be like that. Me wanting him to be something he wasn’t and him being sorrowful about it.”

Ember thought then that maybe she did understand June’s analogy. She was already feeling sorry that she held the secret June longed to know but could never tell her. It would always taint the air between. Tread carefully, Ember, she thought to herself and then she said, “But… what if he was?”

“Worse. Because then I’ll want to know why he kept a secret like that from me. For years. For all my life. He might have to tell me sad or horrible things for why no one ever told me. I’d know he lived a lie to me and he would know that I knew it, too. And that’s also the end of being able to spend happy times together.”

“You really have given this thought.”

“Yes. And I decided something. I’d rather wonder for the rest of my life, and have my secret little dream, than know something that would make him and me unhappy. I can live with not knowing if it means he won’t have to lose me as a friend.”

June plucked a tall stalk of grass and nibbled on it, self-consciously, looking down from the hillside over the little village and farms. After a moment, Ember said, “I like you more now, June, than I’d have thought possible.”

~~~

June called out, “Hi, Grumpy!” as Ember and June entered at Grumpy’s gate and walked toward where he was touching up the paint on the window frames. Ember noticed his little house looked prettier than ever on the outside, but it was dark inside.

As they drew near, June said nervously, “Uhh… I came to see you to talk about something important. Ember came along… well, I asked her to come along… for support… because I’m afraid.”

Grumpy’s brows furrowed. “Whatever you’re afraid of, I’ll protect you.”

Ember began backing away. “You two have things to talk about… so… talk. Don’t mind me.” She thought to herself that it sounded oddly familiar. “I think I’ll go see how your marigolds are doing.”

Ember wandered off toward the gate they’d entered and gave her attention to the flowers there. Grumpy and June walked a little further away. Ember made a conscious effort not to hear what the two were saying and it seemed their voices became jumbled, meaningless.

Suddenly, she thought she heard June scream and she spun around. June was jumping up and down and suddenly threw herself at Grumpy. The two hugged each other close and then time seemed to stand still. Human emotions are so intense! Maybe because their lives are shorter they experience everything faster and harder than dragons can. Sometimes I wonder what we’re missing out on.

June’s voice calling to her broke the moment. “Ember! It’s true! The dream was true!”

Suddenly awake, Ember stared into the night’s darkness. “Can dreams foretell the future?”