The Same Stuff as Stars Read Online Free PDF

Mom?”
    â€œI’m not tired,” Bernie said, trying to cover another yawn. “I’m hungry.”
    â€œWell, it won’t hurt you to be quiet and give Angel and me both some rest.”
    Angel closed her eyes and tilted her head back against the seat. Verna switched on the radio. “Find me a station, Angel,” she said.
    Angel wound the dial past all the noisy rock stations until she found one that was playing a gentle music that wrapped its arms around her. It reminded her of a field trip last year to hear the Vermont Symphony. All the kids had really liked the concert, but they pretended they’d been bored. Only stuck-up rich people were supposed to like that kind of music. Angel relaxed into the sound. Soon she heard Bernie’s gentle snore.
    Angel hadn’t meant to sleep. She’d just meant to make Bernie take a nap, but it had been a hard day, and before she knew it Verna was slowing the car. Angel sat up abruptly. They were at a traffic light.
    â€œWell, sleeping beauty, awake, without a kiss.”
    â€œI was just resting my eyes.”
    â€œSaid the potato.”
    Angel made herself giggle. When Verna made a joke, she liked people to laugh.
    â€œI have a feeling,” Verna said, “there’s a fast-food heaven around here somewhere.”
    She turned left, and, sure enough, within a mile or so they came upon the familiar herd of arches, huts, buckets of chicken, and burger joints. Verna pulled into the first one and hopped out, yelling as she did so, “C’mon, kids. Time to eat.”
    â€œBernie’s still asleep, Mama.”
    â€œJust leave him in the truck, then. We’ll bring something out.”
    â€œYou can’t do that!” Honestly, sometimes she felt older than Verna. Everybody knew you couldn’t leave a little kid unattended in a vehicle.
    â€œWell, you wake him up. I’ll be inside.” She slammed the driver-side door and marched into the restaurant, leaving two kids unattended in a vehicle. Verna’s mood changed faster than Vermont weather.
    â€œWake up, Bernie!” Angel shook his arm. “We’re at McDonald’s.”
    Bernie was not about to wake up. Angel shook him harder and yelled and threatened. Finally, he opened his eyes partway. “Shuddup,” he said grumpily.
    â€œYou want Mama and me just to leave you out here while we eat?” Unbuckling both their seat belts, she reached across him and opened the door. “Get out, Bernie.”
    â€œUmm,” he muttered.
    She climbed over him to the running board and began yanking at his arm. “Get out this minute, Bernie Elvis Morgan, or I’m telling you, you’ll be sorry. Mama’s so mad she might just leave you here forever.” The lie worked. Bernie’s eyes fluttered open. He grunted and climbed out of the pickup. She pushed down the lock, slammed the door, and, with Bernie stumbling after her, went inside.
    For a moment, she didn’t see Verna. Maybe she
had
left them. No, there she was in a booth. Angel dragged Bernie over. “I got you kids Happy Meals,” Verna said. She didn’t seem too happy about it.
    When he heard “Happy Meals,” Bernie came wide awake. “I don’t want a Happy Meal.”
    â€œWell, they was clean out of elephants. Sit down and eat.” It was the tone of voice that even Bernie obeyed.
    â€œYou get a toy in a Happy Meal,” Angel whispered.
    Bernie scowled.
    â€œYou can have mine, too.”
    â€œAnd your fries?”
    Angel handed over the toy, then the fries, without watching. She was looking at her mother, who had not ordered a steak. They didn’t have them at McDonald’s, did they? Mama had nothing in front of her worn-out face but a cup of coffee about a foot high. She was barely sipping at it.
    â€œYou okay, Mama?”
    â€œYeah, sure. Why wouldn’t I be? I got a husband in jail and two kids around my neck and I’m