March 2, 1940
"Wake up, wake up, wake up! I want to get there when it opens!"
I flicker my eyelids open to find Macy jumping on my bed.
"It doesn't open for another two hours," I say as I roll over and pull the pillow over my head.
She rips it off. "But we need to get ready! And I'm too excited to go back to sleep."
Letting out a groan, I pull myself out of bed. Macy cheers and runs back to her room.
I meander across the room to my armoire and pull out a white blouse, a gray sweater, and a skirt. I'm pushing my hair back with a thick red headband when Macy bursts through my door once more to ask me if I could braid her hair. I manage to tie the single French braid that trails over her shoulder before she bolts out of my room and down the stairs.
Following her path to the kitchen, I find my parents sitting at the table with a pot of coffee already made. I pour myself a cup before sitting down with them.
"Happy birthday, dear!" My mother exclaims.
My father picks Macy up and swings her around. "Happy Birthday, sweet girl!"
"What do you want for breakfast?" My mother dotes on Macy.
I then remember what was promised to me yesterday. A plan forms in my head. "You know, I was thinking that we could grab something to eat on the way to the park."
My mother looks surprised at this, but she nods her head and asks my sister if that is fine.
"That sounds good to me," Macy says, eyeing me suspiciously.
I wasn't going to lie to myself. I really wanted to see Jacob Koenig again. When I told Frances and Eva what had happened at the bakery, they were ecstatic. They kept asking me questions about him, but I didn't have any answers since we had just met. This was the perfect opportunity not only to see him again, but I could also disguise it as treating my sister for her birthday.
I pull on my navy blue peacoat and a bright blue scarf before pushing Macy out the door. We walk a few blocks before arriving at the storefront of Twin Treats. My sister immediately gets excited when she realizes where we are going.
"Wait, are you serious? I love this place!"
I wink at her. "I have a promise to cash in."
The bell rings as we walk in the door like it did yesterday. I'm slightly relieved when it's Jacob that walks out from the back and not his father. He looks surprised to see me at first, but his surprise morphs into delight. His green eyes twinkle, and his dimples appear when a smile forms on his lips. My heart flutters in my chest.
"Ana, hi! What are you doing here?"
"I think you promised me some sweets after almost giving me a concussion with a door yesterday." I walk up to the counter and lean forward on it.
He runs a hand through his thick curls in embarrassment. "Ah, right. I'm still really sorry about that. Are you feeling okay?"
"I'm fine. My headache cleared up yesterday," I clarify.
His shoulders sag in relief. He gestures towards my sister. "Who's this?"
"This is my little sister, Macy."
My sister straightens her posture and proclaims, "I'm actually fourteen, though. Today's my birthday!"
Jacob smiles and leans forward on the counter. "Well, happy birthday! You know, we have a secret special where you get a free treat when it's your birthday." He winks at her.
She instantly runs over to the counter window where numerous kinds of pastries lay in trays and muffins are arranged in bunches. Loaves of sweet bread are cut into slices and cakes with delicate designs of icing are elevated on stands. Together, the colors of the treats create an alluring display that could make anybody hungry. Every treat looks as delicious and tasty as the next. Macy eventually ends up picking a pastry that is overflowing with strawberries and powdered sugar.
"What would you like, Ana?" Jacob asks.
I stare at the counter window for a few seconds more before deciding.
"One of those lemon blueberry muffins would be great."
He looks satisfied at this and places both of our pastries in a brown bag. Handing it to me, he tells us to come back anytime and sends me a wink. I blush and quickly look away before he can see my face.
Outside, Macy grabs my arm. "So that's why you wanted to eat on the way to the park!"
I look inside the paper bag. "I have no idea what you're talking about."
"Yes, you do! You like him, don't you? I saw you blush when he winked at you," she accuses.
I'm about to brush her question off when Jacob bursts out of the bakery door behind us. He runs in front of us and stops abruptly.
"Go out on a date with me."
I look at him in disbelief.
"What?"
"Go on a date with me. 6'o clock, Friday night in Østre Anlæg park."
I'm shocked. I did not see this coming at all. I stare at Jacob in shock and take in his wild eyes and unruly hair. He seems to be off-guard, almost like he decided at the last second to chase after me. Because I'm in disbelief and not sure what to say, I settle with one word.
"Yes."
"Yes?" he asks as a grin stretches across his face.
"Yes. I'll see you then," I smile widely at him.
He looks ecstatic as he waves us goodbye and runs back inside. Macy immediately turns to me with a triumphant expression on her face, her thick eyebrow raised in question. A faint smirk plays at her lips.
"I think you were going to say that you didn't like him."
The smile that had formed on my face diminishes. I cross my arms.
"You know, Macy, I don't technically have to take you to Tivoli Gardens."
She rolls her eyes and grabs the bag from my grasp to pull out her pastry. We make it just in time to buy tickets and enter the park as it opens. We spend the afternoon riding bumper cars and playing carnival games. I even convince her to go on the Mountain Coaster, a big wooden rollercoaster with lots of hills and tunnels. Although it's still chilly in early March, we don't let that faze us. We still have cotton candy in our hands and smiles on our faces when we leave the park at sunset. We race each other home and pass Twin Treats on the way.
Our family enjoys a nice dinner once we get home. We eat the layer cake for dessert. Macy swears she's in heaven.
"This is the best thing I've ever put in my mouth," she moans.
"I have to say, this is phenomenal cake," my mother replies. "I'll have to tell the baker next time I'm around there."
"Oh, I'm sure Ana could do that on her date on Friday night."
"Macy!" I warn.
"Date? What date?" my father demands.
With a mouth full of cake, my sister answers his question first. "The boy from the bakery asked her out on a date today. He's really handsome and nice. He gave us free stuff because it was my birthday and he almost gave Ana a concussion with a door."
My father turns to me. "Who is this boy?"
"His name is Jacob Koenig. His father owns the bakery." I shuffle the cake around with my fork.
"What year of school is he in?"
"He goes to the University of Copenhagen."
My father looks disgruntled with this answer. "So he's a few years older than you?"
"Alexander," my mother warns. My father glances at her and sighs after making eye contact with her for a few seconds. His posture relaxes, and he looks down at his hands.
"I want to meet him first. And you know the rules about dating. School and violin come first; boys always come last."
"I know, papa."
His gaze softens. He then turns his attention back on my sister and asks how Tivoli Gardens was. My sister recounts how much fun she had with me before opening the presents that my parents got for her.
Afterward, I head upstairs and practice my violin for an hour before going to bed. Without thinking about it, I begin to play a slow and soothing melody. It reminds me of gentle waves on a sea. A sea that is the same color as Jacob's eyes. With that thought, I begin to think about the date that I have on Friday. Enthusiasm floats in my chest, and my toes curl in excitement.
Later, as I lay between the sheets and look at the sky through my window, I feel warm and content. I twist further into my blankets and fall asleep with a smile on my face, praying that nothing will tear me away from the happiness that I feel.