“I can come if you like. Mrs. Dyke—”
“I’ll go, but you know I’ll be calling in about ten minutes.”
Aggie stepped from the bathroom two minutes later and nearly ran over Corinne. “Oh!”
“I heard.”
That possibility hadn’t had a chance to register yet. “Oh.” Illogically, Aggie pondered how ineloquent she must sound with her variations on a single two-letter word.
“I’m sorry. I really wanted this to be a special day and my nervousness ruined it.”
“Your nervousness—”
Tears splashed onto Corinne’s cheeks. “Of course! I was meeting Luke’s Aggie.”
“And I’m supposed to understand what that means?”
“My brother has never shown much attention to women—not special attention anyway. He picked you. We’re all a little intimidated you know.”
“Intimidated by a kid with a bunch of kids? Are you kidding me?” Really, Aggie, she rebuked herself. Are you really incapable of using anything but the same words over and over?
“Intimidated that we’re meeting the woman that Luke thinks is pretty much perfection on legs? Yeah. We kind of idolize our brother—in the old fashioned sense. If he thinks he’s the luckiest guy in the world to have you, then you’re a lot more special than you seem to realize.”
Cassie hurried down the hall, a phone in her hand. “I thought maybe it was your sitter, but it says it’s Luke.” She winked at Aggie. “Good girl; stick up for yourself. Don’t let us intimidate you.”
The call was a text message. Corinne read it, blushed, and then passed it to Aggie. “See?”
BE NICE AND DON’T EVER MAKE MY MIBS CRY AGAIN.
Aggie giggled. She whipped out her phone and her fingers flew over the keyboard. She showed it to Corinne just before punching the send button. ALL IS WELL.
“If you were home, you’d start singing It Is Well with My Soul, wouldn’t you?”
Her eyes widened. “How—”
“I told you. Luke, for as little as he talks, has said a lot about you. Well, he and Mom have.”
Saturday, January 17th
Bedtime couldn’t come quickly enough for Luke. He chased the little ones around the house until he was ready to drop with exhaustion and then sent them up to Aggie for baths. All settled again, he snuggled on the couch with them, reading stories and doing his best to ensure they would fall asleep in no time.
Vannie and Laird were having Ping-Pong wars in the basement. Aggie dragged herself down the steps, giving Luke half a smile as she passed, and then called down into the basement. “Ok, there are two bathrooms open now. Have at it.”
“Dibs on Aunt Aggie’s,” Vannie called, running up the steps at a speed Luke couldn’t fathom in his present state of exhaustion. “Can I take a bath?”
“Fine, but when the water gets cool, no adding more hot. Shower and get out then.”
“Thanks!”
Laird shook his head as he reached the top of the basement steps. “What is with girls and sitting around in dirty water? You’d think that’d be a guy way to get clean.” Three steps up the staircase, he turned. “Oh, I keep forgetting to tell you. My church pants are all too short. I look ridiculous according to Vannie.”
“Thanks. I’m not going shopping now, so looking ridiculous tomorrow it is.”
“Won’t kill me.”
She collapsed next to Luke twenty minutes later. “Big change in Laird—sort of.”
“What do you mean?”
“He’s back to normal now, which is huge compared to what he was for a week or two there.”
There was no argument with that. Laird had teased, played, and ignored things that he usually ignored for the past week and it had felt good to see normalcy settle into Aggie’s family again. “Hey, Cassie said you guys had a good time.”
“We did. I think I hurt Corinne’s feelings by asking Cassie first, though. I didn’t even think about that. You said Cassie over the phone and I fixated on that.”
“That’s ok. It’s good for Corinne. So, what’d you guys talk about?”
“You. I know all your tricks, your virtues, and your faults now. You cannot get away with hiding anything from me anymore.”
“I think Cassie likes you. She sent a text message after she left Espresso Yourself.”
“Well,” Aggie pushed, “what was it?”
“‘She’s a keeper.’”
She smiled up at him. “I agree—Cassie is definitely a keeper.”
