Here We Come (Aggie's Inheritance) (168 page)

“I
have
keys
for
you.”

“That’s
my
question!
Thanks.”
As
if
that
settled
everything,
she
jogged
up
the
stairs
calling
Vannie’s
name.

“Well,
guess
that
explains
it, whatever it is
,”
Aggie
muttered
dryly.

Mibs says:
We were supposed to talk tonight, but that never happened.

Luke says:
Pesky kids have the audacity to want to spend time with us or something.

Mibs says:
What did they want?

Luke says:
They wanted me to convince you to let them go to the library. I actually suspect they will ask me in the future and hope I don’t ask what you said.

Mibs says:
You have got to be kidding me.

Luke says:
Nope. Not a bit, why?

Mibs says:
I just didn’t think they’d pull that yet. I thought they’d at least have the decency to wait until we’re married.

Luke says:
Well, I let them have it. Informed them that I would back you up 100% even if I didn’t agree with you.

Mibs says:
That helps.

Mibs says:
Wait, does that mean you disagree with me?

Luke says:
I don’t know if I do or not. What was the reasoning for not allowing them to return the books? You’ll have a few more dollars in fines now.

Mibs says:
Josh is still out there, Luke. I can’t risk them out like that until I know he’s caught.

Luke says:
Do you really think he’d risk coming around to finish a job he isn’t going to get paid for now? That man is long gone.

Mibs says:
I don’t know…

Luke says:
What about Kenzie and the cookies?

Mibs says:
She’s only six and she has a bum arm. She can’t get away as easily…

Luke says:
Well, I’m going to back you up, but I’ll admit that I do think you’re wrong. It’s understandable, but I disagree.

Mibs says:
Once they catch him, I can stand it again, but…

Luke says:
And if they never do?

Mibs says:
Oh, I can’t stand that thought.

Luke says:
Are you going to find it impossible to relax for two weeks? Should I cancel honeymoon plans?

Mibs says:
Why should you do that? I’m looking forward to those two weeks.

Luke says:
You won’t be worrying about some strange man lurking outside Willow’s farm or at Mom’s or Uncle Zeke’s?

Mibs says:
No, actually, I think they’ll be safer. He won’t know to look there. Geraldine wouldn’t know.

Luke says:
Whew. I was getting nervous.

Mibs says:
You really do think I’m a bit nuts, don’t you?

Luke says:
I think you should talk to William and ask his opinion on things.

Mibs says:
I can do that.

Mibs says:
That seems weird.

Luke says:
What does?

Mibs says:
Asking William’s opinion when you’ve already given yours. Why should his carry more weight?”

Luke says:
Maybe because it is his job to know these things?

Mibs says:
Well, if you’re going to put it in logical terms like that.

Luke says:
I’m not going to pretend that I didn’t like that you wanted to put my opinions ahead of William’s. I’m not completely ego-free.

Mibs says:
Tina just came up with a list a mile long of things for me to answer.

Mibs says:
Wait, she is having trouble with catering ideas and wants to know what you think about cold cuts, rolls, potato salad—picnic fare.

Luke says:
Sounds good to me.

Mibs says:
Ok, then. I’ll talk to you later.

Luke says:
Night. Love you.

Mibs says:
Those are the coolest seven letters ever. Or, should I say

the gloriest?

Luke says:
Say goodnight, Gracie.

Mibs says:
Goodnight, Gracie.

Anniversaries

Saturday,
February
14
^th

Two
weeks
of
misery
culminated
in
a
very
dark
and
gloomy
Valentine’s
Day.
It
seemed
like
the
weather
had
remembered
the
day
and
chosen
to
grieve
with
Aggie
and
her
little
clan
of
Stuarts.
They
drove
into
the
cemetery
after
a
long,
tedious
morning
of
eating
breakfast,
dressing,
and
frantic
searches
for
that
special
picture
or
note.
She
drove
alone,
neither
Tina
nor
Luke
there
to
lend
the
support
she
desperately
craved.

To
be
truthful,
she
felt
a
little
sorry
for
herself.
That
was
almost
as
bad
as
the
memories
that
threatened
to
choke
her.
The
twins
didn’t
seem
to
remember
the
cemetery
at
all.
Kenzie
shrunk
from
it,
begging
Aggie
to
be
allowed
to
stay
alone
in
the
van.
That
wasn’t
going
to
h
appen.
It
simply
wasn’t
an
option.

When
they
neared
the
little
area
that
the
Stuarts
had
been
buried
in
for
the
past
hundred
years,
Kenzie
began
to
relax.
“Grandmother
isn’t
here.
I
thought
she
would
be.
She
made
me
sing.”

“No,
it’s
just
us
today.”

“Why
didn’t
Luke
come?”
Laird
seemed
as
bothered
by
the
absence
of
the
man
she
intended
to
marry
as
she
was.