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again.”
    “Because every time I’ve had the dream,” Jason said, “I knew
that you and Grandpa Roy were keeping something from me, something important.
And during this last dream I realized I needed to tell you that I knew. It was
something you were waiting for.” Jason took a sip of his drink and set it back
down on the table. “So that’s why I asked to meet you. To tell you.”
    “To tell me what?” Steven said, doing his best to pretend he
didn’t know what Jason was talking about.
    “That I know,” Jason said.
    “Know what?” Steven said, still acting baffled.
    “I don’t know exactly,” Jason said. “I just had the
impression that I had to tell you that I knew. But I don’t know what I knew.
See, I told you it was weird. And I know how you are, so I know you probably
think I need to see a psychiatrist or something.”
    “No, I don’t think that,” Steven said. He knew at some point
he’d have to talk to Jason about the gift, but he wanted to wait until he was
better versed in it, not still a novice working with Roy. If he was going to
tutor Jason on how to use the gift, there was a lot more he needed to know
before he felt ready to do it. And he wasn’t even sure Jason had the gift in
the first place.
    “When did you first start having this dream?” Steven asked.
    “When I was ten, or eleven,” Jason said. “Somewhere around
there.”
    Hits at puberty, Steven thought, thinking of Roy talking about June’s
grandson.
    “Any other strange dreams?” Steven asked.
    “Like what?”
    “You know, like this one with me and Roy in it?”
    “Well,” Jason said, “I have dreams all the time. I usually
don’t remember them for very long.”
    “Nothing that stands out?” Steven asked.
    “No,” Jason said, “other than this dream, the one with the
book. So, is there something you and Grandpa Roy aren’t telling me?”
    What do I do? Steven thought. I can’t lie to him. But I’m not prepared
to go down this path just yet, either.
    “There are some things I want to share with you later, when
you’re older,” Steven said. “Family things you should know. But I’d rather you
concentrate on your studies for now. There will be plenty of time to discuss
them when you’re older.”
    “I’m twenty,” Jason said. “I am older. I’m not a little kid
anymore. I’d like to know.”
    “Well, I’m not ready to tell you,” Steven said. The waitress
arrived with their food and set a plate in front of each of them. Normally
Jason would have dived into his food, but he just stared at the plate.
    “You’re upset,” Steven said.
    “Yes,” Jason said. “So the dream is right, there is
something.”
    “Later, when you’re older.”
    “What is it, some deep dark family secret?” Jason asked,
still not touching his food. “I’m not a child, Dad, I can handle whatever it
is.”
    “Well,” Steven said, “I’m not going to tell you until I’m
ready to tell you. Finish up school, and when you’re older we’ll have a big
sit-down and I’ll tell you the whole thing, alright?”
    Jason wasn’t looking at him. Steven could tell he was still pissed.
    “Do you know how humiliating it is to be told that?” Jason
asked. “I imagine if Grandpa Roy had said that to you, it would drive you
crazy.”
    He’s right, Steven thought. It would have driven me crazy to be told
that by Roy. Perhaps that’s one of the reasons Roy just kept his distance all
these years. Distance meant he didn’t have to say anything.
    “It might have,” Steven said. “Your grandfather drove me
crazy about a lot of things. But I dealt with it, and you must deal with this.”
    Jason looked up at Steven, and their eyes met.
    He knows it’s something big, Steven thought. It’s growing in
him, he senses it, and he senses it in me. He’s looking for answers. I will
have to supply them soon.
    “I need you to trust me on this,” Steven said. “I have good
reasons. For one, I’m not ready to tell you. There’s