Forever Remember: The Rose Code

Preview of Forever Remember: A Holiday Short Story

This is the preview of Forever Remember which was in my local newspaper on Christmas day, 2016. 

It starts just before the prologue and includes some, but not all, of the prologue. 

One of my fondest childhood memories is going to the Watson Theater in December to see a princess movie with just me and my Daddy. (Mommy and my little brother stayed home.) – 3L 

Date With Daddy

Daddy was taking me to see the newest princess movie, and Mommy was staying home to wrap Christmas presents. I had asked for a new sled since I wrecked my old one last year. I wondered how Mommy would wrap (and where she would hide) a huge, round, red Flying Saucer. It had to be easier than putting on tights. How did elves squeeze their legs into these stretchy things every day?

I didn't want to wear them, but Mommy said I had to cover my bare legs, or I'd get frostbite. So I sat on the edge of my bed, pulling up the thin red material, being very careful not to jab a hole in it with my fingernail, like I did last time. After all this work, I hoped I looked pretty, like Mommy.

Mommy had helped me comb my hair and put a pink rose on my red hair band to match my favorite dress. It was red with tiny pink roses. I wanted to use Mommy's red lipstick, but Daddy said, "Not 'til you're thirty." I had twenty-two years to wait, so I smeared yummy cinnamon Chapstick on my lips, instead. It was just as red as the lipstick. Red was my favorite color, this month. I also liked blue, because Tyler Price had blue eyes.

I jumped off the bed, pulled up the waist of the tights, and then spun in circles, making the skirt of my dress flair out, until I got dizzy and tripped over my shoes.

"Jasmine, are you ready yet?" Mommy yelled from downstairs.

"Almost." I slid my feet into my shiny red shoes and struggled to fasten the gold buckles. I'd rather wear my sneakers, but Mommy always dressed up for her dates with Daddy, so I would, too. I stood up and wiggled my toes to make sure the buckles weren't too tight or my feet would hurt.

Daddy walked into my bedroom. "Is my princess ready to paint the town red?"

The first time he asked me that I grabbed my paints and brushes, but he couldn't trick me again. I giggled. "I'm ready to have fun!"

Daddy laughed. "Then let's go."

I skipped down the stairs, holding on tight to the railing. Mommy waited in front of the closet, holding out my new coat.

It had a huge red hood, two deep pockets, and four big red, rose-shaped buttons. When I saw it on a giant doll in the store, I just had to have it. Mommy said the giant doll was called a man-knee-kin, but I said it should be called a girl-knee-kin. That made Mommy laugh.

I slipped my arms through the sleeves and buttoned the roses down the front. I pulled my red mittens out of my pockets and onto my hands and put up my hood. I felt warm and safe inside my comfy coat.

Daddy put on his old brown coat and gloves.

Mommy kissed Daddy and me on our cheeks and closed the door behind us as we walked from the house to Daddy's shiny pumpkin-orange car, which we'd nicknamed Cinderella's Carriage.

Daddy opened the back door for me and bowed. "Your carriage awaits, my lady."

Giggling at Daddy's silliness, I climbed onto the seat and buckled the belt. Daddy shut my door and got in the front. He started the car and backed out of the driveway and onto the street.

I gazed out the window at all the houses decorated for Christmas: lights on the roofs, wreaths on the doors, reindeers on the lawns, but no real snowmen. It hadn't snowed yet. I couldn't wait for the first snowfall. I loved riding my sled and building snowmen with carrot noses, button eyes, and stick arms.