Read Swinging on a Star for Free Online

she certainly had the eclectic personality to warrant the role. Earline was a true-blue Southern lady. And where she came from—Splendora, Texas, just an hour and a half up Highway 59— Full Gospel meant full figured . In other words, all of the ladies in her little group were on the hefty side, and they all loved the Lord with full abandon.
    It’s just that they had more to abandon than most.
    I finally ushered Earline into the house and could tell right away that this was a woman on a mission.
    Her face paled as she spoke, and her words were a little shaky. “Oh, honey . . . have you seen my boys today?”
    I did my best to calm her by keeping my voice steady. “Which one are you looking for, Bubba or D.J.? Or does it matter?”
    “Bubba would be best, I suppose.” She fanned herself with her hand as she plopped down on the bench in our front hallway. “I need to talk to him about this opera thing.”
    “What about it?” Mama entered the room with a concerned look on her face. “Has something gone wrong? He isn’t sick, is he?”
    “Oh no. Nothing like that. This is about me, actually.” She looked up at my mother with tears in her eyes.
    Mama’s expression softened. “What about you, honey?”
    “Well . . .” Earline sighed. “See now, I don’t get to fancy places much, and I’ll need a dress to wear. I, um . . . well, I thought he might have some idea what sort of getup I’ll need. The first performance is tomorrow, and I’m clueless!”
    “Well, why didn’t you say so!” My mama’s face lit up, and she slipped into Mother Teresa mode. “Earline, grab your purse. We’re going to town.”
    Now, I knew Mama well enough to know that “going to town” meant going to Houston, about an hour north of the island. I listened in as my mother started her usual conversation about how the two of them were going to travel to Italy together someday. Earline, praise God, got swept up with the idea and linked arms with my mother, content to be heading to town. I breathed a huge sigh of relief, knowing a near-catastrophe had been averted. We’d somehow kept her from noticing Brock. His secret was safe with the Rossi clan.
    Or so I thought.
    Life has a funny way of playing tricks on you. Mama and Earline had just taken their first step through the front door when Brock’s voice rang out. “Unhand her, you infidel, or I will take your head off!”
    Earline turned—in slow motion, no less—her mouth hanging open.
    Oblivious to us all, Brock continued, his voice ringing out from the balcony above the foyer. “What say ye to this, my man? Will you stand there, mouth agape, or free her to the one who loves her, body and soul?”
    “F-free me . . . body and soul!” Earline whispered. She looked at me, her eyes scary-wide. “I . . . I know that voice. That’s—”
    Just then Brock came bounding down the stairs. Well, most of the way. He got to about the two-thirds point and stopped cold, staring at Earline. Her cheeks turned strawberry-sherbet pink, and she reached inside her purse for the fan she usually reserved for church. “Oh my stars! That’s Jean Luc Dumont! I mean, B-B-Brock Benson!”
    “Oops.” Brock clamped a hand over his mouth, turned on his heels, and bounded back up the stairs.
    Earline looked as if she might faint at any moment.
    Mama took Earline by the arm and ushered her out to the veranda. “You know, honey, sometimes our eyes—and ears—deceive us. Happens to me all the time.”
    “But that was . . . I’m sure it was—”
    “I have it on good authority that was Vinny DiMarco,” Mama said, linking her arm through Earline’s. “A friend from out of town who’s come for a wedding. He’s very convincing, isn’t he? I daresay he could be in the movies.”
    “Yes, he could!” I could hear Earline singing his praises all the way to the car. As they pulled away, I sat on the front porch steps. Minutes later, Brock joined me.
    “Sorry.” He sighed. “I blew it,