For Keeps (Aggie's Inheritance) (77 page)

Luke says:
That makes sense. So Laird didn’t like it when you said he can’t work that far ahead?

Mibs says:
He acts like I’ve betrayed him or something. He took the ok to finish early in the day as an ok to finish whatever he wanted to WHENEVER he wanted to.

Luke says:
So what did you say?

Mibs says:
I told him that he had to do his work every day. He could get it done as fast as he liked as long as he did it right and showed that he knew the material, but he can’t work days and days ahead.

Luke says:
What does he do when he’s not doing schoolwork?

Mibs says:
Takes things apart, reads, works outside on different things, rides to the library, builds models, plays computer games, stuff like that.

Luke says:
Well, since he’s not vegging out in front of the TV, what if
you came up with a compromise?

Mibs says:
What kind of compromise?

Luke says:
Well, what if he could finish the week up on Wednesday or Thursday and have one or two more days for that kind of stuff. Most of what you mentioned is very educational. If he was just laying around watching TV or playing on one of those video things, I’d be less inclined to suggest it, but building, taking things apart, working, reading
--
those things will help him just as much as taking longer to read history or do math problems.

Mibs says:
You don’t think that’s too long between lessons?

Luke says:
It’s your decision, of course, but since what he’s doing when he’s not doing the lessons only increases his ability to learn and understand, no I don’t.

Mibs says:
I’ll think about it.

Mibs says:
I have something I need to talk to you about.

Luke says:
What did I do wrong?

Mibs says:
LOL. Nothing. I just realized that if I don’t say something up front, things could get awkward in the right, or I guess that’s wrong, situation.

Luke says:
I’m lost.

Mibs says:
Hee hee. Well, I’d be surprised if you weren’t. So, since it’s talk about it in person or on here, I’m going for it while it’s on the table.

Luke says:
Whatever
“
it
”
is…

Mibs says:
It kind of has a back story to it.

Luke says:
Should I call you Doofenschmertz?

Mibs says:
Huh?

Luke says:
Never mind. It’s a cartoon that Rodney likes. I haven’t mentioned it, because I have a feeling that half of your kids would get ideas…

Mibs says:
Ideas like what?

Luke says:
Building roller coasters in the back yard, robot tree houses, painting the unpainted desert…

Mibs says:
The desert is painted. It’s the painted desert
--
Arizona isn’t it?

Luke says:
Not in Phineas and Ferb. Anyway, there’s an evil scientist, Dr. Doofenschmertz, who always has a back story. Ignore
me and tell it all.

Mibs says:
Ok, so in the seventh grade, I went to camp like I did every year. The story of the day for the girls was Hannah. I was captivated. The way my counselor told the story was almost like Hannah was the first saint or something. She’d prayed for years, fasted, wept, and finally promised to give her child back to God if she could just have him.

Luke says:
One of my favorite stories. I love her husband.

Mibs says:
Me too! Anyway, one of the girls asked why Hannah did it
--
why she gave up her son, so Candace told her about how serious vows are. How we only make vows to the Lord that we can make sure we keep.

Luke says:
Candace. Too funny.

Mibs says:
Anyway, I was caught up in the romance of the idea of a vow to the Lord.

Mibs says:
Why funny?

Luke says:
Phineas and Ferb’s sister is Candace in the cartoon.

Mibs says:
*rolls eyes* Anyway, I spent two days trying to figure out what vow I could make to the Lord.

Luke says:
You’re kidding me.

Mibs says:
Nope. I wanted it to be something that was really big, but not too hard yet. I kept thinking about things like giving a tithe of everything I got
--
even Christmas and birthday presents. Then I realized I’d have to ask how much they were. I thought about promising to be a missionary
--
easy to do as a kid, but I was afraid I might not get accepted and that wouldn’t be good.

Luke says:
I like this glimpse into you as a kid. I think I would have liked you back then too.

Mibs says:
I’m flattered, I’m sure. Anyway, then I caught two of the counselors making out behind the cafeteria. It was gross.

Luke says:
I’ll bet. *snickers*

Mibs says:
So, I vowed that I’d never kiss anyone unless I was married. How I expected to get through dating and engagement without kissing, never occurred to me. I was very sincere about it.

Luke says:
An understandable vow if I’ve ever heard one.

Mibs says:
I told Tina about it, and she was livid. She thought I was ridiculous and asked if there was an out. That’s actually how she
became a Christian.

Luke says:
By kissing?

Mibs says:
*snort* No, by searching for some out for me in the Bible. She was sure I’d be able to get out of it. Once she started reading, she kept going, until one night she showed up at our house at bed time, in her pajamas, with her Bible, and demanding to know how to be a Christian. I’ll never forget it. She said,
“
If Jesus can go through all that for me, I’m not going to waste it.
”

Luke says:
Wow.

Mibs says:
Then, after she was baptized, she turned to me and said,
“
Oh, and I found out how to get around that kissing vow
--”
right in front of the whole church!

Luke says:
What I wouldn’t give to see that.

Mibs says:
Yeah. A riot. Anyway, Dad asked me what she meant, and got the whole story out of me. Tina insisted that according to Leviticus, Dad could, now that he heard of the vow, revoke it.

Mibs says:
I should confess, at that point, I didn’t care.

Luke says:
Of course, you didn’t. Tina was far thinking though, I’ll have to thank her.

Mibs says:
Um, Luke. Don’t thank her yet. Dad refused.

Luke says:
Still thanking her.

Mibs says:
Why?

Luke says:
Because she was thinking about the day you’d have a guy who wanted to kiss you. I’m not sure about how many of those there’ve been
--
probably more than you think
--
but still, it’s a nice thought. Now, why did your dad refuse? This I gotta hear.

Mibs says:
Dad said that he thought I needed to take responsibility for my actions. He knew I was old enough to know what I was doing, even if the consequences became a bit difficult as I got older.

Luke says:
Have you ever regretted it?

Mibs says:
Not until lately…

Luke says:
How recently is lately?

Mibs says:
The past month or so.

Luke says:
That’s good enough for me.

Mibs says:
You’re not disappointed?

Luke says:
That you’re a woman of your word? Not on your life.

Mibs says:
Well, that’s not what I meant, but…

Luke says:
Not disappointed that when I get that first kiss it’ll BE a first kiss? No way.

Mibs says:
Well, for me anyway.

Luke says:
For us.

Mibs says:
Does that mean us as a couple or as individuals?

Luke says:
Curious, aren’t you?

Mibs says:
Very.

Luke says:
Both. It’s going to be a trio of firsts, and I can’t wait.

Mibs says:
You’re going to have to though, aren’t you?

Mibs says:
Wait, you said
“
going to be.
”
That sounds pretty confident.

Luke says:
You’re the one who said you’d been thinking of things in terms of when, Mibs.

Mibs says:
Luke?

Luke says:
Hmm?

Mibs says:
Goodnight.

Luke says:
Goodnight, Mibs. I love you.

Mibs says:
And that’s a wonderful thought to fall asleep to.

Luke says:
That’s really nice to hear. Sleep well.

Commitments

Friday, October 24
^th

With Ian on one hip and Cari and Lorna in the double stroller, Aggie dragged herself through the crowd of playful children, trying to find her own in the sea of co-op participants. Mothers smiled encouragingly, but few took the time to seek her out, and no one offered to help. Aggie couldn’t decide if it was because they were busy themselves, didn’t want to be a bother, or if she, as a single mother of eight, was some kind of pariah. Disgusted with herself, she navigated through the obstacle course of children reminding herself that she’d grown too accustomed to a church and friends who were eager to lend a hand.