Luke pulled her close, one arm around her, and nearly sighed with satisfaction when her head nestled into his shoulder. “This is pretty much perfection.”
“I was thinking the same thing.
“Two months.”
“Two eternities,” she argued.
“I like how you think. Now, I’ve been thinking.”
“Uh-oh. Whenever Dad says that, Mom cringes. Should I cringe?”
“I don’t think so. I was just thinking that it’s probably time for me to make a permanent move to the Church. I mean, I’m back and forth all the time already that I really almost have no home. I kind of feel like a foster kid, but in the church.”
“That’d be nice.”
“Yeah, we could maybe have people over for a game night or maybe a snowman building contest. Didn’t you say that looked fun at that party the kids went to?”
“Those kids go to the church.” Aggie sounded half-strangled.
“What’s wrong?”
“Wrong?”
He peeked around her head, trying to read the expression on her face. “You sound strange.”
“The idea is a little… daunting.”
Luke chewed on that idea for a while. He realized when she began squirming that Aggie was waiting for some kind of response. “I have a hard time seeing you as daunted by anything.”
“That party in December? That about killed me. I feel like I’m still recovering.”
“Well, then maybe we should see what kinds of things the church has planned for the next few weeks. It’d just be a nice way to get to know your friends.”
“Friends? Luke, I hardly know anyone there. The Vaughns, William. I kind of know the Merchamps, but not much. I know half the names I think.”
“It can’t be that big of a church. Brant’s Corners is tiny and I know quite a few people go to Brunswick to the Assembly.”
“No,” she agreed, “but I have that much to do each week. Church gets out and I’ve got to get everyone rounded up. That takes forever in itself. Then I have to get them in the van and home to feed them, so the little ones can get a nap before they are so overtired that they can’t sleep and make us miserable for the rest of the day. Then, if it’s a week I’ve promised we’ll go that night, I have to manage to get everyone fed and dressed again so we can get cleaned up and out the door on time.”
“There has to be a way—”
She sat up, visibly frustrated. “Well, you’re welcome to find one, but if the kids don’t sleep and it shifts everything off, you can deal with it. I can’t handle it. I finally got them on a consistent schedule that works for all of us, and I am not about to mess with it.”
“Hey, hey. C’mere.” He pulled her back to him, murmuring comforting and reassuring words as he did. “I’m not trying to destroy your schedule. I just thought it seemed like the perfect time to get to know the people you worship with.”
“Do you have any idea how exhausting and overwhelming that sounds to me?”
“No.” His answer seemed blunt—almost harsh. “We can’t make the church an idol, but we can’t make it an inconvenience either.”
“Well, right now, I just try to make it.”
“All the more reason for me to join you now. We’ve got to make it together.”
Aggie says: You there?
Tina says: Yeah. Been waiting, hoping you’d have time to get on.
Aggie says: I want to scream.
Tina says: Why?
Aggie says: Lu
ke wants us to get more involved with the church here.
Tina says: That sounds right up your alley. Why scream-worthy?
Aggie says: Because I can’t take it right now. Really? More on my plate? Hospitality? Chatting before and after church? Going to things?
Tina says: Did you tell him?
Aggie says: Yep. He seems to think with him there all will be well.
Tina says: Well, until it isn’t, maybe you should assume he knows what he’s talking about.
Aggie says: I want to assume he’s an idiot and feed him whatever drugs you feed lunatics.
Tina says: I think that was horribly politically incorrect. I think it’s probably mentally disturbed or cognitively twisted or something.
Aggie says: I think we’re both going to get citations from the PC police.
Tina says: Speaking of police…
Aggie says: He came didn’t he?
Tina says: How’d you know? He said he didn’t tell anyone.
Aggie says: Yeah, but I told him to go. He misses you.
Tina says: I couldn’t believe it when I got a call. He said, “I’m at the Shell station on the corner of Brighton and Lincoln. Where do I go from here?”
