Read Online Star Shine by Constance C. Greene - Free Book Online

murderer is,” said Mary. “Want me to tell you?”
    â€œDon’t you dare.”
    About three a.m. Jenny woke up screaming. Mary got into bed with her and said, “There, there,” in imitation of their mother. But it didn’t work. Finally Jenny made such a lot of noise their father came stumbling into their room, sat on the end of Jenny’s bed, and explained she was awake and she had dreamed, had had a nightmare. They didn’t tell him about the movie.
    â€œIt’s not easy, you know,” Mary said sternly, “being your own mother. If Mother had been here, she would’ve made us go to bed.”
    â€œNext time you make us go to bed when it gets bad,” Jenny said.
    â€œI’ll try,” Mary said.
    In addition to being a piano player and a track star, Mary was also an optimist. She knew that, in the long run, hard work and perseverance would get her where she wanted to go. The trouble was, she wasn’t absolutely sure where that was. Now her optimistic nature took a turn for the worse. She had tried, very hard, to keep things happy. It seemed she had failed. Jenny crept about the house, pulling a long face, picking her toenails. “Why do you do that!” Mary cried. “You know it drives me crazy when you pick your toenails.” Jenny only smiled and kept on picking.
    Jenny, in addition to being a gymnast and a reasonably good second baseman, was a pessimist. She was sure things would turn out badly, and about half the time she was right. Now her pessimism hung in until the bitter end. Nothing was turning out right. Nothing. To prove it, rain fell steadily for five straight days. Plus, they had no postcard from their mother for five straight days, either. It was too much to be borne. So what if a dumb movie company was coming to town. They wouldn’t get to be extras. None of them would be chosen, on account of the director’s whole family, plus his brother-in-law, would be chosen instead of them.
    Mary spotted the ad in Saturday’s paper:
    WANTED: EXTRAS FOR MOTION PICTURE.
    And alongside the ad was a large star. The rest of the ad said, in smaller print:
    Sonia Sims will be seeing nonunion extras for the motion picture All’s Well That Ends , shooting in Millville. Must be available to work a full day, Monday thru Friday. Will pay $40 a day, and lunch will be served. All ages needed. Interviews will be held July 30 between nine a.m. and four p.m. at the Presbyterian Church hall.
    â€œWhat’d I tell you!” Susan hollered. She had been vindicated. Some had implied that Susan was full of hot air. “I told you so! I told you so!” Sue shouted while thumping herself on the chest and letting out several earsplitting Tarzan yells.
    â€œIt’s at the church hall. I thought you said the Sweet Shop,” said Mary in a futile attempt to take the wind out of Sue’s sails.
    â€œWhat’s nonunion mean?” said Jenny.
    â€œIt means they pay you a lot less than if you were union.”
    â€œWhat do you want to bet lunch is peanut butter and jelly,” Jenny said.
    â€œNo, it’s probably one of those darling little box lunches they make at Fabulous Food,” Mary said. “They give you fried chicken and goat cheese and a ripe pear.”
    â€œGoat cheese!” Jenny shouted. “I’m not eating any old goat cheese, and that’s that! You ever smell a goat?”
    â€œNo, did you?” Mary asked, not hanging around for the answer.
    Sunday night, lights went out early all over town. The strong scent of shampoo hung in the sticky air, and the hot-water supply dwindled and died in many a household. Folks tossed and turned as they considered the possibilities of life in the fast lane. What would it be like to be asked for one’s autograph? To wear furs and diamonds and drive a Ferrari?
    â€œHoly smoke, forty bucks a day!” shouted Mary, sitting straight up in bed as the magnitude of