Page 50 of Room to Breathe

“Sorry, sorry, keep reading.” I moved on to writing the fortunes beneath the flaps in the catcher.

He kept reading. The girl didn’t discover her powers while fighting the stick monster. She did defeat it, though, without powers. When Beau was done reading the monster-fighting scene, he closed the book. “That’s the end of the chapter.”

“It was a good one. I like that she beat it without powers.”

“Yeah, me too.”

I tossed the pen I’d been using into the front pocket of my backpack. “She probably won’t discover her powers at all in this book. That’s like a book two or three thing to keep us reading.”

“True.” He set the book aside and turned toward me, his eyes on the cootie catcher.

“Oh, are you ready for this?” I said.

“Yes,” he said.

“Ask a question.”

He closed one eye and scrunched his nose in thought. He looked adorable. “Okay.”

“No, out loud.”

“I’m not asking my question out loud,” he said, as if this was common sense. “It’s private.”

I rolled my eyes. “Fine. Pick a color.” I held it up and a memory of sitting on the couch with my dad popped into my brain. I’d made one at home and then made him play. He’d picked red.

“Because it’s lucky,” he said.

“Lucky?” I asked. “How?”

“It was the color your mom was wearing when I first met her. And when she told me she was pregnant with you. It must be lucky.”

I didn’t remember anything else after that, but I remembered throwing my arms around his neck and hugging him tight. I remembered us both laughing. I swallowed. I had forgotten I ever played this with him.

Beau tapped on a square, bringing me back to the present. “Green.”

I took a deep breath. “G-R-E-E-N,” I said, while opening and shutting the mouth of the catcher both ways. “Number.”

He tilted his head so he could see better. “Seven.”

I counted to seven, doing the same motion and then shifted the catcher toward him.

“Um…four.”

“Four.” I opened the flap over four and read, “Probably, but only if you really want it.”

He nodded.

“Was that a good answer?”

“Yes,” he said.

“Do you really want it?” I teased.

“Yes,” he said in a serious voice, meeting my eyes.

I swallowed and handed him the catcher. “My turn.”

“Question,” he said.