Aggie says: He might as well have declared himself like someone from a—historical novel. I can’t think of an author or title or anything. I’m so excited he came!
Tina says: You’re excited—I thought I was until he met Dad.
Aggie says: Does your dad like him?
Tina says: He offered to give me full control over my trust fund if I’d just marry William.
Aggie says: What did William say to that?
Tina says: I didn’t tell him. I didn’t even tell him I bought a house.
Aggie says: You did what?
Tina says: I bought a house. You’ve seen it.
Aggie says: I’ve seen a house that you bought. You’re kidding me, right? Why would you buy a house?
Tina says: Because you’re going to be married by the time I get back there—or close enough to it—and I’m not living there with you guys, but I want to be around. So, I bought a house.
Aggie says: You! You’re the offer on Cygnet, aren’t you? How come Luke didn’t tell me?
Tina says: He doesn’t know yet. I’m doing it through the landholdings department so that he doesn’t know. I want him to give me a good price that he’s comfortable with, not just break even to be nice to me.
Aggie says: You could have given him a full-price cash offer.
Tina says: And lose Dad’s respect forever? I don’t think so.
Aggie says: You’ll be in walking distance!
Tina says: Yep, and Dad is talking about maybe putting an office in Brunswick for me to oversee—practice for my future as CEO I suppose. I don’t think I’ll ever get through to him that I have zero intention of stepping into his shoes.
Aggie says: I guess you can’t blame him. He’s proud of you and his business. Why shouldn’t he want a merger.
Tina says: Enough about me. We’ve got wedding plans to make. Are you adding any of Luke’s sisters to the line up?
Aggie says: You know I can’t. We’re having so few guests that two a piece is probably overkill. I’ll just have you and Vannie as planned.
Tina says: And it’s just Chad and William for Luke? He doesn’t want to add Laird or something?
Aggie says: He almost went with Zeke and Chad, but Zeke can apparently marry us. Since he can do that, we’ll stay with William. Laird is much relieved.
Tina says: How is Laird these days?
Aggie says: Back to his normal old self. I can’t tell you how great that is.
Tina says: Oh, good. William said he thought he saw something in
Laird the last time they talked.
Aggie says: Yeah, that’s been a couple of weeks—back when I was ready to have him haul them off as truants. We’re good now. Things really seem to have settled down again.
Tina says: That’s good. He’s good with kids. I guess it comes from being a pseudo-father when he was little.
Aggie says: Oh, man. Is it animal cruelty if I spray dogs with a hose in the middle of a winter night?
Tina says: I think it likely, why?
Aggie says: Then I’m spraying William or Megan.
Tina says: Why?
Aggie says: Dogs are howling thanks to a speeding siren flying past.
Tina says: Aren’t you glad cats don’t howl.
Aggie says: I’m glad that cats hate people and like to be left alone. That kitten was cute, but cute grows up.
Tina says: She’s a good kitty. She likes me.
Aggie says: And leaves hair all over your bed.
Tina says: Which I clean off quite regularly.
Aggie says: Then you come visit and clean up the cat’s mess. Oh, and she likes to torment the dogs. She walks the perimeter, jumps to the post, swishes her tail…
Tina says: Keeps ‘em in their place.
Aggie says: And tries to do the same with us.
Tina says: Hey, she doesn’t chew shoes or run away!
Aggie says: Well, the latter would be a blessing, but I’ll give you the shoes. Then again, she did shred the comforter on your bed and dogs don’t need litter boxes.
Tina says: Cats are not demanding
Aggie says: Or comforting. Laird has taken to going out to the dogs to chat out his grief. I think they are better than a therapist for that.
Tina says: Ellie does that with Marmalade. She goes in my room when she thinks I’m busy elsewhere and tells that cat everything she wants to tell her mother. It’s kind of heartbreaking and
charming all wrapped up in one Ellie ball. I think she does it with the dogs too. I’ve wondered if maybe she uses them to talk to Doug.
Aggie says: Do you think that’s healthy?
