“I’m fooling around. I still want my fortune from you,” Felix says, squatting down on the other side of the milk crate.
“Okay, you can be first,” Gerty replies.
Otto takes another drag of his cigarette and stares at the side of Felix’s face as if he’s trying to read his fortune too.
“Okay, tell me what’s going to happen next week,” Felix says to Gerty.
Gerty holds her hands out, one on each side of the glass globe. He places his hands in hers and she holds on to them for a long moment. She has the role of fortune teller down pat as she meditates before offering an answer.
Danner nudges my shoulder with his. “What do you think it’s going to be?” he whispers. “An ice age or a volcanic eruption that splits Europe into a dozen continents?”
I want to push my thoughts away from the racial exclusion news and Mama’s warning about showing disagreement, but Hitler states his distaste for Jewish people, claiming they caused Germany to lose the war. We’re supposed to take Hitler’s side.I won’t. Not ever, because Danner, the sweetest boy I know, is Jewish. I could never hate or dislike him. No one will force those feelings upon me.
“Oh my God. I’m going to die. I can see it in your eyes,” Danner says.
I press my hand over my mouth, trying to stop myself from laughing, bringing my thoughts back to the volcanic eruption or an ice age. Gerty comes up with the most ridiculous fortunes when she can’t think of anything good to say. “Definitely a volcanic eruption.”
“Okay then. I’ll let you read my fortune,” Danner says, keeping his voice low enough so Gerty doesn’t hear. “I don’t want to hear about natural disasters or peeing in my pants, though. Okay?”
I suppress laughter from bursting out of my nose and stare up toward the sky, thinking up a fortune for Danner. His initial reluctance for a fortune makes me think he’s not up for anything that would scare him, so I have to come up with something in between scary and a natural disaster.
He takes my hands off my lap and clasps them with his. “Okay, go.”
Chills coil up my arms as a light spring breeze washes over us. His hands are warm and consume mine. I’ve lost all trace of thought as I lower my gaze to find his eyes closed and his dimples punctuating the smile he’s trying to hide.
“Well, I don’t have a crystal ball or fortune cards, but I’m receiving a fuzzy message,” I say. I’m not as good at this as Gerty. She is far more believable, despite the silly tales.
“Go on,” Danner says, squeezing my hands a little firmer.
His eyelashes flutter over his cheeks.
“You’re going to live a long, happy and healthy life, and beekeeping will make you and your dad world renowned for your famous honey.”
Danner’s eyes flutter open. “You were supposed to give me my fortune for next week, not the rest of my life. Now, nothing will ever come as a surprise. It’s like reading the last page of a suspense book before making it past the first chapter.” He’s laughing as he speaks, but I sense a level of seriousness in his words—ones I don’t particularly understand since I don’t like surprises.
“I was only fooling you. Your real fortune is…”
Danner closes his eyes again, giving the appearance of allowing me one more chance.
“Next week?—”
“I’m going to tell you that…I think you’re the most beautiful girl in the world,” he whispers, leaning in closer to my ear. His words steal my breath away.
“Me?” I respond quietly, realizing I’m now squeezing his hands much harder than he’s squeezing mine.
Danner shrugs. “I hope it’s okay that I said that.” The gentle hush of his voice tickles my ear and his gaze drops to our hands. “I…I think about you a lot when we aren’t together. We’ve always been honest with one another, so I think it’s only fair I tell you that.”
My cheeks heat and my heart pounds against the inside of my chest. He doesn’t know how often I stare at his front door, wishing it would open and he’d appear. He’s my favorite person to talk to. “I—I…”
“You don’t have to?—”
“I daydream about you during classes sometimes,” I confess. “And I count the minutes until school is over and we can walk home together. So…I guess we feel the same way, right?”
Danner smiles, the kind of smile where his eyes follow the upward curve and his freckles smoosh together. I realize we’re still holding hands and I glance over at Gerty, Otto, and Felix,curious if they noticed. I pull my hands away quickly, not wanting that form of attention from the three of them.
“Wait.” Danner’s eyes flash open. “What’s my real fortune?”
I forgot we were even talking about his fortune. I shake the thoughts around in my head. “Oh, right. Um, well, you’re going to receive news next week.” The words burst from my mouth. I’m not sure what news he’ll receive, but I’m sure something can be considered news.
