Anne lay on the grass, staring up at the stars. Tomorrow… tomorrow, Stevie would marry Eric. The bouquet was ready for pick up, Nance said. Everything was ready.
She should be feeling happy for her boss, she WAS happy for her boss, Anne corrected but she also felt…
Jealous
Would she ever care for a man like Stevie cared for Eric? Would she ever be loved in return?
The North Star twinkled down on her, drawing Anne back in time…
$“Why does everyone love Ginny more than they love me, Daddy?”Anne felt her Dad’s shoulder shift behind her ten year old head.”It isn’t that they love Ginny more, pigeon,” his deep voice rumbled, so sure. Her Dad always knew all the right answers.”Then what is it?” She didn’t understand. She tried so hard to get people to like her but Ginny with her golden hair and easy smile charmed them without even trying.”See that star, pigeon?” He pointed at the North Star.
“Yes.”
“And see that one?” His finger moved an inch to the right.
“Yes.” What did stars have to do with love?
“Which one is better?”
She didn’t know. “The big one.” Was that the right answer?
“Is bigger better?”
“Its brighter.” She so wanted to be right.
“Is brighter better?”
Anne scrunched up her nose in confusion. “I don’t know, Daddy.” He always told her that if she didn’t know, she should say she didn’t know.
“It gets your attention first though, doesn’t it?”
“Yes.”
“Will it always?”
“No.” This she did know. “Mrs. Bennett” her teacher “said stars burn out.”
“And when that happens, people will look at the other star first, won’t they?”
Like they would look at her first. She was the dim star. And Ginny was the bright star. Anne thought about that for a few minutes. “When will my star shine, Daddy?”
“I don’t know, pigeon.” She got a squeeze from her Dad. “But it will shine, I promise you.”
And it would because her Daddy always kept his promises.
$Years later, Anne was still waiting for her Dad to keep his promise. Waiting for her star to shine. Waiting for someone to see her first.