Touch the Sky (Young Underground #8) (17 page)

             
“
Maybe.
”
Henrik started to say something more, then hesitated.

             
Before he could say anything else, someone knocked at the front door, and Mrs. Melchior called down the hallway.
“
Could you get that, Henrik? I
’
m in the kitchen.
”

             
Henrik sighed.
“
Sure, Mother.
”
Then he turned to the twins and held up his finger.
“
See? This proves another point of mine. Every time, and I mean
every
time, I
’
ve ever asked you something serious, we get interrupted.
”
He jabbed the air in front of him with his finger.
“
I think it
’
s a sign.
”

             
“
It
’
s not a sign, Henrik,
”
Elise started to say.

             
“
Henrik?
”
his mother called once more.

             
“
I
’
m coming.
”
Henrik hurried out of the bedroom to answer the door.

             
Peter sighed and looked at his sister.
“
We blew it again, Elise.
I
blew it.
”

             
“
No you didn
’
t. It
’
s not like we
’
re going to die tomorrow and never get another chance to tell him.
”

             
Peter shrugged.
“
Maybe not, but
...”

             
They could hear a woman
’
s voice drifting in from the hallway.

             
“
I
’
ll bet it
’
s someone else from the neighborhood,
”
said Peter.
“
Coming to say good
-
bye.
”

             
There was more talking, then the front door closed.

             
“
She
’
s always been a good neighbor.
”
Mrs. Melchior sounded far away.

             
“
Here
’
s a handkerchief, Ruth,
”
said Peter
’
s mother.

             
“
I appreciate how you and Arne are taking care of things.
”

             
“
Don
’
t you worry about a thing, Ruth.
”
Mrs. Andersen
’
s voice sounded soothing, like a nurse telling a patient they were going to get better soon.
“
Arne knows someone at the bank who can get you a better price for your furniture. But it might take a few weeks, until after you leave. You don
’
t want to just give it away.
”

             
“
That
’
s fine,
”
Henrik
’
s mother sniffed, and her voice cracked.

             
“
Once it
’
s all taken care of,
”
Mr. Andersen continued,
“
we
’
ll be sure to wire you the money right away. But you
’
re going to need to give us your address in Palestine as soon as you have one.
”

             
“
Matthias says he is arranging a place for us.
”
Mrs. Melchior didn
’
t sound as sure as her words.

             
Elise looked curiously at Henrik, who had slipped back to his room.

             
“
What are you frowning for?
”
she asked.

             
Henrik flopped down on his bed.
“
Neighbors saying good
-
bye. Furniture getting sold. And Matthias saying we
’
ll find a place in Palestine, no problem. As long as we don
’
t get shot at first.
”

             
“
I
’
m sure he
’
s taking you to a safe part of the country,
”
suggested Elise.

             
Henrik shook his head violently.
“
Haven
’
t you read the newspapers? There are bombs and people shooting at each other over there. And crazy terrorists like Mr. Broken Nose are here in Denmark besides. I mean, Matthias is a great guy, but what is my mother
thinking
?
”

             
Henrik sighed and shook his head, and Peter and Elise said nothing until Henrik
’
s mother appeared at the bedroom door. She dabbed at the corner of her eye with a handkerchief.

             
“
Are you boys all ready for the big trip in the morning?
”
She forced a little smile.

             
“
I don
’
t know about the boys, Mrs. Melchior,
”
answered Elise,
“
but I just have to get a few more things packed.
”

             
“
You?
”
Henrik
’
s mother looked puzzled.

             
“
That
’
s right.
”
Elise crossed her arms and nodded as if she had just decided something important.
“
I
’
m going, too. That is, if Lisbeth will come. I already asked Uncle Morten. We can
’
t let these boys just ride off and have all the fun.
”

             
“
Are you kids all ready?
”
asked Uncle Morten later that night. He jogged in place in the Andersen kitchen, next to where Peter and Elise were doing the dinner dishes while Tiger played with his shoelaces.
“
Because Lisbeth and I are leaving on this grand bike voyage tomorrow morning whether you
’
re coming or not.
”

             
“
We
’
re ready,
”
Henrik told him, chuckling. He watched the twins from the kitchen table, where he had been parked since he and his mother had arrived after dinner.
“
But now that crazy Elise is coming, she
’
ll have to get ready, too.
”

             
“
I
’
m ready,
”
she countered.
“
I don
’
t take as long as you boys.
”

             
“
Ha!
”
Peter laughed.
“
We
’
re ready already. We
’
ve been ready for the last couple of days.
”

             
Mr. Andersen chuckled as he walked into the kitchen.
“
There
’
s still time to change your mind, Morten. You and Lisbeth are brave to volunteer.
”

             
“
Brave?
”
Uncle Morten gave his brother a playful push with his shoulder.
“
I was going to take a couple of days off anyway to take the train to the big get
-
together. And now since Elise is coming along, both Lisbeth and I are saving the train ticket money. It
’
s a double savings.
”

             
“
Oh, so that
’
s it.
”
Peter
’
s father laughed once more.
“
You
’
re going because you think you
’
ll save money. Well, I know the kids appreciate it. If I could take the time off, I would consider going with you, too.
”

             
Peter looked at his father with disbelief.
“
You would?
”

             
“
Why does that surprise you? I
’
ve been on a bicycle before, you know.
”

             
“
If you
’
ve been on a bike, brother,
”
put in Uncle Morten,
“
your kids have never seen you.
”

             
“
Morten,
”
said Lisbeth from the living room.
“
You sound like you
’
re teasing your poor brother again.
”

             
Uncle Morten only grinned, while Peter
’
s father quietly stuffed something into Henrik
’
s shirt pocket.

             
“
Mr. Andersen!
”
objected Henrik.

             
“
Now, I
’
m giving it to you because I know you
’
ll spend it only on necessary things like ice cream and soda.
”

             
“
But
...”
Henrik stammered.

             
Peter could tell from the color of the paper that it was a fifty
-
kroner bill. He did some quick math.
That
’
s enough for 150 ice cream cones!

             
“
No buts,
”
insisted Mr. Andersen.
“
I want you kids to have fun on this trip. Now, you remember the schedule?
”

             
“
We know the schedule,
”
answered Uncle Morten.
“
We
’
ve talked it through ten times.
”

             
Peter
’
s father nodded and continued.
“
Okay, I just want to make sure I know you know. You leave tomorrow morning, Thursday, and then we
’
ll take the train over and meet you the following week at Harald and Hanne
’
s place on the coast. You know where it is?
”

             
Uncle Morten nodded patiently and pointed his thumb at Elise.
“
Just south of Ho Village. These two know the way.
”

             
“
Well,
”
Elise put in,
“
it has been a couple of years since Peter and I were there.
”

             
Peter finished scrubbing his last dish and drifted off to the window while everyone else kept talking and planning. Not that he wasn
’
t as excited as the others about the bike trip
—
maybe even more. But something else kept bothering him. He looked down at the street, searching again for the black car that he had been trying to find all week.

             
Henrik acts like nothing ever happened
, he worried.
Like no one ever tried to run him down
.