Page 62 of Bright Lights, Big Christmas
“You mean, like Mom?”
“Only before she’s had her coffee,” Patrick said. “And you can never tell her I said that.”
Kerry tapped the end of the pen on the paper for a moment, while she tried to imagine just what a girl dragon would look like. Hair bow? Pink sneakers? A bra? She gazed around at the street, hoping for some sort of inspiration.
Instead, she saw Heinz, slowly making his way across the street in her direction.
Queenie saw him too, and bounded out to meet the old man, tail wagging. She pushed her snout up against the pocket of his thick woolen coat.
“Oh, hello,” Heinz said, his chuckle becoming a wheezy cough as he scratched the dog’s ears and held out the treat he knew she was seeking.
“Are you all right?” Kerry inquired. Her friend’s face was unusually pale, and as he leaned on his cane he seemed unsteady on his feet.
“I’m fine,” Heinz said. “This very cold air, sometimes, it doesn’t agree with me.”
Kerry jumped to her feet. “Please sit. Can I get you some coffee, or some tea?”
“Nothing at all,” he said, waving away her concern. He pointed down at the sketchbook. “What’s this ferocious creature I’m seeing?”
“It’s a dragon,” Austin said. “To help guard the magical forest from the bad guys.”
“Ohhhh,” Heinz said, nodding slowly. “Yes, I think a dragon would be a very effective deterrent to bad guys.”
“There should be two dragons, though,” Austin said. “Kerry says one should be a girl.”
“I agree.”
“The problem is, I don’t exactly know what a female dragon might look like,” Kerry admitted.
“Perhaps I could try?” Heinz asked.
Kerry stood up. “Be my guest. I’m going to go get us something hot to drink. Which is it? Coffee, or tea?”
He sank down onto the chair. “Well, tea if you insist. Maybe with a drizzle of honey, if it’s not too much bother.”
“Kerry, look!” Austin called out to her as she returned to her post. She carefully placed the foam cups on the edge of the worktable, along with some chocolate-dipped biscotti.
Heinz had retrieved her colored pencils from her box of art supplies and had, in the space of ten short minutes, created a distinctively feminine-looking dragon, with long, fluttery eyelashes, and pink-painted claws. She looked fearsome, and yet adorable, if that was possible.
“Oh, Heinz, she’s perfect,” Kerry declared.
Heinz’s chuckle turned into a spasm of coughing. His face reddened, and his chest heaved with the effort of breathing.
“Hey,” Patrick said, alarmed. “Are you all right?”
“One moment,” Heinz gasped, putting his hand to his chest. A minute later, his color returned to normal.
“I’m all right,” he announced. “Just a silly cookie crumb went down the wrong way.”
He managed to stand and reach for his cane. “I really must be going.”
“Let us walk you home,” Patrick said. “You seem pretty winded.”
“No, no,” Heinz said. “That’s kind of you, but I’m fine. Just old and foolish to eat sweets my doctor forbids me to have. I have errands and appointments.”
“Please,” Kerry said. “Let Patrick walk with you. You really don’t seem well.”
The old man’s smile vanished. “I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself.” He nodded at Austin, patted Queenie’s head, and slowly began hobbling away.