Tina says: It’s what kids do, right? Remember how we used to write stories about dogs who could understand and give kids advice?
Aggie says: Yeah. That’s true.
Aggie says: Hey, Tina. I’m beat. I need to talk about several things,
but I keep nodding off over here. I’ll have to talk to you about stuff
tomorrow.
Tina says: Sounds good to me.
Aggie says: Nighters!
Tina says: *poofs*
Chapter Thirteen
Where, Oh Where?
Monday, January 19th
Ellie dug through her backpack, searching for her library card, but found nothing. With a line growing behind her, she slid her books aside and whispered, “I’ll be back in a minute. I forgot. I put it in the pouch on my bike.”
“You’ll have to go back to the end of the line.”
She smiled. “Thank you. May I leave my books here?”
The cantankerous-looking librarian softened. “Sure. I’ll just put them under the counter so no one starts putting them away.”
“Hurry up! We’re going to be late if we don’t leave soon!” Vannie hissed. Smiling at the librarian, Vannie pushed her three books across the counter. “I’ll take these, please.”
“Would you like me to put hers on your card?”
Ellie was already out the door. Vannie shook her head. “No, thank you. Aunt Aggie prefers we keep ours on our own cards so she can keep track of who has read what. It’s easier for her.”
“Smart aunt.”
Vannie waited at the side of the counter for Laird’s turn. Ellie still hadn’t returned. When Laird stepped up to pass the librarian his books, Vannie whispered, “You’d better get Ellie’s. She’s still not back. I think she left her card at home. She can just write her books down for Aunt Aggie herself.”
Book run accomplished, Vannie and Laird hurried outside to see where Ellie was. The girl, her bicycle, her backpack, everything—gone. “What—”
“Call Aunt Aggie. I’ll ride around the block. She’s probably playing a joke on us or something.”
“Ellie doesn’t play jokes. Where is she!” Vannie whipped out the cell ph
one they took when they rode places away from home, and dialed Aggie. “Aunt Aggie, Ellie’s gone.” Tears formed as she listened to the voice on the other end tell her to calm down and explain what happened. “She’s just gone. She didn’t have her library card in her backpack.” Tears choked her, making much of what she said unintelligible. “—the packy thingie on her bike and she went to get it but she didn’t get it or maybe she did I don’t know, but she never came back in the library, and now she’s gone!”
Vannie stared at the phone, confused. Out of breath, Laird jogged up to her, panting. “I ran around the block, but I didn’t see her and no one that I talked to saw a girl on a bike. What’s wrong?”
“Aunt Aggie is coming.”
“Um, isn’t that good?”
“I guess.” Vannie stared at the phone even more intently. “Should I call 9-1-1?”
“What for?”
“She’s gone, Laird! The bike is gone, no one has seen her. People don’t just evaporate!”
“I think you should let Aunt Aggie decide. I’ll go see if anyone at the hardware store saw anything. They’ve got that big window that overlooks most of this side of the street.”
Before she could respond, Laird tore across the street, jerked open the door to the store, and disappeared inside. A woman stepped out of her car parked in front of the library and called, “Are you looking for the girl with the dark braids?”
As jittery as Vannie felt, she didn’t step closer, but she nodded. “My little sister.”
“She drove off with a man in a blue pickup not a minute before you and the boy came out.”
“Blue pickup? Did you see what the man looked like?”
“He was about average, brown hair… I didn’t think anything of it. She came to him when he called and jumped in the truck without hesitation. He got out, got the bicycle, and tossed it in the back of the truck.”
Before the woman could answer, Laird dashed out the door and across the street. “She’s with Luke. Mr. Vaughn is in the hardware store. He said Luke waved at him when he picked up Ellie.”
The woman waved and climbed back into her vehicle, apparently waiting for someone. Vannie pointed to her. “That’s what she said. Well, she didn’t say Luke, but she said a guy in a truck like Luke’s that sounds like him.”
Here We Come (Aggie's Inheritance) Page 18