Read Online Catch a Falling Star by Lynette Sowell - Free Book Online
Authors: Lynette Sowell
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over my records first.” There. She’d filled her mom in.
“Maybe we can have lunch sometime. Or come by the shop.” Something or someone behind Justine caught her mother’s attention . “Here’s my business card.” She handed it to Justine without glancing at her.
A Cut Above: Cut and Color by Cynthia Campbell.
“Nice, Mom. That’s great you’re doing so well.”
“Well, yeah. The Lord’s really blessing me for staying faithful to the path. Hey, I see someone I really need to speak with. Gertrude, head of the Chamber of Commerce. Come see me at the shop sometime, Justine.”
“Okay, I will.”
And then her mother was off, back into her own sheltered and protected world where Justine was only a reminder of her failure as a parent.
Her mother zoomed over to a blond in a snazzy-looking outfit with denim capris and a matching jacket. Maybe the outfit made her slightly overdressed for today’s outdoor market, but Justine supposed everyone had an image to keep up.
The idea made her laugh to herself as she continued on her way back to Azalea. Even in a place as small as Starlight, the proverbial small pond had some rather large fish.
Her heart still stung, especially at Mom’s words about the Lord’s blessing. Yup, Mom was right. Justine’s literal crash and burn was definitely a sign from God that He was not blessing Justine. If that was how things worked.
Be good, make your parents happy, don’t follow that wide road to perdition, or else. . .
Justine’s swirling thoughts followed her all the way back to Azalea’s booth. Becoming a hermit sounded better all the time. No wonder Neil reminded her about the importance of controlling her image. The idea wore her out now.
“Oh, good,” Azalea said as Justine slipped under the canopy and handed her a bottle of water. “I’m positively parched.”
Justine opened her own bottle and took a cooling sip. The icy liquid soothed the inner turmoil. “I just saw my Mom.”
“How did that go?” Azalea touched Justine’s arm, the gesture more comforting than her mother’s hug.
“About as well as could be expected. She told me about her salon.” Justine shrugged. “She looks more like thirty-six than forty-six. I can’t believe it’s been six years since I’ve seen her.”
“Oh, don’t make forty-six sound so ancient. I’m seventy-one, and forty-six is almost a baby’s age.” Azalea chuckled and patted her own hair. “And sweetie, you’ll be able to catch up with her while you’re here.”
“I hope so.” Justine watched a mother and daughter pass by together, talking and laughing. The daughter was probably nineteen or twenty. The two of them laughed at a wooden bird feeder shaped like a cat, where birds could eat birdseed out of the open mouth.
To walk along with her mother, almost like a friend. No pressure, no stress. Justine wasn’t proud of all her actions since she’d left Starlight, but she’d aimed high. She hadn’t gone to Hollywood like many young women, ending up waiting tables or in a dead-end job or, worse, on the street.
She could have followed the road to perdition right here in Starlight just as easily, sitting on the same pew each Sunday. Mom didn’t get it and probably never would.
The mother-daughter pair drifted over to Azalea’s booth, still laughing as they looked back at the crazy bird feeder.
“You should get it for Grandma and put it up for Christmas,” said the daughter.
“Maybe I will.” The mother took a closer look at the vintage jewelry display on one of Azalea’s table. “Look at these pieces.”
Those came from an estate sale in Belton,” said Azalea. “They’re one-of-a-kind brooches and earrings.”
“You should get these,” the mother said to the daughter. “The blue matches your eyes.” She held up the clip-on, sparkly earrings.
“They’re gorgeous,” said the daughter. “But I don’t know. . . .”
“Well, I’ll get them for you.” The
“Maybe we can have lunch sometime. Or come by the shop.” Something or someone behind Justine caught her mother’s attention . “Here’s my business card.” She handed it to Justine without glancing at her.
A Cut Above: Cut and Color by Cynthia Campbell.
“Nice, Mom. That’s great you’re doing so well.”
“Well, yeah. The Lord’s really blessing me for staying faithful to the path. Hey, I see someone I really need to speak with. Gertrude, head of the Chamber of Commerce. Come see me at the shop sometime, Justine.”
“Okay, I will.”
And then her mother was off, back into her own sheltered and protected world where Justine was only a reminder of her failure as a parent.
Her mother zoomed over to a blond in a snazzy-looking outfit with denim capris and a matching jacket. Maybe the outfit made her slightly overdressed for today’s outdoor market, but Justine supposed everyone had an image to keep up.
The idea made her laugh to herself as she continued on her way back to Azalea. Even in a place as small as Starlight, the proverbial small pond had some rather large fish.
Her heart still stung, especially at Mom’s words about the Lord’s blessing. Yup, Mom was right. Justine’s literal crash and burn was definitely a sign from God that He was not blessing Justine. If that was how things worked.
Be good, make your parents happy, don’t follow that wide road to perdition, or else. . .
Justine’s swirling thoughts followed her all the way back to Azalea’s booth. Becoming a hermit sounded better all the time. No wonder Neil reminded her about the importance of controlling her image. The idea wore her out now.
“Oh, good,” Azalea said as Justine slipped under the canopy and handed her a bottle of water. “I’m positively parched.”
Justine opened her own bottle and took a cooling sip. The icy liquid soothed the inner turmoil. “I just saw my Mom.”
“How did that go?” Azalea touched Justine’s arm, the gesture more comforting than her mother’s hug.
“About as well as could be expected. She told me about her salon.” Justine shrugged. “She looks more like thirty-six than forty-six. I can’t believe it’s been six years since I’ve seen her.”
“Oh, don’t make forty-six sound so ancient. I’m seventy-one, and forty-six is almost a baby’s age.” Azalea chuckled and patted her own hair. “And sweetie, you’ll be able to catch up with her while you’re here.”
“I hope so.” Justine watched a mother and daughter pass by together, talking and laughing. The daughter was probably nineteen or twenty. The two of them laughed at a wooden bird feeder shaped like a cat, where birds could eat birdseed out of the open mouth.
To walk along with her mother, almost like a friend. No pressure, no stress. Justine wasn’t proud of all her actions since she’d left Starlight, but she’d aimed high. She hadn’t gone to Hollywood like many young women, ending up waiting tables or in a dead-end job or, worse, on the street.
She could have followed the road to perdition right here in Starlight just as easily, sitting on the same pew each Sunday. Mom didn’t get it and probably never would.
The mother-daughter pair drifted over to Azalea’s booth, still laughing as they looked back at the crazy bird feeder.
“You should get it for Grandma and put it up for Christmas,” said the daughter.
“Maybe I will.” The mother took a closer look at the vintage jewelry display on one of Azalea’s table. “Look at these pieces.”
Those came from an estate sale in Belton,” said Azalea. “They’re one-of-a-kind brooches and earrings.”
“You should get these,” the mother said to the daughter. “The blue matches your eyes.” She held up the clip-on, sparkly earrings.
“They’re gorgeous,” said the daughter. “But I don’t know. . . .”
“Well, I’ll get them for you.” The
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