We walked to the ledge overlooking the city and the beach, and yes, it was beautiful. All the lights looked like tiny little fireflies dancing in the night. It was quiet and peaceful. I loved it.

"So, I just want you to know that as soon as you are ready to leave, I will take you home. You don't have to stay longer than you want to."

"Oh, thank you. But I think I will be able to handle it for a while longer."

"Are you sure? Because just say the word and I will bring you home."

"Yes, I'm sure. I will be fine."

I stood there with both hands on the railing, looking out over what seemed to be a small town.

"It looks so small from up here."

"Yeah it does. But it's gorgeous. It's one of the best views in this city, if not the best. I always used to like it too."

"You used to come up here?"

"Yeah. I would leave home to come here when I was around 11 years old. I used to think to myself, 'someday I will go down there.'"

"I always was down there, so I never really had a dream like that. Well, actually, I sort of did but it was stupid."

"No, tell me. I want to know. Please?"

"Ok, ok. Well, I always used to sit out on the street and look into this one store, ok? Well this store had everything in it. Well one day, I saw this dress in the window that I really liked. No, I didn't like it, I loved it. I tried to save up, and I did. But as soon as I got enough money for it, it was gone. That was the very next day after you came. I wanted to meet you, and my goal was to buy that dress."

"Was it silver and red?"

"Yeah… I can still see it sitting there, just waiting for me to buy it. That was my only dream besides meeting you."

"Did you ever want to go anywhere or see anything?"

"Well, I used to look up over the hill."

"What do you mean?"

"I used to want to go up over the hill and see the other side. I never got to, though."

"Why we're you on this side of the hill on that night you met me though?"

"I was fulfilling my destiny. I finally decided to come over here to this side, but then a blizzard came up and engulfed me. I was on my way back, but I had to stop here. Seems like all my dreams we're fulfilled besides one on that night."

"Wow. That makes my dream seem stupid."

"No, no it doesn't. I think that our dreams we're similar. Meaning the ones about going somewhere, of course."

"I suppose so. Any other dreams or fantasies?"

"I always wanted to come to your factory. Actually, I wanted to go and sit in the yard outside because I liked open, grassy yards. I used to wonder what it was like inside, too."

Our little exchanges went on like this for another hour or so, but then my motherly instinct told me that it was time to go back home.

"Um, this is all so nice and everything, but can we go now? I have been gone too long."

"Of course we can go now. Come on, let's go."

We walked back home and when we got there; I went straight to Starr's room.

"Oh, hey there Starr. I'm sorry mommy was gone so long. Did you miss me? Don't worry, I'm here now. Mommy's here."

As he stood and watched me, he could only think one thing. 'She is a wonderful mother.'