Sarah moved back to her mother’s house and stayed there for the final months, calling Eleanor every day. Eleanor’s voice grew thinner and weaker, though she insisted she was fine. Then, the news came: two weeks before Sarah’s due date, Eleanor passed away.
Sarah was devastated. The grief was so overwhelming she nearly collapsed at the funeral, and her parents had to take her home early. Mark didn’t even look at her, lost in his own world of mourning.
The night before she went into labor, Sarah couldn’t sleep. Her hospital bag was packed, but she felt like she was forgetting something vital. She checked her list twice, but the anxiety remained.
“If Eleanor were here, she’d know what I’m missing,” Sarah thought. Then it hit her. The bracelet! The one Eleanor had given her.
She slipped the silver chain onto her own wrist for safekeeping, and almost immediately, the contractions started. The ambulance rushed her to the hospital. It was a long, difficult labor. In her exhaustion and pain, Sarah hallucinated that Eleanor was standing by the bed, stroking her hair and holding her hand.
But every time she opened her eyes, she was alone. After hours of struggle, a beautiful baby girl was born. The infant crinkled her nose and let out a tiny, sharp cry.
Sarah pulled her daughter to her chest, her eyes falling on the silver bracelet. Remembering her promise, she quickly unclasped it and slid it onto the baby’s tiny wrist. A nurse frowned. “Ma’am, we really shouldn’t have jewelry on the newborn.”
But Sarah was so insistent about the family tradition that the staff decided not to argue with a fresh mother. They were moved to a recovery room and left alone for a while. Later, when the doctors returned for an exam, Sarah tucked the bracelet away as Eleanor had instructed.
The pediatrician, examining the baby, suddenly called over a colleague. “Look at this. That’s an unusual birthmark on her wrist. I’ve never seen one quite like it.” The other doctor leaned in. “Strange. I could have sworn her skin was clear when she was delivered.”
Sarah sat up, waited for them to hand her the baby, and looked at the small wrist. There, clearly visible, was a dark mark in the perfect shape of a star. The baby shifted and looked up at Sarah with eyes that were hauntingly familiar.
