Forever Remember: The Rose Code

Chapter 11: Bright Morning Star

"Jasmine, you're safe. You're with me, at my house." The familiar voice was soothing and kind, and the nightmare faded away.

I opened my eyes and saw Melaney next to me on the floor on top of her sleeping bag. "Sorry. Did I wake up everyone again?"

"Just me," she yawned and stretched and then grinned widely, displaying her perfect white teeth.

"What's so funny?" I asked.

"You were mumbling something about sharp teeth. Were you dreaming about Tyler?" she teased.

"I wish, but no. I've been reading The Complete Book of Fairy Tales to Hannah every night. Her favorite story is "Little Red Riding Hood." I must have read it a hundred times."

"I would hide that book if I were you," Melaney OPpsuggested.

"I should."

I was good at hiding things, especially secrets. For nine years, I'd been hiding a secret from Melaney and Dean. I pushed the tormenting secret back into the deepest, darkest corner of my subconscious. I wasn't ready to expose the truth, not yet, not without Tyler's help.

"I'm going back to sleep. I'll get up after the sun does," Melaney muttered with another yawn.

"Not today," I protested. "You'll miss the Morning Star. Where did you put the wish box?"

"In the closet, on the top shelf, on the right," she directed as I opened the closet door and located the pine box that we had made at Vacation Bible School the summer before sixth grade.

Every year since, on the Saturday morning before the first day of school, we would gather at Daddy's grave site before dawn and wish upon the Morning Star. We wrote down our wishes and put them in the box to read next year to see if they came true. My wish was always the same: to kiss Tyler Price. Now that I'd finally kissed Tyler, I knew exactly what to wish for next.

I traced the Star of David that Dean had carved into the top of the wish box and opened the lid where inside he had glued the verse Revelation 22:16. I brushed my finger tips over the words: I am the Root and Offspring of David, the Bright Morning Star. I closed the box and placed it on Melaney's dresser.

"I'm going for a jog. I'll meet you at the cemetery in an hour. Please bring the wish box with you."

"Okay," Melaney mumbled with her eyes closed.

I went to the bathroom to change and wash. When I returned, she was sound asleep. I set her alarm clock for twenty more minutes and then snuck downstairs and out the back door.

Millions of stars twinkled like diamonds in the midnight-blue sky. On warm summer nights, Daddy and I used to throw a blanket on the grass, lie on our backs, and gaze at the stars. We tried to count and name them one by one. We invented the silliest names to make each other laugh. I always fell asleep outside with a smile on my face.

Missing Daddy with every step, I ran my usual route around town. When I arrived at the graveyard, Dean was there, leaning against his motorcycle.

"I thought you forgot," I told him.

"How could I forget to make a wish? Besides I was curious to hear what you would wish for this year," Dean admitted with a puckish grin.

"I don't have to tell you. I could keep it a secret."

"Nah, wishes are better when they're shared. I always share mine."

He really did. Ever since the day he stole my Sleigh Ride CD, Dean and I had shared lots of stuff - music, wishes, secrets, and even punishments when The Rents caught us breaking the rules. Growing up together, Dean and I were the daring duo, always getting each other into and out of trouble. Melaney attempted to keep us in line, but sometimes we strayed off track.