Page 138 of Blossoms of the Heart
“The trusted box is with me.” At first I said it, simply just telling him what it said. Then I realized what I said just made sense as a sentence. “The trusted box is with me,” I repeated and he looked at me, nodding as he wrote.
I looked at what he wrote, putting all the words together.Start here, this will guide you. The trusted box is with me.
“Phoebe, that’s a message. Code like something people used in World War II. You know, something like where you take the first letter of the first word in every sentence and that would give a hidden message.”
I gasped and clutched my chest. How had I not seen this myself? It couldn’t have been that easy.
I looked at Tai in complete surprise.
“Tai, I can’t believe it took you less than five minutes to figure it out.” I laughed, shaking my head.
“Well, what can I say. I’m super talented. He smirked with a smug expression.
“I’m going to have to agree with you.” I continued to laugh.
He shook his head at me. “No, baby, I’m messing around. You read a book that no one in this center, or practically this hemisphere, could read. I just gave you an idea. It could still tell you to kiss a cow.”
I rolled my eyes at him. “Thank you.”
“It’s all good.”
“I can’t believe it’s a code. Why would he use this? And who would figure out that it was a code?”
“From my experience, some secret factions in the army learned one or two different languages that they shared only amongst themselves to protect their missions.” He smiled at the interest I showed as he spoke.
“That does make sense, and I guess our guy wrote it that way so only his people could read and understand what he was saying.” Maybe that was their agreement. I wondered what happened and what their mission was about. I really loved this part of my job. Discovering new, exciting things.
“Phoebe forget that. The question is, what is the trusted box and is it in the cave?” His brown eyes sparkled with delight and my heart expanded with excitement. “We have to go back.”
“I should be able to finish this translation today or tomorrow if everything runs smoothly.”
“Promise me you won’t work too hard.”
“I promise.” I smiled.
“Come here.” He motioned me over. I moved closer and he held me. “Are you okay Phoebe.”
“I’m okay. Tired maybe.” I hated lying to him.
I pressed my hands against the hard walls of his chest while he seemed to search my eyes.
“How long have I known you?”
“Forever,” I replied, because it really did seem that long.
I met Tai when I was three. Like the majority of people, I have no memories from that time, but I remembered his face.
He pulled me closer and pressing his head to mine.
“You know you can talk to me about anything right?”
“Yes.” Another lie.
I breathed in and relished the woodland scent of his aftershave and the fresh spring scent of him. It was a smell I could get used to. This was a feeling I could get used to. Being with a man that wanted me.
But I couldn’t…
It wouldn’t be right.
Not for him…
