Stardust Miracle by Edie Ramer Read Free Book Online

over her mouth and rolled to her stomach and stuck her head over the side of the bed.
    Oh crap, her mother was brought back to life and she was going to throw up on her.
    “Quick,” Sarah’s voice said. “Hold this.” The woman who looked so much like her mother – who could be her mother – held a bucket just in time for Becky to stick her head over it and heave. 
    “Are you sure she’s all right?” the woman asked. “Two days of this is a long time.”
    “Joy across the street is a nurse at Sacred Heart.” Sarah sounded worried. “She said there’s a bad flu going around. Becky was watching seven- and eight-year-olds at church last Sunday. Joy said half of them are down with this flu and there’s not much we can do but try to get liquids into her.”
    Becky’s stomach stopped heaving. Nothing was coming out but bile anyway. She managed to roll onto her back, then looked up at her mother.
    It wasn’t her mother. “Elsa,” she said, hardly recognizing the croaking sounds as her own voice. But now she recognized the Rev. Elsa Hahn, head of the other church in the village. The one that didn’t believe in Jesus or even in God. Though the church members kept an open mind, they believed only in a ‘higher power.’
    Becky hardly knew Elsa. She’d moved here out of the blue about three years ago, and built her church. Didn’t appear to know anyone in Miracle beforehand – at least not as far as Becky knew, or more importantly, Linda Wegner, Miracle’s answer to TV gossip shows.
    Elsa, a slender woman in her mid-fifties with a brilliant smile, had stopped by the parsonage and introduced herself once. Her intense stare, as if she were trying to see into Becky’s soul, had made Becky feel uncomfortable.
    Becky didn’t want anyone to look into her soul now, including Elsa. It was too murky and dark.
    “Sorry. I mistook you for my mother,” she said, forcing herself to keep her eyes from drifting closed again, though it wasn’t easy with her body craving sleep.
    Once again, Elsa leaned down and brushed her fingertips over Becky’s forehead. Becky closed her eyes to savor the sensation. When she opened them, Elsa was looking at her with a half smile.
    “It’s okay. Drink this,” Sarah said, and a straw slid into Becky’s mouth. “Come on, drink. I won’t let you go to sleep until you drink.”
    Becky sipped, only because she wanted to sleep. She took about seven sips then turned her head away. Finished for now.
    The bed gave. Sarah got to her feet, no longer forcing her to drink.
    “Elsa brought chicken soup,” Sarah said. “If you’re good, you can eat it tomorrow.”
    “Thank you, Mom.” Becky started to shake her head, but her stomach flip-flopped. “Elsa,” she amended.
    “I know what you meant.” Now the cool fingertips touched Sarah’s forehead and curved down the side of her face.
    Becky’s eyes closed again. She had more to say but didn’t know what.
    “I miss my mom,” she said. The words didn’t come from her brain, but from her heart. Her voice still sounded like a frog’s but it felt important for her to say this. “I miss her every day of my life.”
    “I’m glad,” Elsa said, and her voice was thick now. As if she held back tears.
    Becky thought about opening her eyes, but it seemed too much trouble. Why was Elsa here? Why?
    Though she wanted to know the answer, she felt sleep coming for her, washing over her. Swamping her.
    Or maybe it wasn’t sleep. Maybe it was death. Whatever it was, she breathed deeply with relief and let it take her.

 
    Chapter Eight
     
    “I’m going with you.” Wearing jeans and a maternity top, Sarah stood in the guest bedroom with her feet braced apart and a stubborn expression on her face. At that moment, she reminded Becky of their dad – as if anyone who got in their way better move or they’d be sorry.
    Becky pulled on a pair of Sarah’s stretch pants as she considered practicing that look in the mirror.
    Not now. Now she had