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After the meal is finished, I go into the kitchen and put seventeen candles on the cake.

Happy birthday, we sing. I put the cake in front of Melissa. She takes a deep breath and blows out the candles.

“What did you wish for?” I ask.

“You know I can’t tell you that,”

Melissa says with a sneaky smile that reminds me so much of Missy.

They eat the cake and then I start to clear. “Wait,”

Mom says, gesturing for me to sit back down.

She and Dad look at each other. They clasp hands as Mom says, “Father Mercer asked if we wanted to renew our vows since we never technically got divorced.”

They look at each other and smile.

“We can’t do that, not in front of the congregation, but I thought we might do something in front of you girls.”

Dad reaches into his pocket and pulls out a thin silver band. Mom opens her palm and there’s another one.

I have never seen the rings anywhere but on my parents’ hands. They never took them off, not to wash dishes or to work the cement mixer. If they ever did, Melissa and I vowed we would swipe them, only for a minute, just to see what top secret message was engraved inside.

I look at Melissa. She’s looking at me. I know we’re thinking the same thing. This is our chance.

Mom hands Melissa her ring and Dad hands me his. They stand up. They giggle awkwardly, and I can see them for the college students they once were. So young and willing to take this big leap of faith. Not everyone makes it across. They almost didn’t.

“I love you, Brian,”

Mom says. “I always have. I always will. And I won’t let anything life throws at me muddy that again. We are each other’s forevers. And I will love you forever.”

Dad’s eyes are wet as he takes Mom’s hand. “I’ve always believed in miracles, Gloria,”

he said. “Because that’s how I found you.”

I turn to Melissa, who is smiling with her whole heart and I know even if she’ll never tell me, this is what she wished for.

They look at us. “Rings, please,” they say.

I almost forgot! I glance quickly at the engraving and almost laugh. We’d thought it was some grand mystery, but they’ve been saying it all along.