Martin didn’t know he was different—at least, not at first. For the first few weeks, he was just a baby in a warm blanket, cared for by two humans who did not know what they’d gotten themselves into. But even then, they seemed to understand finding a dragon egg at the base of a banyan tree while hiking in the forest wasn’t just unusual; it was extraordinary, unexplainable, and the beginning of a journey that would change their lives forever.

When they brought the egg home, it was a Tuesday—Taco Tuesday, to be precise! Dad loved his tacos: crunchy shells, crisp lettuce, juicy tomatoes, tender chicken, and flavorful steak. As they sat around the table, savoring their dinner, they wondered what would hatch from the egg – or even if it would hatch. They started thinking about names for their little egg-ling. They didn’t know if the egg would hatch into a boy or a girl, so they wanted a name that could work for either. Inspired by the day and their favorite meal, they decided on Martin for a boy or Martinique for a girl —a playful tribute to Taco Tuesday and the Spanish word for Tuesday, Martes. Besides, they had gotten married on a Tuesday and that was a special day for them both.

The egg was the size of a medium pumpkin. It was pale green with dark red spots and sparkled when the light hit it just right, as though the opals and pearls covered the shell. They kept their egg-ling nestled in the very picnic basket they’d had with them when they found it, since the basket was the perfect size to keep the egg upright and prevent it from rolling around. The weave of the reeds around the basket allowed just the right amount of light and air to flow around the egg. The basket was also large enough for the egg to grow, if that’s what this egg would do. They lined the basket with soft towels and a thick patchwork blanket Mom used when she was a baby. It was quite nice the basket had handles. The egg was heavy and with the handles; the basket made it simple to move.

They moved the egg throughout the day: in the morning they kept it on the table in the kitchen where the sunlight would keep it sparkling and warm. In the late morning and early afternoon, Mom would take the egg with her outside while she gardened for fresh air. She didn’t know if fresh air was good for eggs, but she was happy while gardening and wanted the egg to sense the feeling. Later in the afternoon, Dad would take the egg to the den / living room when he got home from work. He was a music producer and enjoyed watching music videos to relax. He hoped the egg could hear the videos and come to appreciate music. No matter who had the egg, they both would talk to and touch the egg. They wanted to show how much they loved the egg. When they touched the egg, it was warm, and sometimes vibrating. Sometimes they could hear rustling and movement from inside.

Mom and Dad weren’t sure how long it would take for the egg to hatch. They didn’t even know what was going to hatch out!! They imagined long feathered birds with brilliant colors, and grand lizards with glimmering scales. When the light hit just right, they could see faint shadows of movement and the egg would rock slightly back and forth. Sometimes, there were tiny noises coming from within the egg! They were excited about the egg hatching and hoped they wouldn’t have to wait long to find out.

The egg began to hum a few weeks after it arrived in Mom and Dad’s home. It was a faint hum and was soft and sounded like a breeze in Mom’s garden. For a week, the egg hummed, and each day the humming grew louder, richer, and resonated with songful notes.

The 8th day, the egg showed tiny cracks. On the 9th day, the cracks widened, and a blue-green glowing light slowly leaked out. On the 10th day, the cracks spread across the shell, starting from the top and working down to the bottom. Tendrils of warm smoke, smelling like campfire, curled out of the cracks. Finally, with a dazzling flare of light and a burst of smoke, the shell shattered into pieces.

Mom and Dad held their breath for the dust to settle and their eyes to recover from the bright light. When they could see inside the basket again, they saw a tiny dragon. A tiny red dragon, with buds where they assumed wings would grow, shimmering scales, and a chubby tummy twinkling in gold. They exchanged a glance, smiled at one another, and, glowing with love and wonder, looked back into the basket. The tiny dragon gazed up at them, giving them both a curious look, tilted its head slightly, and burped smoke into their faces.