The Worst Thing I've Done by Ursula Hegi

fortunes?”
    â€œMe,” Opal yelled, flinging herself in his direction.
    Mason caught her.
    â€œI have a date,” Jake said.
    â€œBring her along.” Mason laughed as he swung Opal around. “Look look—your toes are drawing a circle of splash.”

    A T THE NASTY fortune restaurant, Ice Queen 5 was appalled by her fortune. “Listen to this: ‘You are no good and you will never amount to anything.’ ”
    â€œThat means you make good decisions,” Jake interpreted.
    â€œBetter than mine.” Annie read hers aloud: “ ‘You are a despicable person and bad things will come to you.’ ”
    â€œListen to mine,” Mason said. “ ‘Your spirit is mean and your soul will be lost forever.’ ”
    Ice Queen 5 shook her head. “They’re horrible.”
    Jake nodded. “And unpredictable. That’s what we love about them.”
    Opal held up her fortune. “Mine. Read mine.”
    â€œI’ll read it for you.” Mason pulled her onto his lap. Kissed the top of her red hair. “Hmm…” He covered the slip of paper.
    â€œRead, Mason!”
    Ice Queen 5 leaned over his arm and read Opal’s fortune. “Let me,” she said quickly. “Here, this is what it says, Opal. ‘You are intelligent and generous and courageous.’ ”
    Opal shrieked. “Not nasty.”
    â€œMaybe a nice fortune got in there by mistake. Wouldn’t that be nice?”
    Annie glared at her. “Wouldn’t that be terrible?”
    â€œBecause we certainly don’t come here for the food,” Jake said.
    â€œI want nasty—” Opal kicked and slapped at the table.
    â€œI got her.” Mason contained her arms and legs. “Sshhh…” He buffered her with his body from harming herself as she bounced herself against him in a frenzy. “Sshhh…“ Outwaiting her, as he often did.
    Ice Queen 5 brought her hand to her lips. “Is she having a seizure?”
    â€œOf course not,” Annie snapped.
    â€œTell you what,” Mason whispered to Opal. “When you stop your tizzy, Annie will read your real fortune.”
    Annie nodded. “I’ll wait till you’re ready, Opal.”
    Opal whimpered. Sniffled. “Nasty…”
    â€œOh, this one is nasty. Ready?”
    â€œReady…”
    â€œLet me make sure I read it correctly. ‘Your brain is melting, and your nose is stuffed.’ ”
    â€œGross.” Opal clapped her hands.
    â€œWhoever writes these…things?” Ice Queen 5 asked.
    â€œSomeone very talented,” Annie said.
    â€œA sadist. I don’t think they’re healthy for children.”
    â€œHealthier than the fortunes that praise them for things they haven’t done,” Jake said.
    â€œAt least those are funny.”
    â€œOh, but these are much funnier,” Jake said.
    â€œI don’t see the humor in them.”
    â€œHow sad.” Jake raised his eyebrows. Yawned. “Opal seems tired.”
    Mason knew the cue. Jake wanted to get rid of his date and meet up with him and Annie. “You’re right,” he said. “Opal does seem tired.”
    â€œI’m exhausted too,” Jake told Ice Queen 5. “Ready for me to take you home?”

    W HEN M ASON got Opal ready for bed, Annie said, “They’re all clones of the original Ice Queen. You think we should stop numbering them?”
    â€œYou never like his dates,” Mason said.
    â€œI want someone more…fascinating for Jake.”
    â€œSomeone like you?”
    â€œThat again?”
    â€œIndeed, that again.” He switched on the baby monitor next to Opal’s bed.
    â€œI’m not a baby,” she protested.
    â€œThat’s not why we use it,” Annie said. “It’s only for when we’re in the pond or sauna.”
    They were already skinny-dipping when Jake arrived.
    In the sauna, he