Yesterday's Stardust Read Online Free PDF

“Anything else?”
    “No, thank you.” She smiled at the girl. “Bad day?”
    The girl rolled her eyes. “Bad life. Bad family.”
    “Parents?”
    “No.” She blinked hard. “My brother. King of the Universe.”
    Dani laughed. “That makes you royalty, too, you know.”
    The girl swiped at tears and smiled weakly. “Yeah. Part of the Royal Pain family. I’m disowning them.”
    “Smart move. Who wants to be related to someone suffering from delusions of grandeur.”
    This time she actually laughed. “Hope you like the calzone. It was made by the king himself.”
    Dani cut into the stuffed pastry. Melted cheese pooled around her fork and stretched like a bungee cord when she lifted it. She took a bite and closed her eyes. Italian heaven. She studied a poster on the window advertising a new all-you-can-eat Italian buffet on Friday nights. Ravioli, chicken marsala, baked ziti. She might just have to come back sometime. With friends, for a happy occasion.
    In the growing darkness, the light filtering through the first-floor windows across the street outlined the broken swing. Black windows stared at her from the upstairs apartment. Resting her fork on the plate, she picked up her pen.
    She recorded the scene in Miguel’s living room as objectively as she could. She outlined questions and topics to research.
Signs of suicidal behavior. Statistics. Demographics. Effects of suicide on peers. Copycat suicides. Miguel’s age—check obit. Substance abuse? Prior record? Gang involvement?
She filled the page then turned to a blank one and gave vent to her feelings.
    I just want to talk to China. I want to tell her it wasn’t her fault— but was it mine? Why didn’t I tell her to take him seriously, to call a suicide hotline? Why didn’t I call for her? When will I learn to just ask questions and not meddle? If she does anything to hurt herself I’ll never—
    Renata returned. Her eyes sparkled. “Is everything okay? Would you like dessert?”
    “No thanks. Everything was delicious. Things okay with you now?”
    “Yeah.” She grinned. “I just told my brother he was suffering from delusions of grandeur. He almost fell into the tortellini.” She set the check down on the table. “Thanks for your help. Have a good evening.” With a wave, she walked back to the kitchen.
    Just before closing her notebook, Dani’s eyes fell on
When will I learn to just ask questions and not meddle?
    Maybe never,
she thought, ripping out a sheet of paper. She folded it in half and wrote a quick note then left it on the table, covering it with a generous tip.
    Renata—The calzone was royally delicious. I don’t know about your brother, but I know that God, the real King of the Universe, loves you very much.

    The temperature dropped with the sun and made sitting in the car bearable. Dani locked the doors, leaving the windows open a crack. She reached in the backseat and pulled out the diary. In spite of its obvious age, she hoped it was China’s. It wasn’t. The inscription in the front read
To Francine from Mama and Daddy. Happy 15th Birthday. December 4, 1923.
    She put the book back in the milk crate. It would be an interesting read sometime when she could focus on something other than the house across the street. Wedging her bag behind her, she leaned against the passenger door, slipped off her sandals, and rested bare feet on the dashboard in front of the steering wheel. She’d wait another hour or so, maybe until midnight.

    “Hey, kid! Open the door!”
    Dani bolted upright. Red and blue lights splashed the dashboard, sidewalk, and side of the building. She’d fallen asleep. Was she dreaming? The hammering on the window matched the pounding of her pulse.
    “I said open the door! Get out or I’ll—”
    “Cool it, Nicky.” A calmer voice spoke over the angry one. “He’s probably passed out.”
    Dani sat up, trying to remember where she was. She turned, only to look straight into the beam of a flashlight. The light